EV incentives help a Tesla Model Y become a police cruiser for Ipswich PD, MA

The new cruiser for the Ipswich Massachusets Police Department Chief Paul Nikas is a Tesla Model Y electric SUV. The Ipswich PD was able to make this environment-friendly decision due to a couple of sizeable local grants dedicated for transition to electric vehicles.

For the purchase of this specific Tesla Model Y, Ipswich PD received a $10,000 grant from the Ipswich Electric Light Department (ELD) and a grant of $4,290 from the Green Community Program — that totals a whopping $14,290.

Ipswich local news reported that the town estimates an 87% decrease in CO₂ emissions per vehicle switched to Tesla or another EV. The Town of Ipswich also expects to save $13,000 in fuel and maintenance costs over the period of 10 years.

The Town of Ipswich, MA has also replaced other retired vehicles with 3 Chevrolet Bolt EVs, a Toyota RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid, and has even commissioned an electric forklift to reduce the town’s carbon footprint.

US President Joe Biden has big plans for the transition of American transportation towards electric vehicles. He along with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer want every car manufactured in America to be electric by 2030 and by 2040 every car on the road be a zero-emissions vehicle.

“It’s a bold new plan designed to accelerate America’s transition to all-electric vehicles on the road, to developing a charging infrastructure, and to grow American jobs through clean manufacturing,” Schumer told The Verge in a brief interview last month.

Tesla might get its $7,500 federal tax credit back if Biden’s plans become a reality, this would give the US-based electric car maker an even bigger sales boost on top of its ever-growing sales graph.

Police departments around the globe are adopting electric vehicles especially Teslas to replace their gas-powered cruisers.

In 2019, Bargersville, IN PD bought a Tesla Model 3 to replace a Dodge Charger. According to the department’s estimates, this decision will save them $20,628 over the period of six years.

In addition to cost, Ipswich, MA also expects the following benefits by transitioning to EVs:

• The ELD has replaced five late-model vehicles with electric vehicles: an electric Hyster forklift for the department garage; Chevrolet Bolts for use by the department engineer, town conservation agent, and town building and health departments; and a Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid vehicle for the ELD manager. ELD estimates the electric vehicles have reduced operating and maintenance costs by several thousand dollars and cut gasoline usage by about 1,000 gallons.

• The town has installed electric vehicle charging stations at the parking lots on Elm Street and Hammatt Street, the town hall, and the utilities department. More charging stations are planned as funding opportunities become available.

• In February 2020, the state certified the town as a “Green Community” with the goal of reducing municipal energy use by 20 percent within five years.

• The select board and the school committee recently adopted a resolution developed by the town’s climate resiliency committee, which commits to eliminating municipal use of fossil fuels by 2040.

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