The Newport Police Department could be utilizing Teslas in the near future.
The department is currently accepting sealed bids for three 2023 Tesla Model 3 rear-wheel drive vehicles.
Newport Police Chief Chris Fangman said they are currently going through the procurement process of the Teslas with the idea of giving one to a shift lieutenant to see how its battery responds to different temperatures, lights, 12-hour shifts, etc. The other two, he said, the department would like to put in the administration to roll their current Dodge Durango’s to patrol.
Fangman said the department has been exploring the idea of electric police vehicles for roughly three years. One reason is that the Dodge Durango’s price has increased exponentially. Fangman said they even explored the Ford Mustang Mach-E (electric vehicle) because it was cheaper than the increasing prices of Dodge Durango.
“So, we got the ball kind of rolling, and we were thinking, you know, we might be able to pull off getting some electric vehicles even though we thought they were going to be super expensive,” Fangman said.
The Newport Police Department’s fleet manager, Fangman said, has learned that Tesla will lower their price depending on the market. He said the Teslas are right at or cheaper than the Dodge Durango.
“So, we were looking at Teslas that are super affordable, and my fingers are crossed that we can actually get to the finish line this time,” he said.
Fangman said he is unaware of other Northern Kentucky departments using electric vehicles as police cruisers.
The idea of electric vehicles has come up at several Newport City Commission meetings.
During a discussion about purchasing trucks for the public works department during the October commission meeting, a Newport resident addressed the city about going electric in favor of the idea.
“It seems to make sense to me to transition to electric vehicles and not even because of anything beyond the fact that I really want our streets to have less smog,” the resident said. “So, when we’re out walking or walking our dogs and, on our porches, kids running around, there’s less street-level pollution.”
Newport City Manager Tom Fromme said they are trying to make the step toward electric. He said the city has been researching implementing and installing electric vehicle charging stations, but the biggest issue is vehicle supply.
Police departments across Northern Kentucky have dealt with supply chain issues in obtaining police vehicles. Fangman said electric vehicles are not any quicker to acquire, but long-term benefits exist.
Fangman said they have done their research, checked in with the Berea Police Department, which has Teslas on patrol, and done their due diligence up to this point. Their research found benefits, including substantial gas savings and operational efficiency.
The Tesla Model three rear wheel drive is equipped with a 57.5-kilowatt battery. A complete recharge costs roughly $5.18 and gets about 272 miles per charge. The department’s Dodge Durango 2020 models average 16 miles per gallon, and their 2023 models have a fuel efficiency of approximately 21 miles per gallon. Fangman said it costs the department roughly $79 to fill the tank.
“The elimination of the gas consumption leads to significant long-term savings and the police department can redirect funds previously allocated to fuel towards other critical areas,” Fangman said.
The wear and tear on brakes and the vehicle, he said, is also a lot lower.
If they acquire the three Teslas, Fangman said it would be a big test to see if the department will head toward all-electric vehicles in the future.