First Rivian Police Cruiser Begins Service in Tesla's Territory | Carscoops

      Palo Alto, the home of Tesla, has chosen competitor Rivian for its first electric police cruiser.

      A police captain from Palo Alto mentioned that the R1S offers more space compared to the Ford Explorer. It remains uncertain if the department plans to acquire more electric vehicles from Rivian.

      Update: The Palo Alto Police Department has received its inaugural Rivian R1S patrol vehicle for testing, following a previous announcement. In a conversation with KRON4, which had a chance to test the specially outfitted electric SUV, Assistant Chief James Reifschneider stated, “This vehicle integrates seamlessly with many of the technologies we use in Palo Alto, setting us apart from other departments.”

      The original article continues below.

      The first-ever R1S police vehicle has officially arrived in the United States and is destined for Palo Alto, where Rivian’s large facility is located. The electric SUV was presented at a recent event at Rivian’s headquarters, where local Mayor Ed Lauing took the opportunity to commend the company.

      Interestingly, this charter city in the northwestern part of Santa Clara County is also home to Tesla’s new global engineering headquarters, which has been operational since 2023. However, for some reason, Elon Musk’s brand was not selected.

      The R1S maintains a subdued design in contrast to the more ostentatious looks often associated with police vehicles. The exterior features a gloss black finish, with the front doors accented in white. The department’s badge is displayed on the sides, providing just enough indication that it’s a police vehicle, rather than a luxury SUV on a leisure drive.

      The R1S Cruiser Still Requires Some Adjustments

      Currently, the R1S does not feature the typical red and blue light bar on the roof, as it didn’t arrive in time for the unveiling. There are also discussions about adding a push bar and additional equipment for the interior. Rivian's engineers are reportedly collaborating closely with the city to prepare the SUV for active service.

      Palo Alto Captain James Reifschneider mentioned to Palo Alto Online that the R1S provides significantly more space in the cabin compared to the Ford Explorers and Jeep Durangos currently in use by the department.

      During his State of the City address, Palo Alto Mayor Ed Lauing praised Rivian and discussed his visions for the area.

      Other Police Electric Vehicles

      Palo Alto is not the only city adopting the electric police cruiser trend. Various agencies across California have begun integrating electric vehicles into their fleets, although the transition has faced some obstacles.

      The South Pasadena Police Department has transitioned its entire fleet to Tesla Model 3s and Model Ys, but some organizations have expressed concerns regarding the limited space in these Tesla models. The Rivian R1S is considerably larger, although it comes at a higher price, starting at $75,900 for the base model before any costly upgrades.

      There is no information at this time regarding whether the Palo Alto police intend to expand their fleet with additional Rivian models.