CAMBRIDGE, Md.- A "police car of the future" is now on the streets of Cambridge.
The city's police department has introduced a Tesla Model Y police cruiser.
Cambridge Police Chief Mark Lewis says the electric car will save the taxpayers money.
"It's a leased vehicle, so it should save the city probably about $30,000 over that five-year lease just on maintenance and fuel," Chief Lewis said.
The chief says in addition to saving money, the new technology will also benefit the officer driving the car.
"Sargent Patton, he's our community policing officer - he will take it and use it for all of his events and really there's no difference between this vehicle and our Ford Explorers, they're the same. Just one is electric and one is a gas engine," Lewis said.
The car has received considerable backlash on social media from people living in Cambridge who say its a waste of money. But city commissioners were quick to fire back, stressing the Tesla is similar in price to the Ford Explorers currently used.
Lewis says the vehicle is part of a pilot program. If all goes well, more Tesla police cruisers could be patrolling the streets of Cambridge in the future.
