The police force of Bargersville, Indiana, is reaping the economic benefits of switching to electric vehicles. Their police fleet, which includes 13 Tesla vehicles, is saving the town $80,000 per year in fuel costs.
In a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) shared a local news report from WRTV outlining the changes that the Bargersville police made and how it allowed them to "be seen as a leader in the electric vehicle revolution."
NEWS: Bargersville's fleet of 13 @Tesla police cars saves taxpayers about $80,000 a year in fuel costs compared to gas-powered police vehicles.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) May 21, 2024
The town is saving enough on fuel to pay for two additional officers. "We just traded our first car in this year and we got $17,500 for… pic.twitter.com/niWqI9RUr6
"It's all about the money," police chief Todd Bertram told the outlet. "We started the program because I needed two officers."
After starting with one Tesla in 2019, Bargersville now has 13 Tesla police vehicles, in addition to six gas-powered trucks and SUVs. According to the report, the police spent roughly $2,900 a month in gas, but the electric bill for their 13 Teslas only adds up to $600 a month. With the savings from the Teslas, Bargersville was able to hire the two officers they needed.
"It was a risk in the very beginning, but it's proven now," Bertram said to WRTV. The town was also able to get more for their trade-in values, earning over $17,500 for trading in a 2019 Tesla.
"If it benefits the environment, fantastic," Clerk Treasurer Dustin Doyle told WRTV. "But this benefits our taxpayers in the sense that we're saving money and we're being fiscally responsible with their money."
Electric vehicles, which help eliminate harmful pollution and clean the air across communities, can also be cost-efficient. According to Consumer Reports, the Tesla Model 3 can save drivers up to $8,000 over five years due to savings on gas and federal tax credits at the time of purchase.
Tesla is not just helping save taxpayers money by electrifying police fleets. The company is nearing the launch of its anticipated Semi, which can help save trucking companies money. It's also aiming to bring clean electric energy to power homes, lowering homeowners' power bills.
Other towns, such as Anaheim, are also turning their gas-powered police cruisers electric in attempts to save money.
"A no brainer," commented one X user.
"The gas savings is real," commented another. "Wait until they install solar panels."
"It's working; it saves a lot of money," Bertram told WRTV. "And I have to think there's a lot of agencies in the country that are like mine, that it would work for."
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