Photo: Somerset PD
The Somerset Police Department, Wisconsin, received a Tesla Model Y as their new patrol car. According to PD calculations, it will save $80,000 over 10 years of use.
The Somerset Police Department received a Tesla Model Y in January to be used as a patrol car. After purchasing the car, Somerset PD Chief Joel Trepczyk answered residents' questions, explaining in detail why the Tesla Model Y was chosen, Police1 reported.
Trepczyk said that since he started working in Somerset in 2010, the PD has constantly had problems with the costly maintenance and repair of the patrol fleet. At some point, repairs became so expensive that they could no longer afford to buy new cars. The money that had been budgeted for new cars was used to maintain an aging fleet. In addition, the cost of fuel for cars was enormous.
Realizing that a new gas car would not solve the problem, Somerset PD proposed the Tesla Model Y. According to a study of the information, the car was supposed to meet the department's needs and save taxpayers about $80,000 over the car's 10-year life cycle. Trepczyk talked about some of the cost savings of an electric car versus a gasoline car including but not limited to:
- No oil changes
- Regenerative braking
- Battery designed for 500,000 miles
- Drivetrain/motors designed for 1,000,000 miles
- Five-year/125,000-mile drivetrain and battery warranty
- Most are American-made vehicles
- Highest crash test rating
- Superior performance
- Long vehicle life
The Tesla Model Y was purchased using American Rescue Plan Act funds. The PD has also applied for funding from the LEA grant as well as purchase donations. The purchase price of the car was about $60,000. The car is expected to save the village over $80,000 over a 10-year operating cycle.
The police department received a Tesla wall connector as a gift, which was installed in the department. The vehicle is charged at a rate of 25 mph via a “Level 2” electric vehicle supply equipment EVSE. Most officers average 30 to 60 miles per shift. With a range of 300 miles, there are no problems with the car's battery life.
© 2023, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.
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Article edited by @SmokeyShorts; follow him on Twitter
About the Author
Eva Fox
Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.
