perhaps a better alternative is picking one of the many other EVs that are based on a ICE framework, which i presume would be much easier to modify as required?
It made a lot of sense.
Not 100% electric, but they get serious mileage. I used to drive one, and it got about 45 MPG, with pretty good performance.
It would be the same if some police force decided to purchase BMW Mini's, spent $100k retrofitting each for police work, and then complained that they were too small after the fact.
Total own goal!
They mentioned that other brands weren’t even an option to due to various reasons, so it’s weird that they framed it as a hit piece on Tesla rather than a failure of the EV market.
The piece ends with the F-150 Lightning portrayed as the savior (in a department that had the foresight to install chargers in their lot), but they don’t draw attention to the fact it has most of the same issues cited as complaints in the Tesla section (need to use chargers on long-distance road trips, can’t hide behind an engine block).
The linked article also doesn’t mention any of the positives cited in the article that it’s referencing.
But, you know, any opportunity to shit on something related to Elon Musk…
Out of the ten or so complaints I read, only two were applicable to other EVs (can't do long range, which it sounds like they only needed once), and no engine block to hide behind (surely they can just install additional armor on that part of the car).
The rest is Tesla being unfit for being a police car, which, yes, it is, why are you buying something you know doesn't fit your use case?
1. Limited space: - Back seats only have room for one prisoner - Officers can't comfortably get in and out with duty belts on - Cramped cabin causes duty belts and vests to jut into passenger seat
2. Modification issues: - Few shops can modify Teslas for police use - Long wait times for modifications (months) - Modifications exacerbate space constraints
3. Charging infrastructure concerns: - Unclear how/where officers would charge vehicles - Potential security issues with charging suspects' transport vehicles at public stations
4. Safety concerns: - No engine block to use as cover in firefights - Low profile limits off-road use and maneuverability
5. "Smart" features interfering with police work: - Autopilot causing delays when shifting into drive - Automatic stopping when pulling over - Complicated process to dim lights at night - Issues with proximity locking, sleep mode, and self-closing doors
6. Maintenance challenges: - Require Tesla technicians for many repairs - Long out-of-service times for repairs
7. Cost issues: - Expensive to transport for modifications - Limited vendor options for outfitting increases costs
8. Not designed for police utility needs: - Lack of storage space for equipment - No easy way to transport items like bicycles and shopping carts