Police departments in the United States have long utilized cars with large and powerful engines, such as the Chevy Impala and Ford Explorer. However, recently, police departments have switched to electric cars, such as Tesla. The latest to join the EV police car wave is in Texas, where Dallas County added three Tesla Model 3 cars to its fleet.

Dallas County police added Tesla Model 3, even though Tesla cars can’t be sold in Texas

The Dallas County police department added three new Tesla Model 3 Performance cars. This follows police departments in California and New York that recently added EVs to their fleets, as reported by CarBuzz. 

The three Model 3s cost the Dallas County police department a total of $190,320. It’s unknown how the Dallas County police purchased the Model 3s, though. Tesla is not allowed to sell its vehicles in Texas. It is one of the states that have strict dealership franchise laws in place. 

Tesla and other start-up EV automakers are banned from sales in Texas because they sell their cars directly to customers — not through a traditional dealership. To buy a Model 3 in Texas, a customer must start the process online and then pick up the EV in a state that doesn’t have a dealership franchise law.

Tesla Model 3 Performance provides quick acceleration for the Dallas County police

The most obvious advantage of the Tesla Model 3 for the Dallas County police is its very quick acceleration. The top-of-line Performance trim is the quickest of the Model 3 trims. With its dual electric motors and an all-wheel drive system, it boasts a 0-60 mph acceleration time of only 3.1 seconds. The Model 3 Performance has a top speed of 162 mph. As noted by CarBuzz, none of the 10-most stolen cars in the U.S. can “outrun a Model 3.”

EVs, such as the Model 3, have inherent performance advantages over gas-powered cars. With the instant torque delivery, electric cars typically can accelerate more quickly. Another advantage is that EVs usually require less maintenance, as electric powertrains have fewer moving parts than gas-engine powertrains. Considering the thousands of miles that police cars drive each year, an easy-to-maintain car like the Model 3 should be beneficial to the Dallas County police.

One drawback of electric cars for police departments is the relatively shorter driving range. However, compared to other EVs, the Model 3 Performance has a respectable 315 miles of range. 

Technology advantages of the Tesla Model 3 for the Dallas County police

Another advantage of the Tesla Model 3 Performance for the Dallas County police is its abundance of state-of-the-art technologies. It offers live traffic visualization, satellite-view maps, custom driver profiles, and in-app vehicle location monitoring. 

The Model 3 Performance also has a Sentry Mode, which monitors the vehicle for suspicious activities when it is parked. Additionally, for dealing with the hot weather in Texas, the Model 3 has a Cabin Overheat Protection feature. And for when the Texas police officers are idling in their car for a long time, they can defeat boredom with the Model 3’s video streaming and “caraoke.”