The police cruiser Tesla Model S is not responsible for the accident, says Fremont PD



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The Fremont Police Department released a statement Thursday night stating that its Tesla Model S cruiser was running out of battery during a high speed chase on Interstate 680.

On Monday, the Tesla Model S drew national attention when a reporter contacted the department to ask him for information on a high-speed pursuit of Irvington District in Fremont, California, on Washington. Boulevard. The lawsuit eventually culminated on Interstate 680, heading south, towards San Jose, California. The journalist published some of the police records from the police scanner. The officer who was driving the Model S then told the other units that he should give up because his battery was almost exhausted.

However, the suspect then went on the shoulder of the highway, passing by a vehicle in a more and more dangerous way. The police sergeant at Fremont then made the decision to stop the pursuit of the vehicle, which was becoming increasingly a risk to public safety. The three police units disengaged the vehicle and the hunt was stopped after about 10 miles.

When the sergeant announced that he had to stop pursuing the vehicle, the Tesla Police Cruiser was at a nearby charging station. The statement from the PD of Freemont stated that "at no time has the battery of the Tesla been a factor in our ability to prosecute the suspect or perform our duties. This situation, although embarrassing, does not differ from cases where a patrol car lacks fuel (or even fuel). "

Fremont's statement states that the journalist who published the original story contacted the department with questions and then published the article. It has attracted national attention because of the public interest. However, it appears that the reporter misled the public because the Fremont police were sure to clarify that the Tesla had to abandon the hunt and could have come to any vehicle and Have at least half of a gas tank or a half-load of the battery when they start their shift. "Although this is not a policy, we recommend that agents start their service with at least half a gas tank or, in this case, a 50% battery charge. At that time, our officer at the wheel of the Tesla found that he had about 50% of his useful life at the beginning of his shift, "they said. The fact that the vehicle had to stop was in no way the fault of the Model S.

In fact, the department was so pleased with their Tesla cruiser that he already discussed the purchase of a second vehicle, most likely an X model. " now the vehicle is running extremely well and has exceeded our expectations. We are already in the first discussions on testing a second vehicle, probably an SUV model, and we look forward to sharing our first results in the near future, "said Captain Sean Washington.

Police in Fremont said her model S police car had exceeded her expectations and was extremely pleased with her performance as she watched the performance of the vehicle since she joined the police. "In the last six months, officers have collected data on distance traveled, performance, equipment and other items, through their use as a patrol vehicle. Meanwhile, we documented two police lawsuits, where the vehicle met and exceeded expectations. "

Fremont is the original Tesla factory location. The company bought the facility in 2010. Previously, it was the home of General Motors from 1962 to 1982 and eventually Toyota also manufactured vehicles there. Tesla and Toyota worked together to produce electric vehicles. Tesla officially opened its factory on October 27, 2010.

Read the full statement from the Fremont Police Service below:

Our department has unfortunately been in the news this week for an incident involving our electric police patrol vehicle (Tesla Model S). We first deployed the Tesla in March of this year as a fully equipped patrol vehicle. In the first six months, feedback on performance and initial data collection has been very positive and we are in the early stages of developing the program. During a lawsuit last Friday night, the battery charge began to run out and we would like to have the opportunity to clarify and provide additional context regarding what happened.


On Friday afternoon, a police officer examined our Tesla patrol vehicle early in the shift and noticed that the battery was half full. A typical battery at full charge is between 220 and 240 miles. During an hour patrol shift, Fremont police officers drive approximately 70 to 90 miles. Although this is not a policy, we recommend that agents begin their service with at least half a gas tank or, in this case, a 50% battery charge. At that time, our officer at the wheel of the Tesla found that he had about 50% of his useful life at the start of his shift. While the vehicle is regularly loaded between two shifts, the vehicle had just been returned from our company Yard. The vehicle returns regularly at the end of each shift with 40 to 60% or more of the battery charge.


After nine hours of work at 23:05, the officer engaged in a vehicle chase that lasted eight minutes in total. The lawsuit began in our Irvington District and continued on Washington Boulevard before merging south on I680 towards San Jose. Within minutes, two additional Fremont patrol units were behind the Tesla and in pursuit. In addition, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) was notified and responded. As a standard protocol, once the cogeneration system has a sufficient number of units, it resumes our activities on the highway.


The pursuit covered about 10 miles and sometimes exceeded 110 mph. The second officer provided regular updates on speed, location, general traffic, and pavement condition. Just before the end of the chase at 11:13 pm, the officer who was conducting the Tesla responsibly advised his cover units that he was going to have to withdraw from the pursuit because his battery was nearly exhausted. Just after clearing the exit of the Montague Expressway, the suspect went on the left shoulder of the road to overtake a vehicle. At that time, the police sergeant in Fremont overseeing the prosecution ordered an end to the work to ensure the safety of the public. All three units deactivated their emergency equipment and returned to normal driving conditions. At that time, the Tesla was driven to a nearby charging station and additional Fremont units returned to the city. CHP located the unoccupied vehicle in the I680 area and at the exit of Berryessa. At no time did Tesla's battery become a factor in our ability to pursue the suspect or perform our duties. This situation, although embarrassing, does not differ in cases where a patrol car lacks fuel (or snow).


In recent years, police radio traffic has become easily accessible via phone applications and its current practice for the media and even community members to monitor and even record. On Monday, a local reporter contacted our department to ask for more details about the lawsuit. The journalist subsequently wrote an article and published some of our radio traffic. Since then, the Department has received numerous media inquiries regarding the vehicle's battery. Unfortunately, the public interest in the original story has propelled it into the national limelight.


During the last six months, officers have collected data on distance traveled, performance, equipment and other items, through its use as a patrol vehicle. Meanwhile, we documented two police lawsuits, where the vehicle met and exceeded expectations. Our results and final data will ultimately help us determine whether EV technology meets current patrol applications and profitability. We remain committed to our ongoing research on the benefits of using electric vehicles and their effects on our environment. We hope to share our first data and comments soon.


Captain Sean Washington said: "Up to now, the vehicle is running extremely well and has exceeded our expectations. We are already in the first discussions on the test of a second vehicle, probably an SUV model, and we look forward to providing our initial results in the near future. "
For more information on our electric vehicle pilot program, visit www.fremontpolice.org/electricvehicle.

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