Blue light special: checking out an F-150 Lightning police cruiser
The Barrington Police Department's electric police cruiser. Photo: Alan Neuhauser/Axios
Alan's town in Rhode Island has rolled out an electric Ford F-150 Lightning as one of its front line police vehicles.
State of play: "The biggest issue is everybody likes it," Barrington Police Department Capt. Kevin Igoe tells Axios.
Catch up fast: The F-150 pickup is a step up from the department's first EV, a Ford Mustang Mach-E that it rolled out last year.
- That first vehicle is a small crossover SUV — peppy, but without the room for prisoner transport or other equipment.
- "Finding a gun rack for the Mach-E was a challenge," Igoe says. It's now a (well-liked) supervisor's vehicle.
Driving the news: The department soon after ordered its F-150. Following a six-month wait, plus another seven months for equipment, it put the vehicle on the road this fall.
- The F-150 Lightning cost $44,800 after state incentives. It has 260 miles of range.
Of note: With Barrington streets spanning just 8 square miles, the town opted not to spend another $12,000 for the extended-range model.
What they found: The F-150 has worked well. It's roomier than Ford's Police Interceptor Utility, which is based on the automaker's Explorer mid-size SUV.
- Barrington meanwhile has Level 3 chargers at Town Hall, which can top up the F-150 in about 30 minutes. Officers use that time to write reports that they'd otherwise complete at headquarters.
The big picture: Ford held 53% of the U.S. police vehicle market last year, per a company spokesperson.
- The automaker won't share how that translates to revenue. But it's real business — and each vehicle a rolling billboard for the brand.
What's next: Ford last year introduced its first police edition EV: a "Pro Special Service" version of the F-150 Lightning. It's meanwhile piloting a police version of the Mustang Mach-E.
- "We plan to maintain our market leadership in this segment," a Ford spokesperson says.
