Michael Cacciotti is in Tampa, Florida this week talking cars, specifically the electrical models that in an historical first now patrol South Pasadena streets these days.
Cacciotti, a longtime South Pasadena city councilmember, is in attendance at the National League of Cities (NLC) Centennial City Summit and as part of a panel is speaking about the South Pasadena Police Department recently becoming the initial law enforcement agency in America to go all-electric with its police car fleet.
In its major effort, the city replaced all of the department’s gasoline-powered vehicles with zero-polluting cars, leased 20 new, specially out-fitted electric Teslas that have been purchased by the city at a cost of $4 million, defrayed significantly through a $2.15 million contribution from three organizations. Partnering in the effort were the Clean Power Alliance, providing $1 million, $650,000 in work by Southern California Edison under its Charge Ready Program, and $500,000 from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) and its Mobile Source Air Pollution Reductions Review Committee.
The net expense to the city is $1.85 million, covering the cost 34 charging units set-up at South Pasadena City Hall and lease payments.
As part of his presentation, Cacciotti, pointed out that the transition to electric will save the city about $4,000 a year per vehicle on energy costs along with maintenance charges associated with oil changes, air filters and brakes. The councilmember says operational expenditures of owning an electric vehicle is at least half the per-mile cost of gas-operated. Making the switch, Cacciotti, who also serves as the vice chair for SCAQMD, also likes the idea that the local police department will no longer be making stops to purchase gas.
The National League of Cities, in a description on the Internet, advocates for the interests of local governments, and helps to improve the quality of life for their constituents. The City Summit, celebrating the strengthening of cities, towns and villages over the past 100 years, features elected officials and industry leaders sharing their knowledge and expertise in a number of areas, from advocacy, education, networking to policy development.
Joining Cacciotti on the panel were John Gorman, representing Enterprise Fleet Management, which played a crucial role in helping South Pasadena select and acquire its electric vehicles, and Matt Stephens-Rich, from Electrification Coalition, working to advance electric mobility across the country. Cacciotti was asked by Enterprise Fleet Management to be a part of the group.
He addressed the implementation of the electrification project in South Pasadena, focusing on the successes, challenges, benefits, partners, lessons learned, and provided a roadmap to show other cities, municipalities, and agencies across the United States, even around world, that creating an all-electric vehicle police force can be accomplished.
Cacciotti, who began pushing for alternative fuel vehicles at the turn of the new century, back in early 2000’s, also talked about the City of South Pasadena’s first low-emission purchase policy in 2005, among the first ones in the country. As part of his talk, he addressed the long journey, what it took for the city to acquire the Tesla vehicles, including the necessary steps taken to make it happen.
“There are so many health benefits with the use of these vehicles,” Cacciotti said. “They don’t spread harmful, toxic emissions and are good for our environment. We’re making the effort to continually eliminate unhealthy smog coming from nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and organic compounds, plus emissions of carbon dioxide, key to global warming.”
The councilmember noted that Tampa experienced a hurricane earlier this year when the cover over Tropicana Field, home of he city’s Major League Baseball team, the Rays, was partially blown off, noting: “A report just came out because of climate change the insurance industry and risk management has indicated a possible $10 billion hit on stadiums around the United States, just because of the severe, frequency and intensity of weather events related to climate change.”
Part of the $500,000 funding from the SCAQMD, explained Cacciotti, was to not only accept the grant but to promote and share with agencies around the U.S. that an entire electric-vehicle police fleet can be replicated.
“With cars of this type having a range of 300 to 400 miles, and the infrastructure in place, there’s nothing prohibiting the implementation of this model,” Cacciotti stressed, who also addressed how South Pasadena officers feel about the new cars, and what it’s like to drive them in his talk at the NLC summit.
“We’ve had some minor issues with the design of the vehicle, the interior space, the emergency automatic braking, in engaging and disengaging it,” he added, when asked how officers are responding to driving the new electric cars around town. “Other than that, they have been an incredible success. The officers love the cars, love their performance, love the handling. Some have said it’s the best car they have ever driven. Just positive comments, some raving about it.”
Tony Abdalla, a sergeant with the South Pasadena Police Department, was instrumental in acquiring the Tesla fleet, working with Cacciotti on the city side. “Tony is seeing even greater savings in fuel and maintenance costs (over gas-powered vehicles) than originally projected,” said the councilmember. “It has been great.”
When the fleet was unveiled in late August of this year, SPPD Police Chief Brian Solinsky said the transition from gas to electric “enhances service levels for the residents of South Pasadena by minimizing maintenance downtime commonly seen with traditional gas combustion engines.”
Key to having the fleet, insists Cacciotti, “is they protect public health, reduce pollution a lot, hopefully help kids from having asthma attacks, are protecting our planet as we continue to be good stewards, and are one of the safest cars out there. We hope other police departments in the region, the state and country will make the switch, too.”
