- A California police department spent at least $140,000 on a Cybertruck, per a Forbes report.
- It bought the pricest model, the Cyberbeast, and spent extra customizing it.
A California police department reportedly spent at least $140,000 on buying and customizing the priciest version of Tesla's Cybertruck.
According to public records obtained by Forbes, Irvine Police Department opted for the $99,990 Cyberbeast and paid an extra $20,000 for the "Foundation Series" package, which includes "premium accessories" such as laser-etched Foundation Series badges and a glass roof sunshade.
Another invoice obtained by Forbes showed that the police department also paid Unplugged Performance, a company that offers custom Tesla modifications, $20,000 to add "law enforcement equipment" to its Cybertruck. This included car lighting, radios, and exterior graphics, it wrote.
Irvine PD teased the imminent arrival of the Cybertruck on its X account in July.
Coming soon to Irvine.......#cybertruck #notkidding#irvine #irvinepd #tesla #orangecounty #police #policecar #teslamodels #whelen #cityofirvine #carsofinstagram #policecybertruck #elonmusk pic.twitter.com/jOaoszz9ZD
— Irvine Police Department (@IrvinePolice) July 24, 2024
Sergeant Karie Davies of the force told Forbes that the Foundation Series model was the only one available at the time.
She added that Irvine's Cybertruck would be used as a publicity tool for the department's Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, rather than for active patrolling.
The idea of turning the stainless steel-clad Cybertruck into a police vehicle has been around for a while.
Oracle founder Larry Ellison, who previously served on Tesla's board of directors, showed off a police Cybertruck concept in 2023.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk also expressed his approval after Dubai police added the Cybertruck to its fleet of luxury police vehicles.
Despite this, it is unclear how effective the Cybertruck, which Musk has previously described as "apocalypse-proof," would be as a police vehicle.
Musk has described the Cybertruck as bulletproof. However, a test by the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything showed that while the pickup can withstand bullets fired by small-caliber guns, larger weapons can seriously damage the vehicle's exterior.
The Cybertruck has also faced questions over its offroading ability. A series of viral videos have spread online showing pickup struggling in the snow, getting stuck on a beach, and having trouble climbing a dirt hill.
The futuristic truck has hit a series of speed bumps since it launched last year. The Cybertruck has been recalled multiple times, including over concerns that the truck's accelerator pedal could jam.
Irvine Police Department and Tesla did not respond to a request for comment, sent outside normal working hours.