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Basel police unveil cool new customized Tesla response cars

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Basel police unveil cool new customized Tesla response cars
The 4WD vehicles will be deployed in high speed chases. Photo: Basel Police-Stadt Police

Police in the Swiss canton of Basel-Stadt on Thursday showed off their new customized Tesla X 100D emergency response vehicles.

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The force announced back in March it was buying seven of the electric vehicles for 140,000 Swiss francs (€124,000) each.

Now, after a 14-week customization process in the Netherlands, including a striking blue and yellow paint job, the first three vehicles in the new fleet have arrived.

The new Tesla emergency response vehicle with some of its predecessors. Photo: Basel-Stadt Police

Boasting a 525 horsepower (386kw) engine, the four-wheel drive vehicles with a top speed of around 230 k/ph will be used to respond to emergency situations such as road accidents and violent disputes. They will also be used in high speed chases.

Basel’s emergency response police vehicles cover around 100–200 kilometres day. To ensure the Teslas don’t run out of juice, the city has installed six charging points.

A single hour of charging at one of the points provides the Teslas with enough power for around 85 kilometres, the force said in a presentation on Thursday.

Police drivers are now being given special training with the new vehicles.

The first three vehicles are set to hit the road in spring 2019 and a four further customized Teslsas should join them in the second half of next year.

Read also: Electric cars must be made louder – even in peaceful Switzerland

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