A small Central Florida city is drawing national attention after approving the purchase of a Tesla Cybertruck for its fire department, a move city leaders say is about function and fiscal responsibility — but one that some residents argue is unnecessary and excessive.
Lake Alfred city commissioners unanimously approved spending just over $131,000 on a 2025 Tesla Cybertruck in December. Officials say the electric vehicle will serve as a brush truck, command vehicle and mobile power source, offering a lower-cost alternative to a traditional brush truck that can cost close to $300,000.
Fire Chief Darius Livingston said the goal was never to be flashy.
“The goal wasn’t to be innovative, the goal was to fix a problem,” Livingston said. “And in return, a lot of great rewards came from it.”
Livingston said the Cybertruck will be the first of its kind used by a fire department in the nation. The vehicle will be outfitted with a 200-gallon water tank to fight brush fires in rural areas and can also be used for rescues, public events and emergency command operations.
“They told me it would be the first in the nation, so I am excited about it,” Livingston said.
The chief said the truck meets National Fire Protection Association standards and offers versatility that traditional brush trucks do not.
“It will definitely do the job,” he said. “It meets NFPA standards. It does the job. And it gives us more bang for our buck.”
Livingston, who owns an electric vehicle personally, said lower fuel and maintenance costs were a key factor in the recommendation.
“I actually drive an electric vehicle as well, and I see the benefits of maintenance and gas,” he said. “Why not?”
Supporters also point to the Cybertruck’s off-road capabilities and ability to power equipment for hours during emergencies.
City leaders say the lower emissions are another potential benefit, especially as firefighters look for ways to reduce exposure to harmful fumes and toxins.
Still, not everyone in Lake Alfred is convinced the purchase was necessary.
“I think it’s a waste of money,” resident Janet Hernandez said.
Hernandez questioned both the cost and the need for another vehicle.
“For that kind of money, it’s ridiculous,” she said. “If they’ve already got one, why do they already need another one and spend all that money?”
Others raised concerns about reliability, recalls and Tesla’s high-profile political associations. Livingston pushed back on that criticism.
“Never political,” he said. “I’m a fire chief. I’m not into political games.”
The Cybertruck purchase is being treated as a pilot program, with the potential for more electric emergency vehicles if it proves successful.
“Even possibly an engine in the future,” Livingston said. “You don’t have to like everything, but you’ve got to do what’s right.”
City leaders say they expect delivery of the Cybertruck sometime next month and are already hearing from neighboring municipalities interested in watching how the experiment plays out.
Officials from Winter Haven and Auburndale have reached out, according to Livingston, to see whether electric vehicles could work in their own fleets.
They need a cybersuck truck as much as they need a hole in the head.