Folsom PD shops locally for 2 Ford hybrid Explorers

The city police department went shopping again at Folsom Lake Ford, this time for two Explorer hybrid cruisers. The Folsom City Council on Tuesday approved spending $114,615 from the police vehicle/equipment fund for two combination gas and electric patrol rigs from the local auto dealer. The 2025 Explorer Police Interceptor Hybrid AWD is the only pursuit-rated hybrid police utility, according to the Ford Motor Company website. Ford offers a standard 3.3-litre hybrid with 318 horsepower and a 3.0-litre "EcoBoost" model with 400 horsepower. According to the city service delivery plan, marked Folsom PD patrol vehicles are scheduled for replacement at 75,000 miles or four years to ensure operational readiness and officer safety. Folsom PD is currently operating eight patrol cruisers that have exceeded the mileage threshold. The department has only one motor pool vehicle available when assigned units are out of service for maintenance, authorities said. "High-mileage vehicles require more frequent and costly repairs, which impacts both efficiency and budget," said Police Chief Adam Green in the report to the City Council on Feb 24. "To address these challenges, staff is proposing to add two new hybrid patrol vehicles to the fleet. This upgrade will allow us to retire two high-mileage, gas-powered vehicles from daily use and repurpose them as additional pool vehicles," the chief said. SUVs have become an industry standard for police departments nationwide, and Ford Explorers have proven to be "incredibly" durable, reliable and versatile to meet the demands typical of police vehicles, Green said. "Its design is tailored for law enforcement, including reinforced suspension, upgraded cooling systems and features specifically engineered for law enforcement," he said. The hybrid option blends better fuel economy, reduced idle time, performance and practical SUV utility, all in a vehicle that's engineered and tested for crime-fighting duty, staff said. Transitioning two gas-powered vehicles out of daily use with hybrid technology will generate an estimated fuel cost savings of $9,000, according to the report. Reduced maintenance on high-mileage vehicles and improved fuel economy will further lower lifecycle costs. The last city vendor for Explorers was Folsom Lake Ford. The dealership currently has two Explorer hybrid police rigs in stock and ready for immediate delivery. Both vehicles are fully equipped to meet the department's operational standards and specifications, staff said. The cost for each is $57,307. In other electric news from the Feb. 24 meeting, the Folsom City Council also approved spending $172,000 to buy three Chevy Silverado EV trucks for waterworks staff. The budgeted purchase came from the water operating fund and the wastewater fund. The trucks will replace two overused vehicles, while the third electric Chevrolet is for a new staff position in the city wastewater division, authorities said.