Tesla targets police forces with Model Y conversion

British Transport Police in Surrey has become the latest force to take on a Tesla Model Y response vehicle as it looks to electrify its fleet by 2025.

Fleet managers at Company Car in Action 2022 were able to experience a similar vehicle, fitted out for active duty with lights, sirens and auxiliary equipment, alongside other models in the manufacturer’s range.

These were the Model 3 – its best-selling car in the fleet sector – and the new Model Y, which is expected to be even more popular than the Model 3, offering the practicality of an SUV/crossover type vehicle, but with the same long-range capabilities of its smaller stablemate.

The police sector is ..., which last year began carrying out trials with police forces throughout the UK.

These saw a Model 3 police car trialled by a number of forces last year, with “great results”, said Max Toozs-Hobson, emergency services lead at Tesla.

Findings included the Model 3 was able to do more than 200  miles of blue light advance driving. The average blue light run in the UK is about seven to 15 minutes, while the longest run in a Tesla has been for more than four hours on active deployment under advanced driving conditions.

The auxiliary systems have minimal impact on range: ANPR for three hours would take less than a few miles of range off the car.

Brake wear was minimal. After 10,000 miles of driving the first set of pads still had 15-20% use still in them.

After 15,000 miles, the only maintenance needed was brakes and lights, with tyre wear being similar to that on an ICE vehicle.

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