Chicago Police order 200 Ford Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid Vehicles

Already accounting for nearly two-thirds of police vehicle sales in the United States, Ford announced that its all-new Ford Police Interceptor Utility built in Chicago will soon take to the streets of that city to help serve and protect its citizens.

The Chicago Police Department's 13,400 officers will soon take delivery of 200 units of the 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid in a nod to the officer safety, capability and potential cost savings the all-new pursuit-rated hybrid provides.

It's more positive Ford news for Chicago, where the automaker recently invested $1 billion and added 1,000 jobs at the city's south-side assembly plant. Today's announcement indicates continued sales momentum for the all-new Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid as more agencies across America from New England to Southern California have ordered 3,700-plus units equipped with the standard 3.3-liter hybrid engine.

These hybrid-powered commitments represent 19% of the 19,000-plus orders for the all-new 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility. Conventional gas engine options include a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 and a 3.3-liter V6 with flex fuel capability. Like many police agencies across America, Chicago Police Department is working to convert its patrol fleet to hybrid power.

“The 2020 Ford Police Interceptor is made in Chicago, by Chicagoans and for Chicago police officers,” said Jonathan Lewin, Chief of Technical Services, Chicago Police Department. “This is just another example of Chicago living up to its reputation as the ‘city that works.'”

With 63% of law enforcement vehicle sales in the US in 2018, Ford continues to lead the segment, with its Police Interceptor Utility alone accounting for half of all police vehicles sold in America. The new hybrid has the potential to save police departments across the country millions of dollars in fuel costs - savings that can go to hire more police officers.

While actual mileage will vary, the all-new 2020 Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid has an EPA-estimated 24 mpg combined rating - a 41% improvement over the previous-generation Police Interceptor Utility equipped with a conventional 3.7-litre gas engine. Projections indicate the powerful hybrid could potentially help police departments save between $3,500 and $5,700 per vehicle annually in fuel costs versus the current Police Interceptor Utility. Applying those projected numbers to every Police Interceptor Utility sold in 2018 would equate to an estimated savings of more than 43 million gallons of fuel and an estimated annual cost savings of between $118 million and $193 million.

“The big benefits Chicago Police Department will see from the new hybrid system is that it shuts off the gas engine for extended periods of time, allowing the lithium-ion battery to power lights, radios, computers and other on-board equipment, helping to achieve potentially significant reductions in fuel usage and CO2 emissions versus the previous-generation Police Interceptor Utility,” said Stephen Tyler, Ford Police Brand Marketing Manager.

In testing by the Michigan State Police in September, preliminary results show the all-new Ford Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid had the fastest 0-60 and 0-100-mph acceleration, the fastest lap, fastest average lap and highest top speed of 138 mph versus competitive police utility vehicles, including V8-powered entries. The only faster entry was the Ford Police Interceptor Utility powered by a 3.0-liter EcoBoost engine.

Purpose-built at Chicago Assembly Plant with domestic and foreign parts, Police Interceptor Utility includes heavy-duty cloth front seats with reduced bolsters for comfort and easy entry and exit for officers. Vinyl rear seats and vinyl flooring enable easy cleaning, while anti-stab plates in the rear of the front seatbacks help protect officers from potential threats.