Elon Musk unveiled the latest whiz-bang tech from Tesla Thursday night, showing a packed house how its sleek Cybercab robotaxis and prototype of a new electric van "should look like the future.".

In the present, though, California police departments are already coming to rue their decision to trade in their fleets for Tesla Y models. Climate-friendly--getting the departments prepared for a zero-emissions future--the Teslas turn out to present a whole lot of other challenges, according to SFGate interviews with three Northern California police chiefs.

Once modified, for example, the car's back seat is quite small and can only fit one passenger, and the front also does not have adequate space for all the officers. They also point out "autopilot interference" when attempting to steer off the road; add that reliance on unsecured charging stations leaves officers at the mercy of whomever might be manning them when it's time to transport suspects across town; and point out that in a gunbattle, police are trained to seek cover behind the engine block of the car. This is not possible with EVs.