Tulsa mayor wants Tesla Cybertruck police vehicles, if automaker builds Gigafactory

Mayor of Tulsa G.T. Bynum has a simple proposition: If Tesla builds its future Cybertruck Gigafactory in the Oklahoma city, he wants Cybertruck police vehicles.

Mayor Bynum on Sunday tweeted a rendering of a Cybertruck decked out in local police livery, following reports his city is a finalist among Tesla's choices. As in previous renderings, the Cybertruck actually looks pretty boss as a police car. Mayor Bynum's tweet added it would "only be right to buy local," referring to purchasing the electric trucks if they're built in the city.

The mayor did not speak to reports of the city's alleged finalist status, but told Roadshow in a statement, "While I can not comment on potential projects, it is clear that Tesla and Tulsa were forged in the same spirit. Both founded by pioneers who dreamt big and made it happen. Both trying to change the world with a new kind of energy. Both investing big in what matters most: people. Tulsa is a city that doesn't stifle entrepreneurs -- we revere them. And as Tesla continues to rapidly change transportation all around the world, I can't imagine a better place for them to further that important work than Green Country."

The Cybertruck will supposedly be built at a new US Gigafactory located in the central part of the country. Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously said as much this past March but the process has been quiet, at least until a new report that named Tulsa as a finalist. Another city Tesla's reportedly interested in is Austin, Texas. We've also seen the state of Missouri actively court Tesla to build the new plant, while Nashville, Tennessee, was also a rumored candidate at one point.

Although it's hard to say how many workers the new Gigafactory will employ, Tesla has roughly 10,000 workers at its plant in Fremont, California. The facility builds the Tesla Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y. Musk previously said this new proposed plant somewhere in the central US will also build the Model Y. The chance for a city and state to employ thousands of workers is, of course, a major positive.

Tesla's electric pickup truck will begin production in 2021, according to the company, with the most powerful versions built first. In 2022, the company plans to add less expensive, and less powerful, versions to the production mix. 

Watch this: Tesla Cybertruck: First ride in the pickup of the future

05:25

Tesla Cybertruck is like nothing else, and it'll be built in Austin

+34 More

See all photos