Ford Touts Fuel Savings of Hybrid Police Cruiser

Ford Motor Co. is adding a modified version of its Fusion Hybrid sedan to its police car lineup next year.

Billed as the first pursuit-rated hybrid police car in the U.S., the new Police Responder Hybrid is expected to have an Environmental Protection Agency rating of 38 mpg. This would make it more than twice as efficient as the current Taurus-based Police Interceptor that gets 18 mpg with its turbocharged 3.6-liter V-6 engine.

Ford estimates the fuel efficiency gain, which is compounded by the long times police cars typically spend idling, will save nearly $3,900 annually per vehicle, assuming a gasoline price of $2.50 per gallon. The savings is based on vehicles being operated on two eight-hour shifts every day of the year, idling an average of 4.9-hours per shift and driving 20,000 miles per year.

The Fusion Hybrid teams an Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack. The latter can power the police car’s electronics, radio and emergency lights when the engine is off, which Ford says saves about 0.3 gallons of fuel per hour.

Ford says the hybrid cruiser can be driven in pure electric mode at speeds as high as 60 mph. The combustion motor works in conjunction with the electric motor and battery at higher speeds.

Being pursuit rated means the Responder Hybrid is certified by police agencies to handle extended car chases at a range of speeds over a variety of road surfaces and other obstacles. Police have used other hybrid and electric vehicles in the past, but these applications have been limited to transport and other non-emergency purposes.

Ford will begin taking orders from police this spring with deliveries planned for next summer. Departments in Los Angeles and New York already have placed orders.

With growing competition from the Chevrolet Caprice Police interceptor and Dodge Charger Pursuit, Ford's share of the police car market has slipped from 70% in 2011 to 63% last year. Ford also offers a police interceptor variant of the Explorer SUV.