by Peter Ciani
The Claremont Police Department in Claremont, NH, took a significant step towards an all-electric future with a generous donation from their local Ford dealership.
Ford of Claremont’s Christian Gomes presented the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning Pro SSV pickup truck, the first of its kind to be delivered in the Northeast.
Gomes, a former NYPD officer turned car dealer, has already donated three vehicles to the department since opening his Ford franchise in the city, including a Ford Interceptor Utility Vehicle, Ford Interceptor Hybrid Utility Vehicle, and a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
2021 Ford Police Interceptor & Harley Davidson Motorcycle donated by Ford of Claremont.
Ford has built a rich and enduring legacy in the police car industry dating back to the early 1900s. The new F-150 Lightning Pro SSV seamlessly melds Ford’s latest EV technology with its decades of fleet vehicle experience.
Police departments all across the country have consistently favored Ford vehicles for their power, price, and reliability. Consequently, the automaker has played a significant role in mobilizing the nation’s police departments, whether it was with Model T paddy wagon conversions or the evolutionary 1950 Ford sedan and ubiquitous Crown Victoria. As law enforcement needs evolved, Ford continued to adapt and innovate, contributing to the development of purpose-built police cruisers as we know them today.
After the retirement of the long-running Crown Victoria, many police departments gradually transitioned to the Ford Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility which offered a more comfortable ride, improved fuel efficiency, and better all-weather performance.
In 2020, the redesigned Interceptor Utility received a significant update, adopting a rear-wheel-drive-biased chassis that improved handling and increased interior space.
The Redesigned 2020 Police Interceptor Utility features a standard Hybrid powertrain.
Photo: Ford Media
However, the most notable change for the 2020 Interceptor was the introduction of a standard Hybrid powertrain. Hybrid technology represented a big step toward more environmentally-friendly police patrol vehicles. At the time Ford estimated that the pursuit-rated hybrid police utility would save departments between $3,500 and $5,700 per year in fuel costs. Hybrid power in a police car makes a ton of sense, especially considering how much time these vehicles spend idling either on the side of the road or while on a call.
RPM News was on hand to test drive the Interceptor Utility when It made its debut. (See video.)
With states heading toward strict emissions regulations and EV mandates it’s only logical that the next evolution of the police car will be a move toward gas-free, battery-electric vehicles. That’s where the Ford F-150 Lighting Pro SSV comes in.
Introduced last year as a special service variant of the popular all-electric Lightning pickup, the Lightning Pro SSV was designed to handle specialized departmental needs outside of pursuit situations according to Ford.
Having driven a few Lightning models, I can honestly say that I don’t believe pursuit would be a problem, especially considering that the Lightning Pro SSV is offered with 452 and 580 horsepower powertrain options, both delivering up to 775 pound-feet of torque.
Police-specific interior upgrades include heavy-duty cloth seats with reduced bolsters for easy entry and exit and built-in steel intrusion plates in the front seat backs to protect against someone stabbing through the seat. The interior also features easy-to-clean rear vinyl seats and vinyl flooring.
(Left) Lightning Pro SSV with added police equipment; (Right) Police-Spec cloth seats
Mechanically there isn’t much that needs to be upgraded for police duty. Gone are the days of upgraded heavy-duty suspensions and larger V8 power plants with factory dual exhausts.
Like the civilian F-150 Lightning, the F-150 Lightning Pro SSV is offered with standard and extended-range battery packs, delivering between 240 and 320 miles on a full charge. The Lightning’s mega handy, Mega Power Frunk also carries over to the Lightning Pro SSV.
Claremont Police Chief Brent Wilmont shakes hands with Christian Gomes from Ford of Claremont.
During the hand-off at the dealership, Claremont Police Chief Brent Wilmont candidly admitted his initial skepticism when Christian Gomes pitched the idea of donating an all-electric vehicle to the department. Chief Wilmont recalled, “I think it was about a year ago when Chris came to me and said he was interested in donating an electric car to our fleet. I think I laughed at him the first time. I said, “An electric car in a police fleet? I don’t know how I feel about that.””
Chief Wilmont’s reaction reflects common concerns about the feasibility and performance of electric vehicles in law enforcement, but thankfully he was open-minded enough to learn a bit about the Lightning before dismissing the idea altogether and was eventually won over by its all-electric performance.
“The first time that he and I took it for a ride I was blown away, quite literally blown away. I’ve never driven a vehicle that has so much power as this thing does, but on top of power it’s utterly silent and environmentally friendly, there’s so many benefits to it.” Wilmont said.
Ford of Claremont also contributed to the costs of outfitting and the addition of a level 2 charger at the station.
