Pickup trucks are a popular option with police departments all over the globe, and it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to envisage electric trucks also being used by them.
A California upfitter by the name of UP.FIT, a division of Tesla tuner Unplugged Performance, has taken the Tesla Cybertruck and turned it into a police cruiser. UP.FIT's design isn't just a concept, though. According to the company, it has already received interest from police departments and other agencies for its Cybertruck police cruiser and will start shipments later this year.
Typical police equipment include flashing lights, sirens, a PA system, as well as a separate computer system and a radio communications system. Depending on the application, UP.FIT can also customize the Cybertruck with prisoner partitions, storage for weapons and other equipment, and K9 enclosures.
Tesla Cybertruck Next-Gen Patrol by UP.FIT
To handle long stints of hard driving, UP.FIT can also install heavy-duty suspension and brake hardware. An off-road package is also available for agencies involved in search and rescue or military fields.
UP.FIT isn't the first to build an electric truck for police duty. Ford's SSV (Special Service Vehicle) program already presented one as early as 2022 based on the F-150 Lightning.
Modern EVs with their strong acceleration and range estimates of 300 miles or more have the potential to be excellent police cruisers. It's not hard to imagine police officers using them to silently creep up on perps or jump ahead of a vehicle trying to flee the scene. The quiet, smooth operation of EVs also tends to be relaxing for occupants, and this should help to reduce stress and let officers concentrate on their surroundings.
Some agencies have already deployed them in their fleets. The Los Angeles Police Department started using the BMW i3 as early as 2016. More recently, the New York Police Department has used the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
