California Cops Testing Teslas Say They’re “Nearly Unusable”



California cops who have tested Teslas ahead of the state’s ban on gas and diesel vehicles have revealed that they’re “nearly unusable” for police departments. Gov. Gavin Newsom mandated in September 2020 that all vehicles sold in California be zero emission by 2035. Since then, a number of local municipalities have implemented their own goals to convert their fleet of gas-powered cars to electric vehicles. Police chiefs who have purchased Teslas say the design of the car is detrimental to police operations. Police Chief Cedrick Crook requested that Mendocino County approve the purchase of two Tesla Model 3 vehicles at nearly $150,000 for the cost of the cars and $35,000 in modifications to make them patrol ready. He said the vehicles needed the standard emergency lights, sirens, radio, antenna, push bar, partition and gun rack, but the Teslas also needed to be upgraded with ballistic panels to toughen them up for the streets. There’s just one problem: the only shop that's equipped to make the necessary modifications is 500 miles away, and it would take them months to make all the necessary upgrades. There’s also the matter of transporting suspects, which means police would have to spend time at unsecured public charging stations while guarding their suspects. Tesla back seats only have room for one prisoner, limiting an officer’s ability to sequester suspects. Crook also noted that he had heard from other officers that they were not able to comfortably get into and out of the driver's seat with their duty belt on because of the car's sleek design. Those belts could weigh up to 25 pounds and add bulk to an officer's torso, he explained. In addition, in firefights officers are taught to hide behind a car’s engine block, but in Teslas, there are no engine blocks. “I’m not ready to put an officer in a Tesla,” said the police chief.