“We believe time will show that through the fuel savings, maintenance cost and resale value, that this car will be cost-neutral to the citizens of Nitro,” Mayor Dave Casebolt told WCHS.
He told WCHS the car can go 500 miles on $18 worth of electricity, while their other police cruisers need about $90 in fuel to cover the same distance.
“The savings, we figure, will be in the neighborhood of $5,000 a year per vehicle,” Police Chief Chris Fleming told WCHS.
The Nitro Police Department has installed a Tesla charging station outside the building and department policy is to keep the vehicle charged to at least 50% at all times, so it’s always ready to patrol.
The city has also purchased two other patrol cars this year, according to its Facebook post — Ford Interceptor Hybrid and a regular Ford Interceptor.
It plans to compare the three vehicles for a year and decide which one provides the best cost benefit.
