Letter: Tesla Model Y is a poor choice for police

Posted 4/21/21

To the editor:

It has been suggested that our police department replace their patrol vehicles which have been purposely designed and refined over the years with the Tesla Model Y. This …

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Letter: Tesla Model Y is a poor choice for police

Posted

To the editor:

It has been suggested that our police department replace their patrol vehicles which have been purposely designed and refined over the years with the Tesla Model Y. This suggestion is being proposed through the singular lens of acquisition and operating costs while leaving out some critical details.  Police patrol vehicles are often used around the clock by multiple shifts. In a serious emergency, all patrol vehicles are needed to stay at a position or cover a patrol area for an unlimited time with a substitution rotation for refueling. The only way to accomplish this mission utilizing a Tesla that requires a 10-hour charging time, is to buy more vehicles.

There are also expenses beyond acquisition related to this proposal that have not been considered. I think we can assume that the insurance required to replace a more valuable vehicle is more expensive. Even when factoring in the subtraction of oil changes, spark plugs, and air filters, a significant portion of maintenance during a Police Patrol vehicle’s usable lifespan is tires and brakes. It is safe to assume that the cost of training police fleet technicians and a comparison of common consumable parts would show the Ford as a cheaper option. In fact, to achieve the published performance of the Tesla, the manufacturer recommends an additional set of special winter tires with rims that cost around $2,400. Alloy wheels and low-profile tires do not belong on a police vehicle as they are fragile and expensive. Then there is the cost of replacing and disposing of a $5,000 battery made of toxic material every three years. 

The last important factor that eliminates the financial feasibility of employing Teslas for police patrol use is the fact that our police department has already purchased anywhere from $13,000 on up per vehicle on additional items needed that are specifically made for the Ford Utility.

They are: Center consoles, radios, lockable weapon mounts, push bars, window cages, partitions, lockable storage, plastic rear seats, strobe lights, sirens, cameras, speed sensing equipment, and computer mounts.

These items are added on to the vehicle by specialty companies that have tested and certified that these additions and modifications do not increase any risks to the occupants. In addition, these items can be directly plugged into and or bolted onto a replacement car in a matter of hours since the Ford Utility comes from the factory with a handful strategically placed power source points protected from impacts.

The ground clearance, steel wheels, and special tires are designed for driving abruptly over curbs and other obstacles. The chassis has been designed to achieve a small u-turn radius at higher-than-normal speeds. Part of this design is a stiffening cage in the rear of the vehicle that is also designed to withstand a 75 MPH rear ending while stopped. Despite strobe light patterns that are designed and tested to get the attention of human brains, sadly this still happens.

There is a reason that retired police cars are often used as taxis and other utilitarian functions. The Ford Utility’s special fabric on the front seats is designed to stand up to millions of entries and exits by a person with 20 pounds of gear protruding from their belt. The floor is covered in rubber so it can be easily cleaned with a shop vac, mop, and disinfectant. The Tesla uses the space under the seats for expensive computer modules that when exposed to liquid, are damaged and disable the vehicle. 

The idea of drilling a Tesla full of holes, paying for a first generation of custom wiring harnesses, adding 200 pounds of gear, replacing the seats, and expecting it to protect the occupants during its full range of operations at a cheaper cost for ten years is a fantasy.

Stephen Robbins

Barrington

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