For Police Departments, The Tesla Cybertruck Is A Must-Have Vehicle
Credit to Author: Carolyn Fortuna| Date: Wed, 08 Jan 2020 21:57:31 +0000
Published on January 8th, 2020 | by Carolyn Fortuna
January 8th, 2020 by Carolyn Fortuna
What police force wouldn’t want a flame-and-water-resistant, amazingly fast, sleek, dominant, and long-range electric vehicle that can also pull water pipes and garbage containers? The Tesla Cybertruck has stirred up lots of chatter due to its futuristic vibe and big electric range, but the huge towing capacity and brutal acceleration are making it especially appealing to police departments around the world.
The vehicle, which has a starting price of $39,900, looks like a metallic trapezoid. Its exterior is made from newly developed stainless steel, the same metal kind that’s used for SpaceX rockets, according to Musk. “It is literally bulletproof to a nine millimeter handgun,” Musk said onstage during the Cybertruck unveiling. “That’s how strong the skin is — it’s ultra-hard, cold-rolled stainless steel alloy that we’ve developed. We’re going to be using the same alloy in the Starship rocket and in the Cybertruck.” The material is both tough and resistant to corrosion.
Its dimensions are also appealing to law enforcement officials. The Cybertruck is 231.7 inches long, 79.8 inches wide, and 75 inches tall, with seating for 6 adults. Off-road performance offers a 35-degree approach angle, a 28-degree departure angle, and up to 16 inches of ground clearance.
The Tesla Cybertruck is starting to have some interesting suitors due to its appealing price point and its practicality. One of the more recent municipalities to step up and reserve Cybertrucks is Cuidad Valles, in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Mayor Adrián Esper Cárdenas told El Imparcial that the 15 Cybertrucks he ordered will primarily be used by the municipality’s police force. The vehicles will also be put into use for burdensome tasks such as pulling “water pipes and garbage containers” due to the trucks’ strength and speed.
Cárdenas concluded that making the reservation for 15 of the Tesla Cybertrucks was a matter of “common sense,” noting that the vehicle is capable of providing many benefits to the municipality.
Mayor Cárdenas ordered 10 units of the dual motor AWD variant and an additional 5 units of the tri-motor AWD version. It is uncertain which units will be delegated to the municipality’s police force. The mayor figures that the total Cybertruck tab will amount to about $20 million pesos/ $1 million, with upfront costs expected to be offset by savings offered by the vehicles due to their low operating costs.
The mayor also offered members of the media a primer on the comparative costs of owning the Cybertrucks vs. traditional fossil-fuel vehicles. He explained how few repairs are needed with all-electric vehicles, and any components that might break, he advised, can be replaced by warranty.
Couple this with the Cybertrucks’ tough build and near-armored frame, he concluded, and the vehicles will likely pay for themselves in savings within years of their service.
“We took a picture, I am going to send it to Elon Musk, to see if they make us a discount, “Adrián Esper Cárdenas concluded. (Editor’s note: We’ll see if we can help him get the message to Elon. That said, Tesla doesn’t offer discounts.)
Tesla gets order for 15 Cybertrucks to be converted into police vehicles: The Tesla Cybertruck is attracting the attention of many, including a mayor in Mexico who decided to order 15 electric trucks from Tesla to convert them… https://t.co/1iifBTNixP #Cars #Autos #Automotive pic.twitter.com/icJXNjCURF
— Autotestdrivers.com (@Autotestdrivers) December 2, 2019
The United Arab Emirates’ Dubai Police Force is recognized by foreigners for its high-end luxury sports cars — like Ferraris and Lamborghinis — being used as police patrol vehicles. In November, the Dubai Police announced the addition of a new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S to its fleet of luxury patrol cars, which increased the number of luxury patrol vehicles in the Dubai Police fleet to 15.
And now the force wants to add the Cybertruck to its fleet — and the sooner, the better.
Commander-in-Chief Maj Gen. Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri explained that the Tesla Cybertruck would help “enhance security presence” in tourist spots like the Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Jumeirah Beach Residence, and La Mer. But the Cybertruck is more than show to Khalifa, as the dual-motor version — expected to be first released in 2021 — is likely to be quicker off the line than most cars, and its extra-tough steel exoskeleton is suited for extra wear and tear, both on- and off-road.
“2020—Dubai Police #CyberTruck,” the police force’s official Twitter account posted, tagging both Musk and Tesla and attaching a photo of a Cybertruck photoshopped with Dubai Police patterns all over.
شرطة دبي – 2020 – Dubai Police #CyberTruck pic.twitter.com/V9rMPLgjS4
— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) November 26, 2019
Law enforcement agencies in the US, too, have cast their eyes on the Tesla Cybertruck. A fun Twitter post from Kansas Highway Patrol announced that it is looking forward to using the all-electric pickup for its fleet of police vehicles.
Kansas Highway Patrol PIO 👮🏼♀️serving North Central Kansas wants to use Tesla Cybertruckhttps://t.co/aUed1y78xb
“Let’s make it happen!” @TrooperBenKHP @elonmusk $TSLA #Tesla #CyberTruck pic.twitter.com/ElwPNfALkW
— Vincent (@vincent13031925) November 25, 2019
The Kansas Highway Patrol Tweet and the creative proposed design inspired lots of others to imagine what different municipalities could do to showcase a Tesla Cybertruck in their regions.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that around 250,000 reservations had been logged for the Tesla Cybertruck. For police departments and others interested in the Cybertruck, it will be interesting to watch Tesla roll out this new concept and to see another demographic embrace and invest in all-electric trucks.
250k
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 27, 2019
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Carolyn Fortuna Carolyn Fortuna, Ph.D. is a writer, researcher, and educator with a lifelong dedication to ecojustice. She’s won awards from the Anti-Defamation League, The International Literacy Association, and The Leavy Foundation. As part of her portfolio divestment, she purchased 5 shares of Tesla stock. Please follow her on Twitter and Facebook.