Palo Alto, California, the city of innovation, has rolled out a first in American law enforcement: a Rivian R1S electric SUV converted into a police cruiser. Unveiled at Rivian’s headquarters, the Palo Alto Police Department skipped local giant Tesla (whose global engineering hub is just down the street) to be the first to try this out.
Gloss black paint dominates the R1S’s exterior with white trim on the front doors. The department’s badge is on the sides, no loud flashy graphics like traditional police cars. The red-and-blue light bar is missing for now but will be installed soon. Discussions are underway to add a push bar and custom cabin equipment with Rivian’s engineers working closely with the city to customize the SUV for duty.
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Inside, the R1S has a big advantage over the department’s current fleet of Ford Explorers and Jeep Durangos. Assistant Chief James Reifschneider says the cabin is more spacious than the cramped interiors of other patrol vehicles. The SUV integrates seamlessly with Palo Alto’s existing tech, including body-worn cameras and exterior cameras that capture nearly 360-degree view around the vehicle. This is all about transparency and accountability, which is how the department approaches policing. During a test drive with KRON4, Reifschneider showed off the vehicle’s compatibility with the city’s advanced systems, which is not the case with standard patrol cars.
Performance is where the R1S really shines. Electric vehicles get a bad rap for being slow but this SUV dispels that myth with instant torque. Reifschneider said it can do pursuits and is confident it can keep up when needed. The range is around 300 miles but as a supervisor’s car (driven 12 hours a day, 7 days a week) it won’t be used as much as a standard patrol unit. So charging downtime isn’t a concern, making the R1S a practical choice for Palo Alto.
Price is an issue. At $75,900 before police packages the R1S is more expensive than a Ford Explorer police package which can be half the price. Critics on Rivian Forums are saying it’s not worth the investment, citing high upfront cost and slower charging than gas powered vehicles. But supporters are saying in a city like Palo Alto (small, wealthy and not known for high speed chases) the R1S’s range and efficiency is what the department needs.
