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The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office on Monday put a 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD on the road for traffic enforcement duties and while gauge the electric vehicle’s capabilities for other law enforcement work.
While several law enforcement agencies around the country have started using Teslas and other electric vehicles for a variety of purposes, Boulder County is likely the first law enforcement agency in the state to bring a Tesla Model Y into its patrol fleet, a Boulder County Sheriff’s news release states.
A portion of the vehicle’s charging will be offset by electricity produced from solar panels, further reducing its carbon footprint while it enforces local traffic laws, states the news release.
Boulder County Sheriff's Sgt. Clay Leak said in an email that yesterday was the vehicle's "maiden voyage. "
"We purchased the vehicle outright, it was a replacement for a patrol vehicle leaving the fleet at the end of its service life," Leak said. The vehicle the Tesla replaces is a 2013 Ford Police Interceptor SUV.
"We plan on having the Tesla for the duration of its useful servie life," Leak said. "I'd guess between 5-10 years."
At least 90% or more of the Tesla's battery components are recyclable once the battery pact reaches the end of its useful vehicle service life, which is anticipated by well over 500,000 miles, the news release states.
The vehicle has been outfitted with official Boulder County Sheriff’s Office decals as well as a full suite of emergency equipment used in many of the department’s other vehicles. “It will primarily be assigned for traffic enforcement, though it will be rigorously tested to examine its potential for other applications within the Sheriff’s Office,” the news release states.
The county looked at other EV vehicles from other manufacturers, but they were eliminated from consideration because of “significantly higher price points, lack of availability, and/or specifications that did not meet our needs,” the news release states.
Many people perceive these vehicles as “luxury vehicles” which is true for a large segment of the company’s product line,” the news release states. Tesla’s mission has been the proliferation of electric vehicles into the mainstream market, which means Tesla vehicle prices have become much more affordable in recent years.
The vehicle's specifications are also comparable to the current Ford Police Interceptor SUVs currently in use for patrol, which “providing, exceptional safety, performance and reliability,” the news release states.
While the initial cost of a Tesla is higher than the FORD PI SUV, research and anecdotal evidence shows that the initial cost difference is made up within 6-18 months due to the significantly lower operation and ownership costs of the Tesla, the news release states. Due to the simplicity of design and lack of moving parts, the Tesla is expected to have a much longer service life than its internal combustion engine counterparts.
Law enforcement vehicles spend a great deal of time idling and engaging is sudden start/stop driving, which for internal combustion engine vehicles consumes significant amounts of fossil fuels and produces a lot of wear and tear on the engine components, the news release states.
The county’s data shows that over the average life of a patrol vehicle — 5 years/105,000 miles — the Ford Police Interceptor’s fuel and maintenance costs equate to roughly $0.187 per mile driven, while the Tesla Model Y’s operating and maintenance costs equate to roughly $0.029 per mile driven, the news release states.
That equates to roughly $19,635 in fuel and maintenance costs for the Ford Police Interceptor SUV compared to only $3,045 for the Tesla Model &, according to the news release.
