Tesla stated that its police vehicles cost roughly one-fourth as much to operate over five years as comparable gas-powered patrol vehicles.
The company made the claim in a post on social media. It quoted a post by Tom Zhu, Tesla’s Senior Vice President of Automotive, which included a comparison of operating costs.
According to the data shared, a Tesla Model Y AWD Patrol vehicle has estimated five-year operating costs of $19,488. A Ford Police Interceptor Utility has estimated five-year operating costs of $83,954.
The comparison breaks down to $9,768 in fuel costs for the Tesla versus $62,854 for the Ford, and $9,720 in maintenance for the Tesla versus $21,100 for the Ford. The figures come from the UP.FIT website.
UP.FIT is a provider of Tesla fleet conversions for police and emergency vehicles. The data assumes 20,000 miles per year of patrol duty with national average electricity and gasoline prices.
The Tesla Model Y AWD Patrol also has a faster 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds compared with 5.5 seconds for the Ford. It carries longer manufacturer warranties and higher rollover safety ratings.
UP.FIT notes that the estimates are based on publicly available information and are subject to change depending on location, usage patterns and other factors. The company recommends agencies perform their own total cost of ownership analysis.
Tesla has been expanding its presence in law enforcement fleets through partners such as UP.FIT. The Model Y is currently available for immediate police upfitting.
The Ford Police Interceptor Utility remains a widely used gas-powered option for many departments, with delivery times of six to 18 months.
Tesla and Tom Zhu did not release additional details on current police fleet adoption rates or specific departments using the converted vehicles.
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