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3471With California pushing hard towards an all-electric future, some police departments have jumped on the EV bandwagon.
But now, these departments are sharing their thoughts, and it’s not all rosy. California is on a mission to go green, banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.
Naturally, some police departments have started transitioning to electric vehicles, with Teslas being the popular choice.
But here’s the thing—the feedback from officers is… less than glowing. According to Chief Cedric Crook from Ukiah PD, who spoke to SFGATE, the Teslas they bought are “nearly unusable” for regular police work.
They also cost 150,000 dollars a pop! Let’s unpack why some police chiefs think the Teslas they bought are nearly unusable.
Read on or watch the video below:
First off, the size issue.
You’d think a high-tech Tesla would make a perfect squad car, but the reality is much different. Chief Crook points out that the backseat of the Tesla Model 3 can only fit one prisoner, versus two in more conventional options like the Dodge Charger or Chevy Tahoe.
Imagine needing extra units to transport suspects because your backseat just doesn’t cut it. Talk about inefficient policing. And it’s not just the cramped backseat.
Officers are also struggling to get in and out of these cars.
Remember, they’re wearing duty belts that weigh around 20-25 pounds, along with bulletproof vests. Crook said that getting comfortable in the driver’s seat of a Tesla is a real challenge because of how streamlined and tight the car’s interior is. When you need to hop in and out quickly during an emergency, that becomes a major problem.
Another critical issue?
Charging. Officers often need to transport prisoners or victims across long distances, sometimes hundreds of miles. With a Tesla, that means they’d need to stop for at least 20 minutes at an unsecured charging station, which, as you can imagine, is risky.
Crook even recalled a case where officers had to drive 630 miles to Mexico—a journey that would’ve required several lengthy charging stops if done in an EV.
And let’s not forget the danger aspect. In a firefight, police officers are trained to use the engine block as cover. But with an electric vehicle like a Tesla, there’s no engine block.
Chief Crook put it bluntly:
“I’m not ready to put an officer in a Tesla” Without that essential cover, officers are at a significant disadvantage if a situation turns dangerous.
Then there’s the whole issue of the Tesla “Autopilot” system. According to officers from Menlo Park PD, the autopilot features have a tendency to interfere in certain situations like trying to apply brakes when an officer pulls off the side of the road, or causing delays when shifting from park into drive.
In an emergency or high-stress situation, those few seconds can make all the difference.
So, are there better alternatives out there?
Chief Neil Cervenka from Fort Bragg PD seems to think so. Instead of Teslas, they went with electric Ford F-150 Lightnings, which he described as a much better fit for their needs. Cervenka said, “Tesla isn’t the right answer in the law enforcement market currently for electric adoption, but there might be better options.”
And you know what?
The feedback from the department seems to support that choice—the F-150 Lightning are easier to modify, quicker to repair, and better suited for real police work.
But it’s not all negative.
Over in South Pasadena, things are looking different. Their police department is the first in the U.S. to switch to a fully electric fleet—20 Teslas, all in. Tony Abdalla, the sergeant leading the EV project, said that once officers test-drove the cars, many were convinced.
In fact, four officers went out and bought Teslas for their personal use. Abdalla even mentioned that South Pasadena expects to save $4,000 per car each year on fuel alone and that’s not even counting the reduced maintenance costs.
In their relatively small jurisdiction, the limited range and other drawbacks aren’t such a big deal.
So, what’s the takeaway here?
While California pushes for zero emissions, the reality is that Teslas—at least right now—aren’t fitting the bill for a lot of police departments.
They’re expensive to retrofit, don’t offer enough space, and come with limitations that make them almost “worthless” for certain kinds of police work, according to some officers.
It’s clear there’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. EVs definitely have their advantages—savings on fuel, reduced maintenance, and impressive acceleration but they also have some significant drawbacks that need addressing before they can truly replace traditional cruisers across the board.
Maybe as electric vehicles evolve, we’ll start seeing better options for law enforcement, but for now, Teslas are struggling to make the grade.
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