Photo: CTV News Vancouver Island
Canada’s National Police Force, the RCMP, is debuting its first all-electric patrol cruiser in Langford, British Columbia.
West Shore RCMP unveiled its first Tesla Model Y on Tuesday, set to be used on southern Vancouver Island, according to CTV News.
The Model Y is expected to help reduce emissions and decrease maintenance costs compared to gas police cruisers, according to the department. The average cost of fueling and maintenance on old gas cruisers was roughly $11,000 CAD in 2020, and inflation has increased these estimates.
“This is the first ever fully electric RCMP police vehicle and we’re proud to be piloting it here in the West Shore detachment,” said Todd Preston, West Shore RCMP’s Chief Superintendent. “Our geography and mild winter weather make this an ideal test environment.”
The department also said that electric vehicles (EVs) may not yet be able to be suitable for use in cold northern parts of the country, though the Model Y and other new electric options would be a good way to see how capable the EVs are.
The West Shore RCMP is located in Langford, a suburb about 25 minutes west of Victoria, the capital of B.C. It’s worth noting Tesla is also building its first service and showroom for Vancouver Island in Langford, just minutes away from the RCMP office.
In addition to the Tesla Model Y, the West Shore department will receive two other EVs later this year, including a Ford F-150 Lightning Pickup and a Mustang Mach-E SUV.
Some local Canadian police forces have been testing Tesla’s EVs for years, most recently including one in Nova Scotia.
