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Anaheim PD launches pilot for Tesla Model Y LR police cruisers
The Anaheim Police Department has officially launched its pilot program to test six Tesla Model Y vehicles as patrol cars, after photos of the outfitted cruisers were spotted last week.
On Monday, the department held a joint media event with Unplugged Performance to showcase the Tesla Model Y Long Range police units, in addition to the two parties both sharing brief videos about the pilot program. The Model Y police cruisers were outfitted by Unplugged Performance’s UP.FIT government and fleet division, with the pilot set to determine how reliable the vehicles are as patrol cars, and how cost-effective they are.
“Congrats to AnaheimPD on today’s announcement,” wrote Unplugged Performance in a post on X. “Choosing an UP.FIT Tesla provides best-in-class officer safety, driving performance, and the lowest total cost of ownership. We’re excited about this pilot program and the opportunity to create a better future together.”
You can see a roughly two-minute video of the vehicles below, as shared in a separate post from UP.
Today, @AnaheimPD debuted https://t.co/rNYFJLu8sJ Tesla Model Y police vehicles with a new pilot program. Officer safety is number one and these are the safest vehicles ever deployed. They're also the highest performing while representing the lowest total cost of ownership. We're… pic.twitter.com/Bb3NaVuuvx
— UNPLUGGED PERFORMANCE (@UnpluggedTesla) April 15, 2024
During the initial testing period, the Model Y units will only be driven for one patrol shift, or about 12.5 hours per day. The second phase of testing will include launching the electric vehicles (EVs) 24 hours a day, at which point the department says it will utilize Tesla Superchargers to charge when necessary during patrol shifts.
There are also Level 2 EV chargers at the Anaheim police station and at the agency’s public works headquarters, and they plan to use both of these locations to charge during initial testing.
“Because this is a pilot program, we do not want to make an infrastructure investment (in superchargers) until we know how the vehicles will perform and if they are something we want to fully integrate into our fleet,” Sergeant Jacob Gallacher told Teslarati in an email.
Below are a few additional photos of the Model Y police cruisers, courtesy of Unplugged Performance.
Credit: Unplugged Performance / Anaheim Police Department
Credit: Unplugged Performance / Anaheim Police Department
The City of Anaheim shared an official press release announcing the program on Friday, noting that it purchased the vehicles from Tesla’s available inventory. The department also says the Tesla EVs, initially spotted during a photoshoot last week, were selected in part due to a shortage of vehicles and a need to replace old vehicles as quickly as possible.
The Model Y was also chosen due to its advanced features, rapid acceleration, large amount of storage capacity, affordability, and low maintenance requirements, all of which the department says are crucial for police operations. The agency will use results from the pilot to help determine future decisions as it begins introducing EVs into the fleet.
The news of the pilot program was also shared by Tesla’s North America account on X on Monday, after the company said in February that its standard tech could save police departments over $4,000.
Police departments around the world have been testing out Tesla’s vehicles as patrol cars in the last few years. Recently, Unplugged Performance’s UP.FIT program also outfitted police cruisers in South Pasadena, California, following the city’s announcement last year that it would replace its entire fleet with Tesla EVs.
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SpaceX reached an incredible milestone with its Starlink program with a launch last night, as the 3,000th satellite of the year was launched into low Earth orbit.
On Monday, SpaceX also achieved its 32nd flight with a single Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The mission was Starlink 6-92, and it utilized the Falcon 9 B1067 for the 32nd time this year, the most-used Falcon booster. The flight delivered SpaceX’s 3000th Starlink satellite of the year, a massive achievement.
There were 29 Starlink satellites launched and deployed into LEO during this particular mission:
Falcon 9 launches 29 @Starlink satellites from Florida pic.twitter.com/utKrXjHzPN
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 9, 2025
SpaceX has a current goal of certifying its Falcon boosters for 40 missions apiece, according to Spaceflight Now.
The flight was the 350th orbital launch from the nearby SLC-40, and the 3,000 satellites that have been successfully launched this year continue to contribute to the company’s goal of having 12,000 satellites contributing to global internet coverage.
There are over five million users of Starlink, the latest data shows.
Following the launch and stage separation, the Falcon 9 booster completed its mission with a perfect landing on the ‘Just Read the Instructions’ droneship.
The mission was the 575th overall Falcon 9 launch, highlighting SpaceX’s operational tempo, which continues to be accelerated. The company averages two missions per week, and underscores CEO Elon Musk’s vision of a multi-planetary future, where reliable connectivity is crucial for remote work, education, and emergency response.
As Starlink expands and works toward that elusive and crucial 12,000 satellite goal, missions like 6-92 pave the way for innovations in telecommunications and enable more internet access to people across the globe.
With regulatory approvals in over 100 countries and millions of current subscribers, SpaceX continues to democratize space, proving that reusability is not just feasible, but it’s also revolutionary.
Tesla expanded its new Full Self-Driving program, which gives people the opportunity to experience the company’s suite, in Europe.
Tesla recently launched an opportunity for Europeans to experience Full Self-Driving, not in their personal vehicles, but through a new ride-along program that initially launched in Italy, France, and Germany back in late November.
People could experience it by booking a reservation with a local Tesla showroom, but timeslots quickly filled up, making it difficult to keep up with demand. Tesla expanded the program and offered some additional times, but it also had its sights set on getting the program out to new markets.
It finally achieved that on December 9, as it launched rides in Denmark and Switzerland, adding the fourth and fifth countries to the program.
Tesla confirmed the arrival of the program to Denmark and Switzerland on X:
Now available in Denmark & Switzerland
🇩🇰 https://t.co/IpCSwHO566 https://t.co/V2N5EarLNX
— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) December 9, 2025
The program, while a major contributor to Tesla’s butts in seats strategy, is truly another way for the company to leverage its fans in an effort to work through the regulatory hurdles it is facing in Europe.
Tesla has faced significant red tape in the region, and although it has tested the FSD suite and been able to launch this ride-along program, it is still having some tremendous issues convincing regulatory agencies to allow it to give it to customers.
CEO Elon Musk has worked with regulators, but admitted the process has been “insanely painful.”
The most recent development with FSD and its potential use in Europe dealt with the Dutch approval authority, known as the RDW.
Tesla says Europe could finally get FSD in 2026, and Dutch regulator RDW is key
Tesla said it believes some regulations are “outdated and rules-based,” which makes the suite ineligible for use in the European jurisdiction.
The RDW is working with Tesla to gain approval sometime early next year, but there are no guarantees. However, Tesla’s angle with the ride-along program seems to be that if it can push consumers to experience it and have a positive time, it should be easier for it to gain its footing across Europe with regulatory agencies.
News
Tesla ramps hiring for Roadster as latest unveiling approaches
Tesla published three new positions for the Roadster this week, relating to Battery Manufacturing, General Manufacturing, and Vision Engineering.
Tesla is ramping up hiring for positions related to the Roadster program, the company’s ultra-fast supercar that has been teased to potentially hover by CEO Elon Musk.
The company seems to be crossing off its last handful of things before it plans to unveil the vehicle on April Fool’s Day, just about four months away.
Tesla published three new positions for the Roadster this week, relating to Battery Manufacturing, General Manufacturing, and Vision Engineering. All three are located in Northern California, with two being at the Fremont Factory and the other at the company’s Engineering HQ in Palo Alto.
Technical Program Manager, Battery Manufacturing
Located in Fremont, this role specifically caters to the design of the Roadster to factory operations. It appears this role will mostly have to do with developing and engineering the Roadster’s battery pack and establishing the production processes for it:
“You will foster collaboration across design engineering, manufacturing, quality, facilities, and production to align with company priorities. Additionally, you will understand project opportunities, challenges, and dependencies; translate scattered information into concise, complete messages; and communicate them to every team member. As the business process development lead, you will develop, maintain, and implement tools and processes to accelerate battery manufacturing execution, achieve cross-functional alignment, and deliver highly efficient systems.”
Manufacturing Engineer, Roadster
Also located in Fremont, this role also has to deal with the concept development and launch of battery manufacturing equipment. Tesla says:
“In this role, you will take large-scale manufacturing systems for new battery products and architectures from the early concept development stage through equipment launch, optimization, and handover to local operations teams.”
Manufacturing Vision Engineer, Battery Vision
This position is in Palo Alto at Tesla’s Engineering Headquarters, and requires the design and scale of advanced inspection and control systems to next-generation battery products:
“You’ll work on automation processes that directly improve battery performance, quality, and cost, collaborating with world-class engineers in a fast-paced, hands-on environment.”
Developing and deploying 2D and 3D vision and measurement systems from proof-of-concept to deployment on high-volume battery manufacturing lines is part of the job description.
Roadster Unveiling
Tesla plans to unveil the Roadster on April 1, and although it was planned for late this year, it is nice to see the company put out a definitive date.
Musk said on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast in late October:
“Whether it’s good or bad, it will be unforgettable. My friend Peter Thiel once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I think if Peter wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one…I think it has a shot at being the most memorable product unveil ever.”
Production should begin between 12 to 18 months after unveiling, so we could see it sometime in 2027.
SpaceX reaches incredible milestone with Starlink program
Tesla expands new Full Self-Driving program in Europe
