2 days Ago By Haley Parnell
Newport is considering adding two more Teslas to its police fleet. The city already has three 2023 Tesla Model 3 vehicles, which it started as a pilot program last December. Newport is still requesting the Model 3 this time around.
Newport Police Chief Chris Fangman said they are going forward with more Teslas due to the pilot program’s success. The Teslas are not currently used as patrol vehicles but for administration only. The department plans to move its Dodge Durango vehicles out of administration and into patrol as they are more expensive.
Fangman said the three vehicles had 11,700 miles on them in the year the department used the Teslas. They have spent $224 on electricity, which he said would equate to $3,449 in fuel. Keep up with the latest NKY news with our daily newsletter Sign up “If our entire fleet, which would give 45 officers patrol vehicles and everything, in a year at these numbers, we would be at $145,125 in savings of fuel,” Fangman said.
Additionally, Fangman said the vehicles have had no maintenance costs. Though he said the vehicles are not ready for patrol duties, they currently serve the department’s needs at a lower price than a more typical police vehicle like the Dodge Durango. He said the Durango’s price tag went from $27,000 around 2020 to $46,000 today.
The department receives roughly an $8,000 discount on the Teslas from the government. Newport resident Max Long requested that the police department research the total cost of the vehicles before purchasing them. “I just want to make sure you’re factoring in the cost to retrofit the vehicle for police usage,” Long said.
“Make sure you have the proper charging ports in place, if you need extra fast chargers versus regular chargers. My request is just to do your research to make sure there’s not a whole bunch of additional cost after the cars arrive.” Fangman cleared up some misinformation he had heard about the charging stations.
He said the department paid $500 for each charging station. Fast chargers can run $100,000, he said, but that is not what the department currently has; however, Fangman said they are looking into how to acquire the fast chargers at a discounted rate. “So, the vehicles for patrol eventually if we go that route—is it more expensive to put the cage in the back and have that setup? Because Max’s point is well taken,” Newport Commissioner Ken Rechtin said.
Fangman said there is no exponential cost difference between getting the Tesla outfitted versus a more typical police vehicle. Newport Mayor Tom Guidugli Jr. asked if the Model 3 vehicle was large enough to detain someone.
Fangman said the Model 3 would not be, but the Tesla Model Y would be. He said the department has looked into the Model Y, and it is a couple thousand dollars more expensive than the Model 3 but their current focus is to get the Durangos moved into patrol. Before you go.
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