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Photo by Chad Epler

Photo by Chad Epler

Photo by Chad Epler

Photo by Chad Epler

Photo by Chad Epler

Photo by Chad Epler

BARGERSVILLE, Ind.– An Indiana police department unveiled their newest police car Thursday: a Tesla Model 3.

The department is the first in the state to adopt a patrol car from Tesla. They claim it will save them more than $20,000 over the next six years.

The car can go 240 miles on a charge. The department’s patrols are typically 80-120 miles, but could stretch to 150 miles in some cases.

“Two big things that we were looking at when shopping for cars were obviously cost and performance,” said Bargersville Police Chief Todd Bertram. “Many times when you get a car that is in our cost price range, you sacrifice performance. With Tesla, the performance is better than the cars we are currently driving. It’s amazing, it’s smooth, it’s powerful, it handles great.”

The money saved with the car can go to hiring new officers, according to the department. They’ll monitor it over the next six to eight months, and hope to add another Tesla in the future.

There are Tesla police cars in California, Colorado and Australia, but the department says this is the first Model 3 being used as a police cruiser in the United States.

Council members are looking at taking it a step further by potentially putting other renewable energy products and services at the police station.