Ford says it has received more than 2,600 orders
from U.S. agencies for the pursuit-rated 2020 Police Interceptor Utility
Hybrid. That’s a sizable chunk of the more than 15,000 orders for the 2020
Police Interceptor Utility and the automaker believes the hybrid’s fuel economy
ratings have a lot to do with that. Ford says the hybrid police SUV will help
police departments reduce operating costs as it’s 41 percent more
fuel-efficient than the previous-generation Police Interceptor Utility equipped
with a conventional 3.7-liter gasoline engine.
The all-new Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid has an
EPA-estimated rating of 23 mpg (10.2 l/100 km) city/24 mpg (9.8 l/100 km)
highway/24 mpg (9.8 l/100 km) combined. According to the Ford’s calculations,
the hybrid police SUV is projected to save taxpayers between US$ 3,500 and US$ 5,700
per vehicle in fuel costs annually, at an average of 20,000 miles driven per
year.
A hybrid police vehicle makes sense because of the
potentially significant idle-time fuel savings. When stationary, the hybrid
powertrain allows the engine to shut off for extended periods, powering
electrical equipment via its lithium-ion battery and helping achieve
significant reductions in fuel usage and CO2 emissions.
The 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility is also
tested for enhanced police durability, offering improved cooling systems, a
specially tuned braking system, front-door tethers, and police-purposed steel
wheels, tires and hubcaps. The SUV is tested for eight-inch (203-mm) curb
impact, median crossing, 48-km/h railroad crossing, and water fording
up to 18 inches (457 mm) at 15 mph (24 km/h) and 10 inches (254 mm) at 64 km/h. It also provides rear-impact protection at up to 120 km/.
Based on the 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid, the new
Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid comes with a standard 3.3-liter hybrid
engine, while conventional gasoline engine options include a 3.0-liter EcoBoost
V6 and a 3.3-liter V6 with flex-fuel capability. Ford will start delivering the
2020 Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid this fall.
