Ford just introduced a supercharged hybrid for police that979 Archiveshandle intense pursuits, even through flooded intersections and over curbs.
The Police Responder Hybrid is the first of its kind, according to Ford, which is putting $4.5 billion into electric car production over the next five years.
The car has been certified by police agencies to be "tough enough to handle police pursuits for longer periods at different speeds and over obstacles," according to Ford.
The green cruisers are designed to help police departments cut costs and make patrols more efficient. The hybrids are projected to more than double the EPA-estimated gas mileage of the automaker's current Police Interceptor line's 3.7-liter V6 engine from 18 mpg to 38 miles per gallon.
They're also built to make the most of the time police inevitably spend idling on patrols. Ford estimates the hybrid will conserve up to 0.27 gallons of fuel per hour compared to its current engine, which could wind up saving cash-strapped local departments $3,900 a year in fuel costs, based on average parameters. Ford provided an external tool to more accurately calculate potential fuel savings with the new setup.
The hybrid patrol cars will debut on beats in LA and New York before expanding order availability this spring. The cruisers will then hit the streets for police departments nationwide next summer.
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