

News
Tesla Model Y police cruiser draws criticism from taxpayers
The Tesla Model Y police cruiser, which joined the Hastings on Hudson, New York Police Department in late December, is receiving criticism from taxpayers. Unfortunately, many of those who have expressed their concerns about the vehicle’s cost are not fully aware of the long-term savings that the Model Y will give taxpayers and the police department.
The Hastings on Hudson PD posted a video of their new Model Y crossover, equipped with flashing red and blue lights and the necessary equipment for an officer of the law. It was the first-ever Model Y to be used as a police cruiser, and the Department indicated that the all-electric crossover would serve “as the police car assigned to the Detective Division.”
Despite the environmental and long-term cost-effectiveness of the Tesla, many Social Media users were critical of the Department’s choice to purchase the car in place of the traditional Dodge Charger cruiser that many forces across the country have utilized for transportation. The widespread idea that Teslas are only affordable by the rich and famous is still presently being used as an argument based on what Twitter users are saying, even though the automaker has been able to release the Model 3 and Model Y at price points that are affordable for many people. The price alone, along with the industry-leading battery tech and performance of Tesla’s cars, is what has made them the most popular EVs in the United States and China.
One Twitter user gained over 46,000 Retweets and over 172,000 Likes by stating, “This is gonna be parked outside of a public school with a paper shortage, old textbooks, and one computer per classroom.”
A user on Facebook replied to the Hastings on Hudson PD’s Facebook post directly, saying, “DEFUND THE POLICE! Why is this needed?”
The problem with making statements like those above is that the price comparison of the Model Y to a traditional Dodge Charger is not all that different. When factoring in the maintenance and fuel savings that the Department will have in the coming years, the Tesla will be substantially less expensive than the Charger, which will require regular oil changes and maintenance that is more likely to be needed when dealing with a gas car that has so many moving parts.
The cost-effectiveness of driving a Tesla instead of a Charger has already been proven by the Bargersville, Indiana Police Department, who purchased a Model 3 for a cruiser in August 2019. In the first 13 months, the Department saved $6,755 in fuel alone. A Charger, which the Bargersville PD maintained while also operating the Model 3, had a yearly cost of $7,580 for gas and maintenance. The Model 3’s annual cost was only $825.
Actual numbers for 1 year of Tesla model 3 police car pic.twitter.com/lGESk0LgIR
— Todd Bertram (@ToddBertram1) September 29, 2020
Meanwhile, the Dodge Charger Scat Pack, which is a frequently-purchased variant of the vehicle for Police Departments, had an MSRP of $40,500. The Model Y’s Long Range AWD variant starts at just $49,990. Based on the Bargersville PD’s figures, the $9,490 difference would be canceled out in about a year and a half.
While there is plenty of criticism floating around social media because of the Police Department’s choice to purchase a Tesla, the real issue is the consistently spread misinformation. The environmental advantages of driving a Tesla over a powerful, gas-thirsty Charger are enough to convince some, but the long-term savings of going with the EV option are enough to sway even the most critical of skeptics.
What do you think? Leave a comment down below. Got a tip? Email us at tips@teslarati.com or reach out to me at joey@teslarati.com.
H/t: Business Insider
Elon Musk
Tesla investors will be shocked by Jim Cramer’s latest assessment
Jim Cramer is now speaking positively about Tesla, especially in terms of its Robotaxi performance and its perception as a company.

Tesla investors will be shocked by analyst Jim Cramer’s latest assessment of the company.
When it comes to Tesla analysts, many of them are consistent. The bulls usually stay the bulls, and the bears usually stay the bears. The notable analysts on each side are Dan Ives and Adam Jonas for the bulls, and Gordon Johnson for the bears.
Jim Cramer is one analyst who does not necessarily fit this mold. Cramer, who hosts CNBC’s Mad Money, has switched his opinion on Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) many times.
He has been bullish, like he was when he said the stock was a “sleeping giant” two years ago, and he has been bearish, like he was when he said there was “nothing magnificent” about the company just a few months ago.
Now, he is back to being a bull.
Cramer’s comments were related to two key points: how NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang describes Tesla after working closely with the Company through their transactions, and how it is not a car company, as well as the recent launch of the Robotaxi fleet.
Jensen Huang’s Tesla Narrative
Cramer says that the narrative on quarterly and annual deliveries is overblown, and those who continue to worry about Tesla’s performance on that metric are misled.
“It’s not a car company,” he said.
He went on to say that people like Huang speak highly of Tesla, and that should be enough to deter any true skepticism:
“I believe what Musk says cause Musk is working with Jensen and Jensen’s telling me what’s happening on the other side is pretty amazing.”
Tesla self-driving development gets huge compliment from NVIDIA CEO
Robotaxi Launch
Many media outlets are being extremely negative regarding the early rollout of Tesla’s Robotaxi platform in Austin, Texas.
There have been a handful of small issues, but nothing significant. Cramer says that humans make mistakes in vehicles too, yet, when Tesla’s test phase of the Robotaxi does it, it’s front page news and needs to be magnified.
He said:
“Look, I mean, drivers make mistakes all the time. Why should we hold Tesla to a standard where there can be no mistakes?”
It’s refreshing to hear Cramer speak logically about the Robotaxi fleet, as Tesla has taken every measure to ensure there are no mishaps. There are safety monitors in the passenger seat, and the area of travel is limited, confined to a small number of people.
Tesla is still improving and hopes to remove teleoperators and safety monitors slowly, as CEO Elon Musk said more freedom could be granted within one or two months.
News
Tesla launches ultra-fast V4 Superchargers in China for the first time
Tesla has V4 Superchargers rolling out in China for the first time.

Tesla already has nearly 12,000 Supercharger piles across mainland China. However, the company just initiated the rollout of the ultra-fast V4 Superchargers in China for the first time, bringing its quick-charging piles to the country for the first time since their launch last year.
The first batch of V4 Superchargers is now officially up and running in China, the company announced in a post on Chinese social media outlet Weibo today.
The company said in the post:
“The first batch of Tesla V4 Superchargers are online. Covering more service areas, high-speed charging is more convenient, and six-layer powerful protection such as rain and waterproof makes charging very safe. Simultaneously open to non-Tesla vehicles, and other brands of vehicles can also be charged. There are more than 70,000 Tesla Superchargers worldwide. The charging network layout covers 100% of the provincial capitals and municipalities in mainland China. More V4 Superchargers will be put into use across the country. Optimize the charging experience and improve energy replenishment efficiency. Tesla will accompany you to the mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas with pure electricity!”
The first V4 Superchargers Tesla installed in China are available in four cities across the country: Shanghai, Zhejiang, Gansu, and Chongqing.

Credit: Tesla China
Tesla has over 70,000 Superchargers worldwide. It is the most expansive and robust EV charging network in the world. It’s the main reason why so many companies have chosen to adopt Tesla’s charging connector in North America and Europe.
In China, some EVs can use Tesla Superchargers as well.
The V4 Supercharger is capable of charging vehicles at speeds of up to 325kW for vehicles in North America. This equates to over 1,000 miles per hour of charging.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk hints at when Tesla could reduce Safety Monitors from Robotaxi
Tesla could be reducing Safety Monitors from Robotaxi within ‘a month or two,’ CEO Elon Musk says.

Elon Musk hinted at when Tesla could begin reducing Safety Monitors from its Robotaxis. Safety Monitors are Tesla employees who sit in the front passenger seat during the driverless rides, and are there to ensure safety for occupants during the earliest rides.
Tesla launched its Robotaxi fleet in Austin last Sunday, and after eight days, videos and reviews from those who have ridden in the driverless vehicles have shown that the suite is safe, accurate, and well coordinated. However, there have been a few hiccups, but nothing that has put anyone’s safety in danger.
A vast majority — close to all of the rides — at least according to those who have ridden in the Robotaxi, have been performed without any real need for human intervention. We reported on what was the first intervention last week, as a Safety Monitor had to step in and stop the vehicle in a strange interaction with a UPS truck.
Watch the first true Tesla Robotaxi intervention by safety monitor
The Tesla and UPS delivery truck were going for the same street parking space, and the Tesla began to turn into it. The UPS driver parallel parked into the spot, which was much smaller than his truck. It seemed to be more of an instance of human error instead of the Robotaxi making the wrong move. This is something that the driverless cars will have to deal with because humans are aggressive and sometimes make moves they should not.
The Safety Monitors have not been too active in the vehicles. After all, we’ve only seen that single instance of an intervention. There was also an issue with the sun, when the Tesla braked abnormally due to the glare, but this was an instance where the car handled the scenario and proceeded normally.
With the Robotaxi fleet operating impressively, some are wondering when Tesla will begin scaling back both the Safety Monitors and Teleoperators that it is using to ensure safety with these early rides.
CEO Elon Musk answered the inquiry by stating, “As soon as we feel it is safe to do so. Probably within a month or two.”
As soon as we feel it is safe to do so.
Probably within a month or two. We continue to improve the Tesla AI with each mile driven.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 30, 2025
Musk’s response seems to confirm that there will be fewer Teleoperators and Safety Monitors in the coming months, but there will still be some within the fleet to ensure safety. Eventually, that number will get to zero.
Reaching a point where Tesla’s Robotaxi is driverless will be another significant milestone for the company and its path to fully autonomous ride-sharing.
Eventually, Tesla will roll out these capabilities to consumer-owned vehicles, offering them a path to generate revenue as their car operates autonomously and completes rides.
For now, Tesla is focusing on perfecting the area of Austin where it is currently offering driverless rides for just $4.20 to a small group of people.
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