Vanderburgh County sheriff reveals first fully electric patrol vehicle: a Tesla Model S
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — Is that street legal? The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office has announced that the county’s first-ever fully electric patrol car will be cruising the streets.
The grand reveal of the vehicle took place on Friday.
The used 2016 Tesla Model S 75D was bought by the department from a local business, and has since been outfitted with the office’s logo on top of a fresh gold and brown paint job.
While the car can be used for patrols, the sheriff’s office says it will be mostly used for promotion, recruiting, and public outreach at “car shows, schools, parades, fairs” and more.
Sheriff Noah Robinson said in a release, “We wanted something that would capture the imagination of young people who might consider a career in law enforcement. Our patrol cars spend a significant amount of time idling on the side of the road. This burns fuel and wears out the engine. An electric patrol vehicle can run its emergency lights continuously for dozens of hours without needing refueling and without decreasing the lifespan of the motor.”
The Vanderburgh County patrol Tesla made one of its first public appearances at a car show at Evansville’s Wesselman Park on Saturday.
Officials say they believe they are the first sheriff’s office in Indiana to have a fully electric patrol car, adding that the Porter County Sheriff’s Office has been using hybrid patrol vehicles since 2020.