Bay Area police department's Tesla battery runs low on juice during high-speed chase

FREMONT, Calif. -- A Fremont police officer suffered a little range anxiety on the job.

He was chasing a suspect in the department's Tesla on Friday, September 20, when the battery indicator showed the electric vehicle was running low on juice.

The officer voiced his concerns over the radio. "I am down to 6 miles of battery on our Tesla so I may lose it here in a sec," he said.

Fremont police say other units took over the pursuit, until it was terminated due to unsafe driving by the suspect.

The CHP later found the suspect's car abandoned in San Jose. It was wanted in connection with a crime in Santa Clara.

Fremont police say the Tesla wasn't fully charged at the beginning of the shift. The vehicle was taken to a charging station and returned to police headquarters.

The department says this is the second pursuit the Tesla has performed well in. Police purchased the 2014 Model S earlier this year and had it customized for patrol operations.