Tesla Model Y AWD is now the patrol car of choice for a police department in California

It has taken the South Pasadena PD three years of research and working with companies that retrofit regular cars to create an all-electric police vehicle fleet of Teslas.

The Department says that this is the first all-electric cop car roster in the US, although there are others using Teslas as police vehicles, even the Cybertruck.

What it probably means, however, is that for the first time all the patrol vehicles that the law enforcement officers need will be battery-powered:

The transition approval was the culmination of over three years of research and due diligence, which included closely tracking the progress of over thirty-five other law enforcement agencies across the United States who have integrated one or more Tesla BEVs into their fleet. Our approval would not have been possible without these early adopters sharing their documentation and willingness to share their experiences.

The SPPD bought ten AWD Tesla Model Y units as patrol cars, and ten Model 3 cars for detective and investigative work.

Between idling at crime scenes or stakeouts, and going on patrol, each car in the all-electric fleet is projected to bring taxpayers about $400,000 in gas savings over 10 years.

The retrofits were done by UP.FIT which recently unveiled its own take on the Cybertruck as a tactical fleet car, calling it "our most ballistics capable patrol vehicle." Ironically, the retrofitted electric pickup looks a lot like the Cybertruck Toy Trucks Police Car that comes complete with light and sound effects.

The Model Y Pursuit, on the other hand, is deemed the "most American police car on Earth," alluding to its made-in-US status that also makes it eligible for federal tax credits.

"All the vehicles have 5-star safety ratings - better than any gas vehicle available for policing," says the Department.