Tesla Model X police car will sneak up on perps in a hurry

The future of police pursuits will be fast and silent, if the Ontario Provincial Police has anything to say about it.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) unveiled its own Model X police car this week, as part of an installation at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. The Model X -- a P90D, specifically -- is on display to reflect "the future of policing" as the department sees it. Which is to say, it will be whisper quiet but also rather quick.

The Model X features full working lights and sirens, in additional to a traditional black-and-white livery and OPP badging. According to Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, the officer who unveiled it, the car is "a generous donation from a friend," so it doesn't appear any Canadian tax dollars went to sourcing this machine, which carries a retail price north of US$100,000.

Sadly, the vehicle won't be chasing down any scofflaws in the near future -- it's not rated for pursuit duty yet, so it'll live its life as a marketing vehicle for now. That said, Schmidt hinted during an unveiling video on Facebook that the OPP wouldn't be against trying to make the idea of a Model X police vehicle actually come to fruition. Hopefully most of Ontario's crime happens around Superchargers.

Not every police department has a positive history with EVs. The Los Angeles Police Department leased 100 examples of the i3 in order for the department to put its greenest foot forward. However, thanks to neglect and abuse, most of the cars have less than 2,000 miles on their odometers, and some were used for nonofficial police duties, like taking kids to school or getting lunch. Whoops.