LAPD Gets A Tesla Model S P85D And A BMW i3

Two new electric powered special loaners were added today to the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) fleet, including a  high-performance fast Tesla Model S P85D and the less impressive, but rather adorable –for lack of a better word- BMW i3.

In factory form, the Tesla has 691 horsepower for a zero to 60mph in 3.2 seconds, while the BMW, pushes out 170 horsepower for a 7.0-second sprint time.

The two electric vehicles will be used for evaluation purposes, with the police department stating: “These vehicles will be used for testing and research by LAPD technical experts to determine how this technology can support their future needs.”

They’re part of a bigger plan to give Los Angeles the biggest city-owned pure EV fleet in America, with Mayor Eric Garcetti announcing a commitment to lease 160 battery-electric vehicles for the Los Angeles Police, Fire, General Services, and Water and Power departments, with 100 of those units to be employed by the police. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADPW) and General Services Department will lease an additional 128 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

“Today, we take another step toward becoming the most sustainable city in America,” said Mayor Garcetti. “This year, Los Angeles will become home to the largest city-owned fleet of pure battery electric vehicles anywhere in the country, and we will save taxpayer dollars along the way.”

Currently, the Los Angeles police department has purchased 23 electric scooters and 3 electric motorcycles that are used by their officers. The mayor’s plan requires that electric cars amount to 50 percent of the City’s annual light-duty vehicle purchases by 2017, and 80 percent of the city’s vehicle fleet purchases by 2025.