The South Pasadena Police Department recently completely replaced its gasoline-powered vehicles with electric vehicles (EVs). The city’s police fleet of 20 new Teslas will rely on a bank of new EV chargers installed at South Pasadena City Hall. Additionally, upon completion of the final electrification project component, city hall, the police station and the fire station buildings will be backed up by a solar-powered system with battery storage, according to the latest press information.

“This transition reflects the city’s vision of a sustainable future based on both sound fiscal management and environmental stewardship,” Evelyn Zneimer, South Pasadena mayor, said. “The city council is fully behind this transition. We will have a 21st Century police force that is safe, clean and saves taxpayer dollars. We’re very excited to be working with our regional and corporate partners to make this happen.”

“Switching to these vehicles offers the Police Department the opportunity to acquire a cutting-edge vehicle fleet,” South Pasadena Police Chief Brian Solinsky, said. “This initiative not only ensures the safest vehicles for officers and staff but also leads to substantial reductions in both fuel and maintenance costs.”

According to city staff reports, the transition is expected to save about $4,000 a year per vehicle on energy costs, plus provide additional savings on maintenance, such as brakes, oil changes, air filters, and more. Overall, according to Solinsky, the operational cost of electric vehicles will be at least half the per-mile cost of gasoline-powered vehicles.