Ford launches its first plug-in hybrid vehicle for police

Earlier this year, Ford revealed the world's first ever pursuit-rated hybrid police vehicle. The company has now given law enforcement agencies in the U.S.A an even more efficient option with the reveal of a plug-in hybrid vehicle capable of driving up to 33km without using a drop of petrol. The Special Service Plug-In Hybrid Sedan, the first plug-in hybrid police vehicle from Ford, is designed for police and fire chiefs, detectives, and other Government personnel whose jobs don't require a pursuit-rated vehicle.

The vehicle's 3.3kW onboard charger allows agencies to fully charge the 7.6kWh battery in just 2.5 hours on a level-two charger. But Ford is confident most agencies won't need anything more than a regular wall outlet to recharge. The lithium-ion battery can move the vehicle up to 33km on a single charge and up to 136km/h on battery power alone.

Once the battery runs down, the vehicle is powered by its petrol-electric hybrid powerplant - with a range surpassing 800km - eliminating any concerns of range anxiety typically associated with battery-only electrics.

The custom interior features heavy-duty cloth front seats with reduced bolsters, for officer comfort, and rear anti-stab plates, plus vinyl rear seating and flooring. Other highlights include a reinforced top tray for mounting equipment, metal console mounting plate, red and white task lighting in the overhead console, police engine-idle feature, unique alloy wheels and an auxiliary power distribution box in the trunk.

Several unique options are available for the Special Service Plug-In Hybrid Sedan, including a driver spot lamp, a boot storage vault, boot ventilation system, and a rear door control-disabling feature. A special dark-car feature turns off interior lighting and allows the dash cluster to be dimmed 100 percent for surveillance, and several emergency lighting packages like those found on other Ford police vehicles are also available.

The new Special Service Plug-In Hybrid Sedan joins two other Ford police vehicles revealed this year, the Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan and the F-150 Police Responder. Recently, both successfully completed rigorous testing conducted by Michigan State Police at Grattan Raceway in Belding, Michigan, and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.