Nation’s first all-electric police fleet vehicle system launched

The nation’s first all-electric police car fleet is launched with outfitted Tesla Model Ys for use as police patrol cars on Monday, July 29, 2024, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

SOUTH PASADENA, Calif. – South Pasadena Monday unveiled the city’s all-electric police fleet and charging infrastructure – all made by Tesla – that officials say will be the nation’s first all-electric police fleet.

The collaborative initiative includes Standard Fleet, an electric vehicle management technology developer, and UP.FIT, an Unplugged Performance company focused on the upfitting of Tesla electric vehicles for fleet use.

Officials say the initiative will enhance government electric vehicle (EV) fleet management, bringing together UP.FIT’s industry-leading expertise in customizing Teslas for specialty use with Standard Fleet’s sophisticated fleet management software, aims to improve operational efficiency and support the environmental goals of government fleets including those managed by emergency responders and law enforcement.

“Our collaboration with UP.FIT aims to equip police departments with the tools they need for a smoother, more cost-effective fleet management experience,” said David Hodge, Founder and CEO of Standard Fleet.

“Integrating our software with UP.FIT’s customized Tesla vehicles means we can offer a system that improves operational efficiency while supporting environmental goals.”

“Our mission at UP.FIT is to simplify the adoption of electric fleets for first responders and fleet operators globally,” said James Hedland, Fleet Director at UP.FIT. “Standard Fleet software gives operators complete control of the access, charging, maintenance, and dispatching of their up-fitted EVs.”

The partnership addresses a growing need for cost-effective and responsible deployment of EV fleets in public service by merging the expertise and capabilities of UP.FIT and Standard Fleet, officials said.

Key benefits of the partnership are:
— Improved Operational Efficiency: Standard Fleet’s software streamlines the management of charging, maintenance, and daily operations of EVs, reducing both time and costs for fleet managers.
— Tailored Vehicle Customizations: UP.FIT modifies Tesla vehicles to meet the specific needs of police and public safety operations, enhancing their reliability and suitability for work in the communities they serve.
— Environmental Impact: The shift towards EVs helps reduce emissions and air pollution, and aligns with local, state, and federal environmental objectives.

“Adopting electric vehicles for police work presents a unique set of challenges along with opportunities to better serve our community with a cleaner, more reliable and higher performance police fleet at lower costs over the long term,” said South Pasadena Police Department Sgt. Tony Abdalla. “Standard Fleet technology gives us mobile access to all of our EVs to enhance our operations from dispatch, charging, maintenance and analytics, to keyless access for officers coming on-and off-duty.” (CNS)

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