If you grew up watching a lot of television or are an avid viewer of certain reality shows, the following lyrics from the reggae group Inner Circle might sound familiar.
"Bad boys, bad boys. Whatcha' going to do? Whatcha' gonna do when they come for you?"
💰💸 Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter 💰💸
Although the actions depicted on the TV show Cops might be something played up for the cameras, police officers around the United States rely on one tool besides their radios and flashlights every single day: their police cruisers.
Currently, Dearborn-based automaker Ford (F) is the leader in police cars, with over half of the cruisers on American streets bearing the famous Blue Oval. However, as electric vehicles become more prolific on the streets of the United States, a prolific police department might get a new set of police cars that might look slightly different from what you're used to.
A modified version of the Lucid Air recently participated in California Highway Patrol vehicle testing. What do you think about the potential for Lucid Air to lend its unmatched combination of range, interior and cargo space and performance to law enforcement duty? pic.twitter.com/qgjyXwk8Uh
— Lucid Motors (@LucidMotors) November 10, 2024
Lucid leads the Electric Highway Patrol
In a post on X, Lucid Motors (LCID) announced that the California Highway Patrol has recently tested a modified version of its Air sedan for consideration for use in their fleet.
Though few details have been confirmed about its status as a future patrol car, it showed off a prototype version of a potential Lucid CHP car, complete with a black-and-white paint job, a prominent bullbar, lights, and black steel wheels.
According to a Facebook post by the California Highway Patrol's Fleet Operations, the Lucid was shown off as part of the CHP's 2025 Police Vehicle Evaluation event on November 2 to 3 at its academy. As per the images and the text on the post, Lucid was exhibited alongside offerings from Stellantis STLA, with its Dodge, Jeep, and Ram products, GM's Chevrolet Tahoe, Silverado, and Silverado EV, as well as Ford's Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility.
Lucid boasts that the Air is a viable solution for law enforcement due to its "unmatched combination of range, interior and cargo space and performance." However, Lucid boasts a critical performance advantage compared to the CHP's fleet of Dodge Charger Pursuits and Ford Interceptor Utilitys.
According to Ford, the standard Police Interceptor Utility is equipped with a 3.3-liter hybrid engine that delivers a combined 318 horsepower and can be equipped with a 3-liter, 400-horsepower engine. Its other cruiser, the Dodge Charger Pursuit, comes standard with a 300 horsepower V6 motor but can be optioned with a 370 horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI V8.
On the other hand, the Rivian comes standard with an electric powertrain that boasts 450 horsepower and 450 miles of range before charging. In its most potent form, the Sapphire, which is available to everyday customers, it boasts a powertrain capable of 1,234 hp, zero-to-sixty miles per hour in 1.89 seconds, and a top speed of 205 miles per hour, all while getting an estimated range of 420 miles.
More Business of EVs:
- Bentley's first foray into EVs will debut in 2026
- Trump's EPA pick Lee Zeldin is the EV industry's worst nightmare
- Toyota exec slams "impossible" EV mandate amidst political chaos
Though many police departments might not opt for the superfast, $250,000 electric sedan, if the CHP were to buy the $74,000 Lucid Airs for its officers, it would be the latest in a wave of Californian police departments to adopt the plug.
However, many PDs experienced mixed results. South Pasadena, for instance, replaced its entire fleet with Teslas without any issues; however, in the NorCal city of Ukiah, their Tesla Model 3s were "nearly unusable" due to their size and range constrictions.
"Tesla isn't the right answer in the law enforcement market currently for electric adoption," Ukiah PD Chief Neil Cervenka told SFGate. "But there might be better options."
View the original article to see embedded media.
Ford's maintenance of dominance
Ironically, one of those "better options" comes from Ford.
In April 2023, the New York City Police Department purchased 100 Ford Mustang Mach-Es for its police fleet, the first full-electric vehicles to be in regular service with the NYPD. According to the New York Post, electric crossovers are the fastest vehicles in the NYPD fleet, as they can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds.
"Public safety is more than just protecting our streets," NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Edward Caban told The Post. "It's protecting our environment, and this pilot program is in lockstep with Mayor [Eric] Adams' mandate to significantly reduce harmful emissions across the entire municipal fleet."
Related: New Ford tech pushes the limits of driver privacy and surveillance
Ford's fleet operations fall under a division known as Ford Pro. Last quarter, it was a highly profitable sector of Blue Oval's business, bringing in $1.8 billion in EBIT during Q3 2024 from revenues of $15.7 billion, an increase of 13% from last year.
During its earnings call, Ford CFO John Lawler explained to Goldman Sachs analyst Mark Delaney that Ford Pro's ability to sell the overall "package, " which includes cars, software, and repair services, is the important driver behind its profitable business.
"I would tell you that we're really starting to gain traction on our overall process of how we're going to market and we're selling the solution, right? We're selling the vehicle along with the services that come along with that," Lawler said. "That's about improving our customer's business and giving them productivity, which helps them improve their profits. So all of that's coming together and it's leading to a continued strength in Ford Pro."
Ford Motor Company trades on the New York Stock Exchange as F and is up 0.14% at the time of writing, selling at $11.08 per share.
Lucid Motors trades on the New York Stock Exchange as LCID and is down 4.09% at the time of writing, selling at $2.00 per share.
Related: Veteran fund manager sees world of pain coming for stocks
