Three police departments report mixed feelings about EVs as police cars

During the past 12 months, three police departments that adopted EV police vehicles have reported mixed feelings about their purchases. Teslas fared worse in actual patrol use while Fords fared better. The real-world pros and cons found can help police departments avoid buying EVs that simply aren't well-suited for police work.

Police vehicles are often specialized models of SUVs and sedans put out by car manufacturers, although some are regular vehicles that have been retrofitted. These vehicles are fitted with heavy-duty tires, higher capacity batteries, extra lighting, improved cooling systems, more durable shocks, and powerful engines to improve their ability at catching fleeing criminals no matter the conditions. These vehicles are also fitted with police terminals, cameras, rear-seat barriers, waterproof rear seats, gun mounts, and even bulletproofing, which all add weight and reduce the interior space available for patrol officers fitted with body armor, loaded gear belts, and body cams as well as criminals being transported in the rear seat.

Two departments that adopted Teslas found significant drawbacks to their new EVs when used as police vehicles. The Ukiah Police Department in Northern California found that their Tesla 3 EVs had several drawbacks. The first was the rear seats were too small and only allowed the transport of one prisoner. The second was cramped front seats that didn't allow officers to exit comfortably. The third was the excessively long recharge times, adding hours waiting at charging stations when transporting prisoners long distance. The Tesla 3 took months to be modified into police vehicles, costing $150,000 each in the end.

The Menlo Park Police Department a few hours south of Ukiah found similar drawbacks with their Tesla Model Y EVs. Critically, the main drawback was the inefficiency and interference from the Tesla vehicle software. The Menlo Park officers found that the Teslas would suddenly stop, without warning, when pulling vehicles over to the side of the road, due to the advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in the Teslas that cannot be disabled. This would also interfere with car chases. The software also automatically locks the doors when the officer with the key has walked away, adding precious seconds when the officer needs to return to the vehicle quickly for a pursuit or weapon. The design of the touch controls forces officers to tap multiple times to turn off the lights for a stealth approach, further reducing efficiency.

The second drawback was the cramped front seats and high center console that forces officers "to sit at an angle or with their sidearm pinned and inaccessible while in the vehicle" and prevents another officer from sitting comfortably during long shifts in the passenger seat. The third was the cramped rear seat for transporting prisoners. The fourth was the low vehicle clearance, limiting the ability of officers to pursue criminals over obstacles and off-road. The Tesla Y took five months to be modified into police vehicles, costing $102,752 each. The extra weight of the modifications took a very significant toll on the actual range, resulting in an actual range of 195 miles versus the advertised 330 miles with 100% battery usage, or a poor 156 miles with 80% battery usage.

The Fort Bragg Police Department an hour north of Ukiah adopted the Ford F-150 Lightning EV. The main drawback was the unfamiliarity of the officers with EV charging. This resulted in a case where officers were late to a scheduled event because they stopped at a slow Level 1 charging station rather than knowing to seek out faster Level 2 or higher stations. Although a 600-mile test was conducted using faster charging stations, this trip still required officers to stop for 1 1/2 hours total while waiting for battery recharges.

The second drawback was the limited range when driving mountainous regions. Two round trips to the local jail that is located 55 miles away depletes 80% of the battery. The range of EVs is greatly reduced in freezing conditions. The third is the limited availability of transformers needed to install fast chargers at the police station. According to the department, the required transformer is delayed a year due to supply chain issues, so the department has been forced to use Level 1 charging.

Police departments should carefully consider whether the charging infrastructure, range, or capabilities of more costly EVs are appropriate for their use, especially when up-armoring. Readers itching to catch criminals as new officers can prepare to pass the police exam with a study guide like this one on Amazon.