Making a Ford Explorer ready for police dutyIn promoting the PIU to law enforcement customers, Ford emphasizes how this SUV differs from the civilian Explorer. Notably, the PIU is engineered to withstand a 75-mph rear impact to protect the fuel tank and hybrid battery system. Federal standards require a 50 mph standard for consumer-purchased vehicles. While some ordinary cars get a "sport" mode to adjust shift points and throttle control, the PIU has a steering-wheel-mounted "Pursuit" mode button for rapid activation. In addition, the PIU has only two rows of seating, unlike the three-row civilian Explorer.Keeping the unique needs of police work in mind, Ford has added other features to the PIU that aren't found in family-friendly Explorers. An idle function lets the vehicle's engine to run without worrying about unauthorized use. The system offers emergency lighting, communication devices, and other equipment to operate with the key removed. When surveillance and discretion are the priority, Dark Car Mode can turn off all interior lighting. Police Perimeter Alert uses the blind-spot monitoring system to check for threats approaching the vehicle. Upon determining a potential hazard, the system activates a warning sound, engages the rearview camera, rolls up the windows, and locks the doors.A Ford Expedition gets to wear a badgeWhile the Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility represents the bulk of Ford's specialized sales to law enforcement, the company has outfitted an Expedition to help keep law and order. The Expedition SSV comes in two- or three-row configurations. Ford police vehicles wearing the SSV badge aren't pursuit-rated like the PIU and are built for less demanding requirements. The 2025 Expedition SSV has a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 found in the civilian versions of the Expedition. There are no published zero-to-60 mph times for the Expedition SSV, but the civilian version with a higher output engine (440 horsepower) has been clocked at making this dash in 5.1 seconds.This police-ready Ford SUV shares several features with the latest version of the retail Expedition, including a larger center touchscreen and a split tailgate. In SSV guise, it gets Dark Car Mode from the PIU, a system that limits access to the cargo area, and a beefier electrical system to support accessory police gear.
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