Ford produces a new hybrid version of its hugely successful pursuit vehicle to save the police money of fuel.

• Ford investing $4.5 billion and introducing 13 new electric vehicles globally in the next five years, including F-150 Hybrid, Mustang Hybrid, Transit Custom plug-in hybrid, self-driving hybrid, and fully electric small SUV with projected EPA-estimated range of at least 300 miles
• Ford reveals industry’s first pursuit-rated hybrid police car in New York and Los Angeles – all-new Police Responder Hybrid Sedan will potentially save customers thousands in fuel costs
• 50 percent of U.S. millennials say they are interested in buying an electric car; Ford predicts auto industry will offer customers more hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles than gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 15 years

Ford continues its drive to be a global electric vehicle leader – today revealing the second of 13 new electrified vehicles the company plans to introduce in the next five years.

The industry’s first pursuit-rated hybrid police car, the all-new Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan, is part of a $4.5 billion Ford investment to make electric vehicles that give customers greater capability, productivity and performance – plus better fuel economy. 

The plans are part of Ford’s expansion to be an auto and a mobility company, including leading in electric and self-driving vehicles, and new mobility solutions.

“Electrifying our next generation of vehicles is core to our unwavering commitment to sustainability,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. 

“By being a leader in electrified vehicles, we remain committed to delivering cars, trucks and SUVs that are better not only for our customers, but for the environment and society as well.”

The all-new Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan – making its debut in Los Angeles and New York – is the industry’s first pursuit-rated hybrid police car. In addition, Ford is delivering:

• Another new hybrid police vehicle for North America
• All-new fully electric small SUV, coming by 2020, engineered to deliver an EPA-estimated range of at least 300 miles, to be sold in North America, Europe and Asia. Actual range will vary. Final EPA numbers not yet available.
• Hybrid-powered self-driving vehicle designed for commercial mobility services, starting in North America in 2021
• Hybrid version of best-selling F-150 pickup, available by 2020, and sold in North America and the Middle East. F-150 Hybrid will offer powerful towing and payload capacity, and will operate as a mobile generator tough enough to power a job site
• Hybrid version of iconic Mustang that will deliver V8 power and even more low-end torque. Mustang Hybrid debuts in 2020 in North America, to start
• Transit Custom plug-in hybrid available in 2019 in Europe, engineered to help reduce operating costs in even the most congested streets

Growing global demand

As growing urban populations are overwhelming transportation systems and compromising air quality, first-time car buyers – including 50 percent of U.S. millennials – say they are interested in purchasing an electric car, according to a poll conducted by the Consumer Federation of America.

Ford is at the forefront of driving electric vehicle technology and improving costs on batteries and motors for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles. 

As the company focuses on vehicles that deliver improved performance – such as the F-150 Hybrid with powerful towing and payload capacity plus the ability to operate as an on-board generator – Ford expects sales of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles to dramatically increase during the next decade.

In fact, Ford predicts the auto industry will offer customers more hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles than gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 15 years.  

Ford partners with cities

Ford sells the most police vehicles in the United States, with 63 percent market share. The company has been partnering with cities on custom law enforcement vehicles since the days of the Model T.

The Police Responder Hybrid Sedan will help cities decrease emissions and offers the potential for significant fuel savings, both while driving and while idling. 

While driving, Ford’s patented hybrid technology is projected to provide EPA-estimated combined gas mileage of 38 miles per gallon – more than twice that of today’s Police Interceptor with 3.7-liter V6 with EPA-estimated 18 mpg combined. Actual mileage will vary. Final EPA-estimated ratings are not yet available. 

While idling, the Police Responder Hybrid Sedan’s lithium-ion battery helps power the high electrical loads of a police vehicle, reducing engine run time and saving an estimated 0.27 gallons of fuel per hour. 

Police Responder Hybrid Sedan customers could see nearly $3,900 a year in potential fuel savings per vehicle relative to the Police Interceptor, if a police vehicle is driven 20,000 miles per year, runs two shifts per day, 365 days per year, idles 4.9 hours per 8-hour shift, and is fueled at an average gas price of $2.50/gallon. The Ford Police Responder online fuel calculator enables customers to determine how much they may potentially save.

The new vehicle will be the first hybrid sedan with full pursuit capabilities. That means the car is certified by police agencies to be tough enough to handle police pursuits for longer periods at different speeds and over obstacles such as curbs and flooded intersections.

The Police Responder Hybrid Sedan uses an efficient Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter engine with an electric motor fed by an advanced lithium-ion battery. The hybrid is calibrated for law enforcement’s unique duty cycle and will run in battery-only mode up to 60 mph. The car automatically switches to maximum performance – with the engine and battery working at peak acceleration levels – when needed.

“Our mission to create safe and healthy communities in Los Angeles is achieved through sustainable approaches in community policing, and that includes embracing new technologies,” said Charlie Beck, Los Angeles Police Department Chief. “Patrol vehicles are a police officer’s office, and we expect them to not only be economically and environmentally efficient, but also an effective tool for fighting crime in major metropolitan areas.”

The Police Responder Hybrid Sedan can be ordered this spring and will be delivered to police departments nationwide next summer.

This year, Ford also is testing a fleet of 20 Transit Connect hybrid taxi and van prototypes in demanding traffic conditions in New York and several other major U.S. cities.

Moving the needle in China and Europe

Ford also is aggressively expanding its electric vehicle lineup in China. The company just announced that, by 2025, 70 percent of the vehicles it sells there will be electrified.

In addition, Ford is introducing the Mondeo Energi plug-in hybrid and an all-new fully electric small SUV with projected EPA-estimated range of at least 300 miles to customers in China.

In January, Ford announced a multimillion-pound project designed to help improve air quality in London. Ford is providing 20 Transit Custom plug-in hybrid vehicles to a range of fleets to explore how these commercial vans can contribute to cleaner air targets, while boosting operator productivity in urban conditions. The project is supported financially by the U.K. government-funded Advanced Propulsion Center.

New electric vehicle services

Ford is working on a suite of services to make electric vehicles even easier to own.

“Innovative services can be as important to customers as the electric vehicles themselves,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford group vice president, purchasing, and the company’s electrification champion. “We are investing in solutions to help private customers as well as commercial fleet owners seamlessly incorporate these new vehicles and technologies into their lives.”

Ford has a memorandum of understanding with several automakers in Europe to create an ultrafast charging network projected to be significantly faster than the most powerful charging system deployed today. An initial target of about 400 sites in Europe is planned. By 2020, consumers should have access to thousands of high-powered charging points.

Ford also is piloting wireless technology on company electric cars in the United States and Europe to make recharging as easy as pulling into a parking spot, so drivers never forget to recharge. Wireless recharging extends electric-only range for short-distance commuters, even during quick stops. FordPass^® also can help consumers find charging stations.

The New e-Up! is available to order from today, with improved range, better interior and more tech, it's one to consider.

• New e-up! is available to order at Volkswagen Retailers from today
• All-electric, zero emission, city car supports Volkswagen’s e-mobility strategy
• Stylish, practical new e-up! is priced at £20,780 (RRP OTR, incl. government grant)

Volkswagen’s highly praised new up! city car is now available to order in all-electric form as the new e-up! four seater joins the refreshed up! range in the UK.

Expanding on the extensive appeal of the new up!, which has already been roundly praised for its style, versatility and quality, the new e-up! builds on the standard car’s accomplished packaging with a zero emission solution.

With its 82 PS electric motor the e-up! boasts a peak torque figure of 210 Nm, equating to a brisk 0-62 mph time of 12.4 seconds and it will keep on going, where the law permits, to 80 mph.  The car boasts a maximum range of around 93 miles between charges.

This e-up!’s power derives from a lithium-ion battery pack located within the car’s floor and consisting of 204 cells, together rated at 374 volts and 18.7 kWh. 

The motor is mated to a single-speed gearbox that is optimised for minimum friction.  The driveline is particularly quiet and compact as a result of the electric motor and the gearbox being integrated with very high quality intermeshing inside a single housing.

The battery weighs 230 kg but, despite this, the e-up! still weighs less than its internal combustion engined sibling, tipping the scales at 1,139 kg thanks to Volkswagen engineers’ extensive weight-saving measures.  

The necessary variety of charging cables includes a fast charge connection which allows for up to 80 per cent of the battery’s capacity to be replenished in just 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, a full charge from a standard household plug takes nine hours.  

Customers can purchase an optional wall box for home garage use, which provides a 3.6 kW supply and can recharge a battery in six hours. 

Zero emission electric drive doesn’t mean compromising on comfort or convenience, either.  A strong line-up of factory-fitted equipment includes electronic air conditioning as standard, as well as cruise control and parking sensors.  

The windscreen wipers function automatically, and when the sun goes down a dusk sensor automatically activates the headlights. 

The new e-up! is available as a five-door, and fresh styling includes beefier front bumpers which house unique ‘C’ signature LED running lights that make the e-up! stand out from the crowd.  

At the rear, a more angular bumper includes a prominent diffuser panel alongside a sharper tail light design.  The interior of the new e-up! features a leather-trimmed steering wheel, while chrome-trimmed interior door handles, air vent surrounds and instruments add a finishing flourish. 

The new e-up! scores highly when it comes to bringing the online world into the cabin.  Like the new up! it features an innovative smartphone docking station which enables the driver’s phone to be turned into the car’s infotainment system.  

Simply click the smartphone into the ‘Maps + More’ docking system on the centre console to unlock a host of features via the Volkswagen app. 

The smartphone can be used to select and play music, or as a navigation system.  It can even display key data from the e-up!’s systems and tips from the Volkswagen Think Blue. Trainer - which coaches a driver in efficient driving techniques.

The smartphone connection is extended in the new e-up! thanks to Volkswagen’s Car-Net e-remote.  This gives the driver the power to manage the car’s charging process from their smartphone via the Volkswagen e-up! app.  

They can also use the app to switch on their e-up!’s air conditioning remotely before getting in and review vehicle trip statistics, too.  A three-year subscription to the Car-Net e-remote service is included with the new e-up!.

The new e-up! is priced at £20,780 (RRP OTR) including the Government Plug-in Car Grant of £4,500.  Deliveries are expected to begin in October and the e-up! comes with a standard three-year warranty.  

The vehicle’s battery comes with an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty, while the standard service interval is 20,000 miles or two years.

Currently, the e-up! is available from £275* per month via Volkswagen’s e-Solutions Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) scheme, with a £900 deposit contribution.  The deal is based on 6.4% APR representative, with full details available from Volkswagen Retailers.

The latest e-up! is a continuation of Volkswagen’s long history of electric mobility provision.  The first electric Golf, for instance, was launched fully 40 years ago, in 1976, badged as the CityStromer. Around 100 examples were built. 

Now the e-up! joins the all-electric e-Golf in Volkswagen’s line-up of plug-in cars.  The Volkswagen range also includes the award-winning petrol-electric hybrid Golf GTE and Passat GTE models.  

These four cars represent the start of a significant acceleration toward electro-mobility for Volkswagen.  

The German manufacturer has stated, via its recently announced TOGETHER – Strategy 2025 programme, that it will introduce 30 additional electric or plug-in hybrid models by 2025.  And by that year Volkswagen expects purely battery-powered electric vehicles to account for a quarter of the global passenger car market.