Montgomery County, Pa., has added three Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid electric sedans to its sheriff’s fleet of vehicles, according to a county release.
Each vehicle is expected to save $740 per year in fuel costs, depending on usage, while collective maintenance costsshould fall by $4,800 per year, the release added.
The county will use the vehicles mostly for serving civil paperwork. The Montgomery County's Sheriff’s Office serves approximately 9,000 warrants and 48,000 court documents each year.
The 188-hp Fusion Energi returns an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 95 MPGe city/81 MPGe highway. The vehicles offer an electric-only range of 21 miles, and a full recharge of the batteries takes seven hours.
Gasoline consumption should fall by up to 74 percent and carbon-dioxide emissions should be cut in half compared to the outgoing cars, according to Montgomery County. The vehicles should pay for themselves in 3.7 years.
