Ford Police Interceptor Utility

Ford Police Interceptor Utility. It is a specialized police car variant of the Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle, designed and manufactured by the Ford Motor Company for law enforcement use. Introduced for the 2013 model year, it succeeded the iconic Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor as the primary vehicle for many police departments across North America. The vehicle is engineered for durability, performance, and the integration of emergency equipment, becoming a dominant fixture in municipal and state fleets.

Overview

The vehicle was developed as part of a new strategy by Ford Motor Company to replace its aging rear-wheel-drive sedan with modern, purpose-built law enforcement vehicles. It is based on the unibody architecture of the contemporary Ford Explorer, sharing its Ford CD3 platform but extensively modified for police duty. Key agencies involved in its development included the Michigan State Police and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which conduct annual vehicle testing. Its introduction coincided with the launch of the sedan counterpart, the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan, based on the Ford Taurus.

Development and design

The development program, known internally as the Ford Police Interceptor project, began in earnest following the 2010 announcement of the end of Ford Crown Victoria production. Engineers from Ford Motor Company collaborated with the Police Advisory Board, a group of fleet managers and officers from agencies like the New York City Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety. The design prioritizes officer safety, incorporating standard ballistic door panels to protect against certain handgun rounds and a reinforced aluminum alloy body structure. The interior features heavy-duty cloth seats, column-mounted gear selectors, and extensive wiring provisions for equipment such as Motorola radios and Panasonic mobile data terminals.

Powertrain options were selected for pursuit and idle performance, including a standard twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 engine. The vehicle's suspension, brakes, and cooling systems are all upgraded from the civilian Ford Explorer to withstand the rigors of law enforcement use, including extended idling and high-speed maneuvers. Testing was conducted at facilities like the Transportation Research Center in Ohio and the Desert Proving Ground in Arizona.

Variants

The primary variant is the standard Utility, but a special service version is offered for agencies requiring a non-pursuit vehicle for tasks like parking enforcement or crime scene investigation. For the 2020 model year, a hybrid model was introduced, combining a V6 engine with an electric motor to reduce fuel consumption during long periods of idling, a feature highly valued by departments like the Los Angeles Police Department. All variants can be equipped with optional features such as Federal Signal lightbars, Setina Manufacturing Company partition systems, and Whelen Engineering sirens.

Service use

It has been widely adopted by numerous law enforcement agencies across the United States and Canada, becoming one of the most common police vehicles. Major fleets operated by the California Highway Patrol, the Illinois State Police, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police utilize it as a primary patrol vehicle. It is also used by federal agencies such as the United States Border Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The vehicle's performance is annually evaluated in tests conducted by the Michigan State Police, where it consistently ranks highly in acceleration and top speed categories.

Specifications

Standard powertrain is a 3.3-liter V6 engine; optional engines include a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6. All models feature all-wheel drive with a torque-vectoring rear differential. Braking is handled by large-diameter ventilated disc brakes at all four corners. Performance figures, as published by Ford Motor Company, include a top speed electronically limited for police use and acceleration from 0-60 mph in under 6.0 seconds for the high-performance engine option. The vehicle meets all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and is certified for use as an emergency vehicle.

Category:Ford vehicles Category:Police vehicles Category:Sport utility vehicles