Electric vehicles (EVs) have been increasing in popularity recently — and for more than just the average consumer. South Pasadena's Police Department in California has announced that it will convert all of its 20 patrol vehicles to the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.
The first stage of this move, which was supported partially by a grant, covered 10 Tesla Model Y vehicles and the installation of nine level-two charging stations and a DC fast-charger for the police department, per an article published by Electrek.
South Pasadena will become the first police department in the nation to convert its entire police fleet to EVs, according to the Pasadena Star-News. As this outlet reported, the city council voted in 2022 to switch to EVs and received close to $500,000 in funding from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee, Southern California Edison's Charge Ready program, and the council itself.
One of the major selling points for the city council was the significant gas and maintenance savings, which the police chief expects will amount to upwards of $80,000 over ten years.
In addition, Tesla vehicles do not produce any external emissions, which has a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to the poor efficiency of current police vehicles. And in cities like Los Angeles, where vehicular smog remains a persistent environmental and human health hazard, EVs may be a step in the right direction to curbing unhealthy air quality.
The move can also improve the respiratory health of communities in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area as a result, which has held the title of the "smoggiest metropolitan area" every year but one in the last 24 years, as the Los Angeles Times reported.
"We will be putting our officers in the safest and most effective police vehicles on the market. In addition to that, we will be investing in technology that will help reduce harmful vehicle emissions to improve air quality for all our residents," South Pasadena Councilmember Michael Cacciotti shared with the Pasadena Star-News. "This effort will provide a model for other jurisdictions; we can build a 21st century police force, save significant resources, and clean the air at the same time."
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