All 20 Tesla vehicles now in the South Pasadena police fleet can be charged at the 34 EV chargers installed at City Hall. Although the chargers’ capacity wasn't specified, the press release states that “under its Charge Ready program, Southern California Edison upgraded its local distribution system to supply the higher level of power needed to energize the vehicles and installed the underground wiring needed to install the chargers.”
About a year ago, the SPPD announced its plan to go all-electric. Partnering with Enterprise Fleet Management, it purchased 10 Tesla Model Ys for patrol and 10 Tesla Model 3s for detective and administrative duties.
The police department explained its switch to electric vehicles on its website: “Simply put, the Tesla Model Y we identified as meeting and/or exceeding our needs for patrol operations is safer, out-performs, and costs significantly less to power/fuel & maintain than the gas-powered vehicles we use now.”
The city invested $1.85 million in this transition, including chargers and lease payments, and expects to save around $4,000 per vehicle annually in maintenance and fuel costs. Additionally, it received nearly $500,000 in Clean Transportation Funding from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC), and Southern California Edison’s Charge Ready program contributed about $530,000 in upgrades.
“This transition reflects the city’s vision of a sustainable future based on both sound fiscal management and environmental stewardship,” said South Pasadena Mayor Evelyn Zneimer. “The City Council is fully behind this transition. We will have a 21st Century police force that is safe, clean and saves taxpayer dollars.”
“Switching to these vehicles offers the Police Department the opportunity to acquire a cutting-edge vehicle fleet,” said South Pasadena Police Chief Brian Solinsky. “This initiative not only ensures the safest vehicles for officers and staff but also leads to substantial reductions in both fuel and maintenance costs.”
Source: Southpasadenaca