Police departments across the country have started adding electric vehicles to their squads in a move to save costs. With some questioning how an electric vehicle could perform in a high-speed chase, a police department may have an answer for doubters.
What Happened: The police department in small town Logan, Ohio (population 7,150 in 2020) was involved in a high-speed pursuit with one of its two vehicles from Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA).
The Logan Police Department took delivery of two Tesla Model Y vehicles in 2021, as reported by Drive Tesla Canada. One of the two police cruisers was involved in a 30-minute high-speed chase on May 22.
As seen in the video below, the Model Y police car pulled over a Ford Mustang, a vehicle from Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), that was caught speeding.
The passenger exited the vehicle and walked away. She is told to return to the Mustang by the police officer, but the vehicle took off when she attempted to get back in.
The Tesla Model Y cruiser chased the Mustang for 40 to 45 miles from Logan to nearby Columbus, Ohio. The chase was called off by the police officer who cited safety concerns near an expressway.
The Logan Police Department does not use pit maneuvers.
The owner of the Mustang later reported the vehicle stolen. The suspect who drove the vehicle remained at large according to the video.
Related Link: NYPD Could Purchase 250 Tesla Cars For Police Force: What Investors Should Know
Why It’s Important: The Logan Police Department is one of many across the country that has added Tesla vehicles to its fleet in cost-cutting moves, such as saving the city on fuel and maintenance expenses.
One concern by some is electric vehicles wouldn’t be able to keep up with vehicles in high-speed pursuits and the added issue of the electric vehicle's battery running out.
The video likely answers the first part of the concern with the Tesla Model Y keeping up with the Mustang in the pursuit. As for the second part, traditional vehicles also face the possibility of running out of gas, so it seems like a moot point.
TSLA Price Action: Tesla shares are up 6.80% to $790.24 on Thursday.
