Ford Now Has Most Fuel-Efficient Police Car
The
next time you’re busted for a traffic infraction in your hybrid you may
not be able to give your usual smug retort to the officer, “Yeah, but
at least I’m not driving a gas guzzler!”
OK, maybe you’re more polite and/or smarter than that, but less
far-out and absurd is Ford says it is now offering America’s most
fuel-efficient police car.
Not that it actually beats most hybrids, but the automaker in
Dearborn says its Special Service Police Sedan leads the way being EPA
rated at 20 mpg city, 30 highway, 24 combined.
Nor is the law-enforcement vehicle primarily intended for chasing
evaders down, but it does have the underpinnings and interchangeable
parts of a sturdy highway dominator albeit with efficient 2.0-liter
EcoBoost engine under the hood as part of a lineup that includes more
powerful versions.
“Agencies looking to reduce their fuel expenditures, especially for
non-pursuit vehicles in small rural agencies, universities and for
detective work will want to take a look,” said Jonathan Honeycutt, Ford
police marketing manager. “We’ve had great feedback on the vehicle and
had a lot of agencies asking about it.”
Ford observes its police car is more competitive than either of the
other two brands being offered to cost-conscious fleet operators.
“Both Dodge and Chevy’s most efficient police sedans achieve an
EPA-estimated rating of 21 mpg combined; neither hit the 30 mpg mark on
the highway cycle,” said Ford in a statement.
At the current national average $3.21 per gallon for gas, assuming
30,000 miles driven per year, Ford estimates “the Special Service Police
package could save agencies approximately $1,720 over three years
compared with the most efficient competitors in the market today, which
are rated at 21 mpg combined.”
For police fleets with as many as 150 cars, “the savings estimate
over three years jumps to approximately $257,940,” said the automaker.