LAPD is trying out a new toy.....

I could make some comments about spending limited money on flashy toys (those will come later! :<) .) but LAPD is often the test bed for new equipment. And how they are looking at a new vehicle. Coal, excuse me, electric powered.

The LAPD Could Someday Chase You Down in a Tesla

More and more electric vehicles are taking to the streets of Los Angeles, and that includes the vehicles that police the streets of Los Angeles. The LAPA is testing a Tesla Model S P85D as a high-speed pursuit vehicle, Electrek reports.

This is just a test for now. The police department has a pair of P85Ds that it's using as part of a longstanding effort to see how electric cars can integrate with the rest of the police fleet. If the LAPD decides to start driving electric, it'll be another three to five years yet. It's clear that the department is moving in that direction, though, having already investigated using electric scooters and electric motorcycles like those by Zero.

P85Ds are hot-rodded all-wheel-drive versions of the already fast Model S that can run to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds when they have "Ludicrous Mode." We're guessing the governed top speed of 155 mph will be removed for the police.

Oh, I think I see an issue or three with this:

According to Kelly Blue Book, the cost is something like 70K. That's a base model. Add on lights, sirens, radios, etc, and you're looking at minimum 5K more. In comparison the new Chevy Tahoe and Ford Explorer police vehicles are around 30K. So you at least doubling the cost.

But I'm actually wrong. Per KBB, the actual cost is:

For the high-horsepower Model S P85D, with its Ludicrous mode, you'll shell out $106,200.

My mistake. Three cars for one.

Other issues. This supposedly has a range of 250 miles. That's with a normal driver. Cops don't drive normally. We idle a lot followed by high speed and then ludicrous speed. Fact of life on the street. If you get 200 miles out of it, it will be a miracle.

Also, one vehicle is generally used for two or three shifts in a day. With a gas engine, you take five minutes to tank it up and it's ready to go. Electric engines take hours to recharge. So at best you will get two shifts and you need a break between them (e.g. day followed by night, blow off evening).

What idiots thought of this...wait, the cereal state, California. Land of Fruits, Flakes and Nuts.

Thanks Mike K for the link.