Police Department Adopts Tesla Model Y, Incentives Make It Possible

The Ipswich Police Department in Massachusetts recently took delivery of a Tesla Model Y. Fortunately, it didn't have to pay over $50,000 for the all-electric crossover. Various incentives helped fund the transition to an electric car, and it's incentives such as these that will inevitably increase EV adoption and help government organizations add electric cars to their fleets.

As you may know, President Biden is working on a plan that will help accelerate the adoption of EVs. However, it may be a long time before it passes, and there's a solid chance it either won't pass or it will see many cuts and changes before becoming law.

With that said, even without a huge new round of government incentives, local grants can help make electric vehicles cheaper, not only for individuals but also for businesses and government organizations.

Currently, US electric cars qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500. Some states also offer generous incentives on top of the federal credit. However, Tesla's vehicles are no longer eligible for the credit. Thankfully, that didn't stop the Ipswich Police Department from moving forward with its Model Y purchase.

The Model Y carries a starting price of $49,990, but once you add taxes and fees, it will cost well over $50,000. The town of Ipswich received nearly $15,000 in grant money to use toward the Model Y, including a 10,000 grant from the Ipswich Electric Light Department and a $4,290 grant from the Green Community Program.

City officials said the Model Y cost about $39,000 out the door, which is still expensive compared to many cars. However, police departments commonly pay between $30k and $40K for cruisers, and some departments have dropped even more for large, high-performance, all-wheel-drive police SUVs. Being that the Model Y will cost much less to fuel, and should save money on maintenance and repairs, the Ipswich PD's Model Y was a relatively good deal.

Ipswich already has several "green" vehicles in its fleet, including a Toyota RAV4 Prime and three Chevrolet Bolt EVs.

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