Brookhaven Police Tesla One Step Closer To Being In The Field

BROOKHAVEN, GA -- The city took another step toward determining the viability of an all-electric police fleet as a prototype Tesla was field-tested on Tuesday at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in Forsyth, Georgia. The vehicle was tested on two performance tracks, one designed for high-speed emergency response and the other for urban emergency response. Overall, the vehicle performed well under rigorous testing.

The city purchased a previously-owned 2015 Tesla Model S in March. The testing of the Tesla under strenuous conditions on a track is one phase of determining the vehicle’s overall viability as a police patrol car. The prototype will now be evaluated in the field in the for 90 days. If the inaugural Tesla performs well, it is possible that over time all city vehicles will be replaced with electric cars, but not necessarily Tesla.

“The Tesla Model S only had 22,000 miles on it, comes with a 100,000 mile/eight-year warranty, and we got it at a reasonable $45,000; saving taxpayer dollars by using confiscated drug funds,” said Brookhaven City Manager Christian Sigman. “I don’t know of any other city this side of the Mississippi that is testing an electric vehicle platform for patrol vehicles. Other cities have electric cars for administrative purposes, but we would be the first to use them for law enforcement patrol operations.”

The public was given a sneak preview of the Tesla at the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival in March.