My Tesla Model Y Police Car Is Too Cramped, Too Hard to Charge and Too Expensive to Up Fit with Equipment, It’s Nearly Unusable As A Squad Car

Tesla models aren't for everyone, especially the police.

The Tesla Model Y, a vehicle that promised innovation and efficiency, has fallen short of expectations, especially in the context of police use. 

Here is the poignant story of a police department's struggle with its Tesla Model Y, a vehicle purchased to comply with zero-emissions mandates in California. The police officers who drive it express their frustration, finding it nearly unusable in their daily operations.

According to a report from Automotive News, the financial burden of modifying Tesla vehicles for police use is significant. Some police departments in California, which purchased these electric cars to comply with zero-emissions mandates, find them too cramped, too hard to charge, and too expensive to upfit with necessary equipment.

AN says, "It looks like Tesla isn't quite ready for crime time."

The report says in Menlo Park, a few miles from Tesla's engineering office in Palo Alto; officers found three long-range Model Ys to be "nearly unusable" as squad cars because the seats can't accommodate their duty belts and bulletproof vests, according to a recent report to the Palo Alto city council.

"Officers using the vehicles appreciated the acceleration, steering, and vehicle speed compared to the hybrids and remaining gasoline-only patrol vehicles," the report said. "However, the Tesla presented challenges due to the small interior space, 'smart car' features, and low vehicle profile limiting maneuverability (e.g., jumping curbs, off-road use)."

The report concluded that Teslas "do not appear to be the 'patrol cars of the future' in their current configuration."

It's not just in Palo Alto. 

In Ukiah, 115 miles north of San Francisco, Police Chief Cedric Crook told SFGate Bay Area News that buying and modifying two Model 3s cost nearly $150,000. Still, he decided to use them only for administrative purposes. 

That's because their back seats "only have room for one prisoner," Crook said, meaning officers must call for backup when responding to incidents involving more than one suspect. "I'm not ready to put an officer in a Tesla," the chief said.

Fort Bragg police say the same thing. 

AN says in nearby Fort Bragg, Police Chief Neil Cervenka wanted to go electric but decided that Teslas wouldn't fit his department's needs. Instead, he ordered five Ford F-150 Lightnings, which he said are easier to have repaired, can traverse a broader range of terrain, and offer more equipment storage options.

"Tesla isn't the right answer in the law enforcement market currently for electric adoption," Cervenka told SFGate, "but there might be better options."

Speaking of the Ford Lightning..

It's unrelated to police use, but Ford is preparing to idle the production of its F-150 Lightning pickup from the end of work on November 15 until January 6. It's the latest downshift in plans for a once-hot product whose importance executives have likened to the Model T. 

Check out my F-150 Lightning pickup report here. 

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Menlo Park Police Department