South Pasadena has become the first city in the U.S. to replace its police patrol cars with electric vehicles, unveiling a fleet of 20 Teslas on Monday. The move toward the South Pasadena electric police fleet aims to protect public health and fight climate change by reducing emissions.
The city, located on the edge of Los Angeles, will use the new electric vehicle chargers installed at City Hall to power the Teslas. The fleet consists of 10 Tesla Model Ys for patrol and 10 Model 3s for detective and administrative duties, all customized for police use.
Michael Cacciotti, a city council member and regional air quality official, reportedly said that police vehicles typically idle more than other vehicles during traffic stops or emergency responses, significantly contributing to emissions. Switching to electric vehicles will mitigate this issue.
The switch is also expected to save South Pasadena about $4,000 annually per vehicle on energy costs and reduce maintenance expenses such as brakes, oil changes, and air filters.
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