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Tesla Model 3 fleet chosen as new law enforcement vehicle in Texas county

Westport, CT's Model 3 Police Cruiser (Credit: Facebook/Westport Police Department)

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A fleet of Tesla Model 3s will now be the patrol vehicles for Dallas County, Texas, law enforcement officers. The Dallas County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of three Model 3 all-electric sedans yesterday.

The three Model 3 sedans will be used for replacement vehicles in the County’s fleet of law enforcement sedans, a report from Fox 4 in Dallas said, but they also hold another purpose: test mules for the possibility of adding more Model 3s to the fleet in the coming years.

“Very excited about this one,” Commissioner Elba Garcia said about the acquisition of the Model 3 fleet. “It’s the purchase of the Teslas that we’ve been talking about when we talk about the great job that our automotive service center is doing and our environment. It’s plain and simple. Having these cars is a great start.”

The purchase will cost around $190,000 in total, with the three vehicles sitting at about $65,000 each. Based on Tesla’s current pricing for the Model 3, this would indicate all of the vehicles Dallas County is requiring are of the sedan’s most premium trim level: the Performance.

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The Tesla Model 3 Performance is the fastest and most premium configuration of the company’s mass-market sedan. It has 315 miles of range, a top speed of 162 miles per hour, and a 0-60 MPH acceleration time of just 3.1 seconds. The vehicle is also the only Model 3 trim to come with Performance Brakes, 20″ Überturbine Wheels, a Carbon Fiber Spoiler, and Aluminum Alloy Pedals. Current delivery timeframes sit between June and August 2022.

Tesla Model 3 Performance destroys Porsche 911 GT3 in Autocross gauntlet

The acquisition of the Teslas was not a unanimous decision. Commissioner John Wiley Price was in favor of purchasing new government cars from another manufacturer, maintaining that Tesla’s consideration was because of its household name.

“Hell no,” Price said. “The problem is as I said the only reason Tesla is out there is because the others are not tested, and Tesla is. I’ve been told by Mr. Cooper that the others are trying to get to market, so I vote no.”

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Price may have reservations regarding Tesla for any number of reasons. While there are other attractive EV options on the market, Tesla’s Model 3 has been chosen by several police departments in the past for use in patrol with positive feedback after a lengthy ownership experience. Officers in Westport, Connecticut, revealed massive cost savings from driving an electric vehicle compared to previous combustion engine patrol units.

Additionally, the Ford Mustang Mach-E has been chosen for several police departments in the United States and Europe. A larger, more spacious option than the Model 3, Ford’s GT Performance trim level of the Mustang Mach-E packs 270 miles of range, a 3.8-second 0-60 MPH acceleration time, and 480 horsepower.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Cybertruck

Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature

Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is set to activate a long-awaited Cybertruck feature, and no matter when you bought your all-electric pickup, it has the hardware capable of achieving what it is designed to do.

Tesla simply has to flip the switch, and it plans to do so in the near future.

Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, according to Not a Tesla App, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.

Tesla rolls out Active Road Noise Reduction for new Model S and Model X

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The ANC feature suddenly appeared on the spec sheet for the Premium All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast trims, which are the two configurations that have been delivered since November 2023.

However, those trims have both had the ANC disabled, and although they are found in the Model S and Model X, and are active in those vehicles, Tesla is planning to activate them.

In Tesla’s Service Toolbox, it wrote:

ANC software is not enabled on Cybertruck even though the hardware is installed.”

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Tesla has utilized an ANC system in the Model S and Model X since 2021. The system uses microphones embedded in the front seat headrests to detect low-frequency road noise entering the cabin. It then generates anti-noise through phase-inverted sound waves to cancel out or reduce that noise, creating quieter zones, particularly around the vehicle’s front occupants.

The Model S and Model X utilize six microphones to achieve this noise cancellation, while the Cybertruck has just four.

Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026

As previously mentioned, this will be activated through a software update, as the hardware is already available within Cybertruck and can simply be activated at Tesla’s leisure.

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The delays in activating the system are likely due to Tesla Cybertruck’s unique design, which is unlike anything before. In the Model S and Model X, Tesla did not have to do too much, but the Cybertruck has heavier all-terrain tires and potentially issues from the aluminum castings that make up the vehicle’s chassis, which are probably presenting some challenges.

Unfortunately, this feature will not be available on the new Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive configuration, which was released last week.

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Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears

Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Model S and Model X customization options are beginning to thin for the first time as the closure of the two “sentimental” vehicles nears.

We are officially seeing the first options disappear as Tesla begins to work toward ending production of the two cars and the options that are available to those vehicles specifically.

Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.

Tesla is making way for the Optimus humanoid robot project at the Fremont Factory, where the Model S and Model X are produced. The two cars are low-volume models and do not contribute more than a few percent to Tesla’s yearly delivery figures.

With CEO Elon Musk confirming that the Model S and Model X would officially be phased out at the end of the quarter, some of the options are being thinned out.

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This is an expected move considering Tesla’s plans for the two vehicles, as it will make for an easier process of transitioning that portion of the Fremont plant to cater to Optimus manufacturing. Additionally, this is likely one of the least popular colors, and Tesla is choosing to only keep around what it is seeing routine demand for.

During the Q4 Earnings Call in January, Musk confirmed the end of the Model S and Model X:

“It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge. It is time to bring the S/X programs to an end. It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.”

Fremont will now build one million Optimus units per year as production is ramped.

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Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026

Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla’s estimated delivery window for new Cybertruck Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive (AWD) orders in the United States has shifted to September–October 2026. This suggests that the vehicle’s sub-$60,000 variant is now effectively sold out until then.

The updated timeline was highlighted in a post on X by Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt, who noted that the estimated delivery window had moved from June 2026 to September-October 2026, “presumably due to strong demand.”

The Dual Motor AWD currently starts at $59,990 before incentives. Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.

If demand remains steady, the combination of a later delivery window and a pending price increase suggests Tesla is seeing sustained interest in the newly-introduced Cybertruck configuration. This was highlighted by Elon Musk on X, when he noted that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD’s introductory price will only be available for a limited time.

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When the Cybertruck was first unveiled in November 2019, Tesla listed the Dual Motor AWD variant at $49,990. Adjusted for inflation, that figure equates to roughly $63,000 in 2026 dollars, based on cumulative U.S. inflation since 2019.

That context makes a potential post-February price in the $64,000 to $65,000 range less surprising, especially as material, labor, and manufacturing costs have shifted significantly over the past several years.

While Tesla has not announced a specific new MSRP, the updated delivery timeline and pricing note together suggest that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD could very well be the variant that takes the all-electric full-sized pickup truck to more widespread adoption.

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