In keeping with America’s plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, several police departments have toyed with the idea of electrifying their patrol car fleets. It’s only logical that, as the undisputed leader in EV sales and technologies, Tesla would be in the mix.

However, even though, with an approximate 121 MPGe EPA rating, the Tesla Model 3 is one of the cleanest vehicles on the road, the steep purchase price remains a concern. Would it be prudent to spend taxpayers’ money on a long-range, all-wheel drive, performance Model 3 costing $52,290, when the typical internal-combustion, midsize SUV that commonly makes up a patrol car fleet costs only $37,000?

To find out, Westport PD brought a Model 3, fully tricked-out for law enforcement, into service to determine the electric cruiser’s operating costs and forecast the total cost of ownership (TCO) over four years - the normal lifespan for Westport’s patrol fleet. The trial resoundingly proved the Tesla Model 3’s cost-effectiveness as a patrol car. The full payback takes only one year, so that by year four, the projected savings could pay for a new Tesla cruiser. RELATED: Check Out This Tesla Electric Police Interceptor

Turning A Tesla Model 3 Into A Police Cruiser Is Cheaper Than You Think

Model-3-Police-Cruiser-Interior
Via: Tesmanian

While initial calculations before the purchase, carried out by the Westport PD and an organization called Sustainable Westport, estimated that the lower operating costs of the all-electric Tesla Model 3 would give payback within three years, the EV easily surpassed this. What was unexpected, however, were the significant savings on the extensive customization required for a law enforcement vehicle brought about by the native tech in the Tesla. The cost to customize a traditional Ford Explorer for law enforcement duty is significantly more than the initial purchase price of the vehicle.

The Tesla pilot vehicle, due to its first-mover status, was given significant discounts from the two companies that Westport uses for law enforcement customization work, artificially deflating prices. Going forward, this will obviously not be the case. Accordingly, the Pilot’s first-mover discounts, which included free fitment of additional cameras, lights, siren, and a weapons rack, totaling just over $14,000, have to be factored into the cost comparison. However, the biggest single cost when customizing a law enforcement cruiser is the license plate reader.

Using Tesla’s built-in camera technology, in conjunction with the department’s existing license plate reader system, cost Westport $8,000 instead of the $18,000 it would have spent to outfit the Explorer. On the ‘add’ side of the cost comparison are the $800 for a spare tire and $1,000 for hardware and installation of a charging station. These costs fall under additional customization as they do not come standard with the vehicle. Even though the Model 3 delivers two full shifts per day on a single battery charge after charging the vehicle overnight, the department assumes that each Tesla in the fleet will require its own charging equipment. Therefore this is included in the costing.

After all the Model 3 customization costs have been added up for the pilot cruiser program it beats the Explorer by a whopping $24,600. But since this includes a lot of ‘no-charge’ equipment it cannot form the basis for the evaluation. Instead, a fully-costed Tesla customization was used in the comparison. At $30,700 it was still $8,200 clear of the SUV's $38,900. RELATED: Tesla Driver Blames Autopilot For Crashing Into Parked Police Cruiser

Total Cost Of Ownership And Performance Make Teslas The Best Police Cruisers

Policeman-With-Tesla-Police-Cruiser
Via: indystar.com

Most ICE vs EV running cost comparisons give the fully electric vehicles a clear lead when it comes to running costs. The Westport PD comparison confirmed these findings. The department’s records show that the SUV’s brakes need servicing four times as often as the Tesla’s, whereas the Tesla’s tires only cover half the mileage of the SUV’s.

Other costs that the SUV incurs are maintenance expenses related to regular oil/filter changes as well as transmission, catalytic converter, water pump, spark plugs, and alternator replacement and servicing. While the calculation of electricity consumption was done manually by tracking mileage and battery state of charge before and after each day, the running cost of electricity was 60% less than for gas.

Based on the Tesla’s favorable operating costs over 23,060 miles a year, the Westport PD plans to extend the four-year service life to six for the Model 3, while the $52,000 savings in total ownership cost (TCO) will allow the department to replace the EV after four years on an amortized basis. Nevertheless, no matter if the costing puts Tesla ahead of the Explorer, if the men and women driving the cruisers find the EV lacking, financial considerations become a moot point when arguing why Teslas would make the best police cruisers.

From the outset of the evaluation, the police were very positive in their feedback regarding Tesla’s performance. For instance, many commented that the Model 3 is able to catch up to a speeding vehicle in less time than a gas-powered patrol car, reducing the danger to other motorists, pedestrians, and the police themselves. NEXT: 10 Best Police Cars In The World, Ranked