Rumor: Ontario O.P.P. Police turned down by Tesla

[Grey on Grey]

I've heard that the OPP in Ontario had ordered about 100, or at least wanted to order, about 100 Tesla Model S cars for their for their patrol car fleet but Tesla turned them down instead.

Apparently Tesla is worried about "Image" as they don't want their cars to be know as Police or taxi cars. Look at the Ford Crown Victoria!
A reliable police car but not known as a personal vehicle.
I guess Tesla doesn't want to go that route either.
A shame really, I would consider it an honour to be pulled over by another Tesla!

 

[AMPd]

Thats...odd
Can automakers refuse to sell someone a car because they dont like what itll be used for?
There are a few models s's that are being used as taxis, so i dont see the problem of using them as police vehicles.

Besides the new police vehicles around here are dodge chargers and i still see a lot of non police chargers driving around.

 

[bonnie]

I've heard that the OPP in Ontario had ordered about 100, or at least wanted to order, about 100 Tesla Model S cars for their for their patrol car fleet but Tesla turned them down instead.

Apparently Tesla is worried about "Image" as they don't want their cars to be know as Police or taxi cars. Look at the Ford Crown Victoria!
A reliable police car but not known as a personal vehicle.
I guess Tesla doesn't want to go that route either.
A shame really, I would consider it an honour to be pulled over by another Tesla!

It's standard protocol to post source for these types of rumors - and especially not follow up with speculation when you don't even know if it is true.

Do you have a source?

 

[AMPd]

It's standard protocol to post source for these types of rumors - and especially not follow up with speculation when you don't even know if it is true.

Do you have a source?

+1 I need to see a source, i just cant imagine Tesla a car company that needs lots of sales refusing to sell that many cars because of "image"

After a few google searches, theres not even a slight bit of news about this.
Im guessing someone made it up, or as bonnie points out below, they asked for a discount and were turned down. And you know how second hand stories go, they go the way the person telling you want them to go!

 

[nwdiver]

I've heard that the OPP in Ontario had ordered about 100, or at least wanted to order, about 100 Tesla Model S cars for their for their patrol car fleet but Tesla turned them down instead.

Is there a source for this? It don't smell right....

 

[bonnie]

It could be a totally made up rumor, Ontario could have asked for a major discount because of volume & Tesla said no (because of backlog), Ontario could have asked for the tax dollars and been turned down and had nothing to do with Tesla ... hate threads like this that will drive speculation on zero fact.

 

[brianman]

Can automakers refuse to sell someone a car because they dont like what itll be used for?

I suspect you're making an assumption that's incorrect. Elaborating...

My assumptions would be that a fleet purchase would involve additional requirements and some negotiation on fleet pricing. I highly doubt that Ontario officials just tried to reserve 100 cars in the normal fashion and were denied in some way.

 

[bonnie]

... hate threads like this that will drive speculation on zero fact.

again.

 

[AMPd]

I suspect you're making an assumption that's incorrect. Elaborating...

My assumptions would be that a fleet purchase would involve additional requirements and some negotiation on fleet pricing. I highly doubt that Ontario officials just tried to reserve 100 cars in the normal fashion and were denied in some way.

The question had nothing to do with this specific situation, i have just never heard of automakers turning someone down because they didnt like what their car was going to be used for.
The guy from Las Vegas ordered 100 teslas, no problem there. I dont see why there would be additional requirements when ordering more than 1 vehicle UNLESS you want a little something from the automakers and they refuse to give you that little something, then they arent refusing to take your vehicle order they are just refusing to give you the extra you are asking them for

 

[brianman]

i have just never heard of automakers turning someone down because they didnt like what their car was going to be used for.

"We reserve the right to deny service to anyone, especially 'entertainment programs' like Top Gear."

 

[AMPd]

"We reserve the right to reserve service to anyone, especially 'entertainment programs' like Top Gear."

Fitting that you brought top gear into this as this story is as fake as that show!

 

[Larry Chanin]

I've heard that the OPP in Ontario had ordered about 100, or at least wanted to order, about 100 Tesla Model S cars for their for their patrol car fleet but Tesla turned them down instead.

Apparently Tesla is worried about "Image" as they don't want their cars to be know as Police or taxi cars. Look at the Ford Crown Victoria!
A reliable police car but not known as a personal vehicle.
I guess Tesla doesn't want to go that route either.
A shame really, I would consider it an honour to be pulled over by another Tesla!

Tesla has already sold more than 100 Model Ss overseas to a taxi company.

Larry

 

[Dutchie]

Not true. When a government organisation needs something it goes through a public known request for proposal (RFP) Vendors can reply to that or not. Every vendor who wants to bid on the RFP should have a fair chance for the bid. A government organisation just cannot say I want that car...

 

[rolosrevenge]

A government organisation just cannot say I want that car...

That depends on the government organization.

 

[jerry33]

Not true. When a government organisation needs something it goes through a public known request for proposal (RFP) Vendors can reply to that or not. Every vendor who wants to bid on the RFP should have a fair chance for the bid. A government organisation just cannot say I want that car...

The government department can write the specs so that only one car is possible. Right now that would be as easy as: Electric only, over 170 miles range, 0-60 in under 5 seconds. Note that the actual manufacturer doesn't need to be named. However, I have serious doubts about the original story.

 

[richkae]

If the original rumor were true - I would not be surprised if it was this instead: "OPP tries to order 100 Tesla cars with complex police modifications and Tesla turns them down because they can't do those modifications." But the reason gets lost and mischaracterized.

 

[NoMoGas]

Im sorry, but this looks bad ass...

 

[Doug_G]

Pretty sure they'd have to go through the same procurement process as any other Ontario government department.

Supply Chain Ontario (Procurement/Purchasing)

I don't think the rumour is credible.

 

[Grey on Grey]

The service centre in Toronto!

 

[TurboFroggy]

There are a LOT of people who buy Chargers and Crown Vic "Police Interceptor" because they ARE used as police vehicles.