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It's the 2020 Ford Explorer wearing a bit of body armor.
The covers are lifted on Ford’s new crime-fighting machine for police officers around the country. The 2020 Police Interceptor Utility promises added protection for the boys and girls in blue while also delivering better fuel mileage and reduced emissions with its hybrid powertrain.
The New Explorer Is Here:
To address the elephant in the room, yes this is also the new Ford Explorer. Ford takes care not to mention the name since technically the new Explorer hasn’t been revealed yet. As such, there are quite a few details left to our imagination on this new interceptor but we do know it’s pretty badass, and not just because it’s black with a big push bar up front. It’s equipped with a Police Perimeter Alert system that monitors 270 degrees around the SUV and can analyze the movement of bad guys. It can also automatically secure the vehicle by locking doors and rolling up windows, and the system even creates motion trails on perps outside so officers can track their movements.
On the mechanical side, the interceptor gets an upgraded cooling system, specially tuned brakes, cop-spec steel wheels, and additional reinforcement to help it withstand eight-inch curb impacts and high-speed crossings over medians and railroad tracks. It also meets 75-mph rear-impact crash standards and can wade through 18 inches of water.
Of course, the big news is the hybrid powertrain. Ford says the 3.3-liter hybrid setup returns an EPA-estimated 24 mpg combined mileage rating. Compared to the current Ford Interceptor Utility, the company estimates police agencies could save between $3,500 and $5,700 on annual fuel costs per vehicle. Furthermore, Ford says testing done by the Michigan State Police and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department showed the new hybrid Interceptor was faster than the outgoing model in all acceleration tests.
Cop Motor, Cop Tires, Cop Suspension:
In addition to the hybrid arrangement, Ford will also offer standard powertrain configurations in its new Police Interceptor, including the 3.0-liter EcoBoost and a non-hybrid 3.3-liter V6. The 3.3-liter hybrid will be the standard setup, and all engines are backed by a new 10-speed automatic with full-time all-wheel drive.
Given the new Interceptor is built on the not-yet-revealed 2020 Ford Explorer, additional specifics such as power will likely come later. We don't have long to wait, because the civilian version of the popular SUV is scheduled to debut January 9.
