Chicago Police Order 200 New Ford Hybrid Police Interceptors. Here's Why

If you live in or you're driving around the Windy City, don't be surprised when one of these bad boys slips up behind you. The Chicago Police Department has recently placed an order for 200 of the new 2020 Ford police interceptor SUVs.

At first glance, the new police interceptors look like something out of a science-fiction movie. They don't look particularly tough or fast. Trust me when I tell you that this thing will get the job done.

Ford has been synonymous with law enforcement for several decades. The Crown Victoria is the typical mainstay of most police departments. Several departments use the Explorer chassis well.

The 2020 contender from Ford leaves very little to be desired. Despite being a hybrid, it is quite capable of reaching and maintaining the speeds necessary for pursuit. All while preserving fuel mileage.

The 2020 Ford police interceptor SUV is the first-of-its-kind. There has never been a hybrid vehicle that has been interceptor rated. While idling the gas engine is turned off. The lithium-ion batteries of the hybrid system continuously provide power to the lights, sirens, radios, and other electrical systems.

This is excellent, considering that the average patrol car spends 60 percent of its time at idle. In reality, it's saving money on fuel bills and not giving up performance. To put it mildly, the performance is better on this particular vehicle. Each vehicle is expected to save $3,500 to $5,700 annually.

Ford has got orders for 3,700 of the hybrid interceptors from different agencies across the United States.

There are several powertrain setups available for the 2020 Ford police interceptor. The 3.3-liter v6 engine with 318 horsepower is the most common package. There is also a 400 horsepower 3.0 turbocharged EcoBoost. This setup provides a whopping 400 horsepower! Certainly not bad for a hybrid.

If the motor setup isn't exciting enough for you, perhaps the 10-speed automatic transmission will be. This allows for much smoother shifting, and some get up and go when you need it the most. While all of the details are not available to civilians, some basic ideas are.

The pursuit model has been updated with larger tires and rims. The handling is different from the civilian model. And some sensors allow the vehicle to distinguish when it has hit pursuit mode. These systems automatically change the tuning of the engine, the suspension and the handling electronically.

Ford has beefed up the vehicle with an additional 180 pounds worth of structural reinforcement. This makes the car infinitely safer for high-speed impact. The brake system has been redesigned. At top speed, the vehicles provides fantastic handling.

The vehicles made for the Chicago PD will be made in the company's Chicago plant where
Ford recently invested $1 billion, and added 1,000 jobs.

So when you see one of these on the street know that while it may look pretty, under the hood it's a beast. Bad guys beware. Ford has done it again.