Yesterday we told you about how the South Pasadena Police Department in California would become the first all-electric law enforcement fleet in the U.S., leveraging Tesla’s Model Y.
Now on Tuesday, Unplugged Performance, Enterprise and South Pasadena Police, are set to become the world’s first police department to operate an entirely electric vehicle (EV) fleet, featuring 20 custom-upfitted Tesla Model Y and Model 3 vehicles.
Unplugged Performance is based in California and offers aftermarket tuning accessories for Tesla vehicles and more. South Pasadena Police are leveraging some of the best local tuners to convert these Tesla cars to police vehicles.
“Unplugged Performance are globally renowned for their expertise in customizing and upfitting Tesla vehicles. We are incredibly fortunate to be collaborating with their team as we pave the way for the next generation of police vehicles during our comprehensive fleet transition to battery electric vehicles,” said Sergeant Tony Abdalla, the EV Project Transition Lead for the South Pasadena Police Department.
“The bold leadership exhibited by the South Pasadena City Council and the South Pasadena Police Department is indeed historic. The compelling economics of electric vehicle fleet ownership make transitioning to EVs and specifically Teslas a logical choice, but taking the leap for an entire department requires the commitment and leadership from the Mayor, City Council, and the entire department,” said Ben Schaffer, CEO of Unplugged Performance.
This monumental transition has been facilitated by a generous contribution of almost $500,000 towards clean transportation from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC). This sum is bolstered by substantial investments from Southern California Edison’s Charge Ready program and the South Pasadena City Council.
“Tesla’s impressive reliability record, low maintenance costs, and excellent on-road performance make the transition to EVs a safe and economically sound choice for many departments,” added Abdalla. “The undeniable cost savings, coupled with Tesla’s comprehensive suite of crash and safety systems enhancing officer safety, present significant benefits. Additionally, the sustainable nature of electric transport and the subsequent reduction in emissions will contribute to the health of our communities for generations to come.”
This is a pretty cool partnership and will likely become a model for other police departments looking to transition their gas vehicle fleets to electric. Tesla is the only automaker able to produce EVs at scale at the moment it seems.
