Electric vehicle giant Tesla is reportedly in talks with a police department to use the Sentry Mode for their policing requirements. A police department in Connecticut recently purchased a Tesla Model 3 vehicle and revealed that they are currently in direct communication with Tesla to use Sentry Mode for policing requirements in tesla police chase cars. A few days ago, the Westport police department revealed that it purchased a Tesla Model 3, which it is currently upgrading to be used as a police patrol car in January 2020.
Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas shared that he chose to purchase the electric vehicle because he 'believes in being green.' Additionally, the police chief mentioned that he was impressed by the vehicle's superior performance, ratings, and industry-leading collision avoidance technology found in the Tesla Model 3 that is not available in the usual squad cars of the town. But, what is the Tesla Sentry Mode, and why are police departments starting to become interested in it?
The Tesla Sentry Mode is a surveillance system integrated within Tesla vehicles, which utilizes the Autopilot cameras surrounding the car. In the past, this particular mode in tesla vehicles has helped the police with video evidence that assists them in identifying and finding vandals. However, this would be the very first time that a police department would directly use a Sentry Mode.
While the Tesla Model 3 is a bit more expensive compared to the usual Ford Explorer they typical purchase, the Westport police department anticipates some significant maintenance and fuel savings. For three years, a typical squad car's internal combustion engine requires around $11,000 in terms of maintenance. The police department anticipates fuel savings of around $13,770 for the first three years of using Tesla Model 3.
In terms of performance and range, the department claims that it will not be an issue. They purchase a Tesla Model 3 Performance trim with 310 miles of range and 0-60 mph acceleration within 3.2 seconds. This is two times the range of the usual patrol car's daily mileage, and it is faster compared to any other vehicle in the department's current fleet.
So far, about a dozen police departments are using Tesla vehicles. Even the upcoming all-electric tesla Cybertruck pickup truck is also being considered by several cities and countries to be their next police chase car. Dubai has already announced this a few days following the official unveiling of the Cybertruck.
