The two vehicles are currently being used for “testing and research” but also represent the spearhead of a plan to bring hundreds of electric and hybrid cars to the L.A. fleet.
L.A.P.D. will get 100 battery electric vehicles to be used by detectives, investigators, and administrative employees.
As part of the Sustainable City pLAn, L.A. is shifting its light-duty vehicle purchases to electric vehicles. Immediate milestones are 50% EV purchases by 2017 and 80% of annual purchases by 2025.
The two cars on loan do differ to a degree, the Tesla Model S P85D is the cream of the Tesla crop with a retail sticker of $105,000. It is an electric bullet car with a rated 691 horsepower, a little more beef than your mom’s Prius. If the L.A.P.D. wants to get as close to Knight Rider as possible, this is the car. You can chase the bad guys all the way to Bakersfield and back on a single charge.
The other car is the more afforable BMW i3. A 5-door hatchback with a sticker just over $40,000 which BMW had previously billed as the “Mega City Vehicle.” This car doesn’t fulfill the dream of taking an electric car on the high-speed pursuit as it is only rated for 170 horsepower. The i3’s range is less as well getting the 80 to 100 miles per charge.
More on the electric future of L.A.’s fleet can be found here.