Evanston aldermen tonight are scheduled to approve purchase of six new vehicles for the police department — but none of them will have the green environmental credibility of a new squad car being tested in Fremont, California.
Police in the town that’s home to the Tesla electic car factory are launching a pilot program to test a used Tesla Model S 85 customized for patrol operations.
It’s part of that community’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Fremont Police Capt. Sean Washington says if the city switched to all electric patrol vehicles it could cut its total municipal greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent.
And Washington says that the savings on gas from using the Tesla instead of an internal combustion engine SUV may more than offset the higher initial purchase price of the electric car. The city’s also installed solar carport structures at the police station to recharge the Tesla.
Fremont already has three 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid police pursuit cars.
Meanwhile, here in Evanston, the police department plans to buy four Ford Explorer SUVs, a Ford Expedition SUV and a Ford Taurus sedan as part of a purchase request that also include three Ford vehicles for Facilities Management and one for the Fire Department.
It’s not easy to be green.
Evanston couldbe the greenest of all for environmental crediblity if all its officials and officers used either horses or bicycles.