Michael Satterfield
FCA US LLC announced today that the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has placed orders for more than 580 Dodge Charger Pursuit police sedans to replace aging vehicles in its fleet. The vehicles will be delivered over the next two years with the vast majority of the vehicles being delivered next year.
The California Department of General Services conducted a public, competitive bidding process aimed at selecting a vehicle based on price, performance, and payload capacity, the Dodge Charger Pursuit sedan was found to comply with enforcement vehicle specifications for the CHP, the largest state police agency in the nation. The new rear-wheel-drive sedans will replace existing high-mileage patrol vehicles currently in service.
“Our Charger Pursuit police sedans meet CHP’s stringent payload requirements, and in particular, will accommodate the agency’s radio systems,” said Jeff Kommor, Vice President – U.S. Sales Operations, Fleet and Small Business Sales, FCA US LLC. “The Charger Pursuit also meets CHP’s demand for ongoing fuel-efficiency and its desire to be a leader in fiscal responsibility in California.”
The majority of the Charger Pursuit sedans in this CHP order are powered by the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine which delivers 292 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The V-6 Charger Pursuit delivers up to an EPA estimated 26 miles per gallon (mpg) highway.
The CHP’s order also includes a small number of Charger Pursuit 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 models with Fuel Saver Technology to be used by training instructors at CHP’s Emergency Vehicle Operations Course in Sacramento. The V-8 model delivers 370 best-in-class horsepower for best-in-class acceleration performance.
“The CHP is ordering our Charger Pursuit vehicle to reintroduce the sedan into their patrol vehicle fleet,” said Bick Pratt, head of FCA US government sales and operations. “That’s important to us because it reflects a shift back to sedans by a progressive agency like the CHP. It is also important because other agencies throughout California rely on the CHP’s vast resources and knowledge to test, evaluate and determine what police vehicle meets the needs of the CHP, and in many cases meets their local needs as well.”
Local government agencies have the ability to also purchase from this same CHP contract, a process commonly known as “piggy backing,” Pratt said.
The CHP order includes some Charger Pursuit sedans equipped with the segment’s largest Uconnect 12.1-inch built-in touchscreen that enables a segment-exclusive integration of law enforcement computer systems with the easy-to-use and award-winning Uconnect touchscreen system.
The CHP plans to have all of the new Charger Pursuit sedans in service near the end of the calendar year. Additional CHP orders for Charger Pursuit sedans are forthcoming.
