Hybrid Car Review

* The Cleveland Division of Police won a brand-new 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid for participating in the Ford “Hybrid Patrol”, a nationwide tour where BP and police departments nationwide joined Ford to boost drivers’ fuel-economy awareness.
* Throughout the 10-city tour Ford Hybrid Patrol distributed over $65,000 worth of BP gas cards to consumers around the country.

CLEVELAND, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2006 – The Cleveland Division of Police (CPD) today received the keys to their new 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid as part of an award from the Ford Motor Company for helping boost consumers’ fuel-economy awareness. The Ford Hybrid Patrol tour worked with hundreds of officers in blue across the country to boost their knowledge on becoming green with hybrid technology.

Last fall, 11 police departments from around the country participated in the Ford Hybrid Patrol, an educational tour on hybrid technology and fuel-saving techniques. Each participating department was entered into a drawing to win a new Mercury Mariner Hybrid. At the conclusion of the Ford Hybrid Patrol national tour, the CPD was randomly selected as the winner of the new premium compact hybrid SUV from Ford.

“We're very honored that Ford Motor Company selected the Cleveland Division of Police as one of its cities to showcase the Ford Hybrid Patrol,” says Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath. “Our officers were really excited to participate in this innovative program. We will use the Mercury Mariner Hybrid as part of our accident investigation unit and we look forward to adding more hybrid vehicles to our fleet.”

When the Ford Hybrid Patrol arrived at each city officers were enrolled in fuel-economy clinics and participated in driving challenges to discover the most “fuel-efficient” officer in Ford’s hybrids. Of the 38 police representatives that participated in the fuel economy challenge, officers’ fuel economy averaged 45.38 miles per gallon. The officer earning the best fuel economy from each city was then entered into a random drawing to win a 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid for their police department.

Taking the Ford Hybrid Patrol to the streets, police officers – with help from Ford hybrid engineers – went patrolling to give drivers citations for good driving behavior. In Ford hybrids outfitted for patrol, officers surprised thousands of local drivers “caught in the act” of demonstrating good gas-saving practices. Drivers were "“ticketed” with $25 gas cards provided by BP and additional fuel-saving tips for efficient driving practices. Over the three-month national tour Ford and BP distributed over $65,000 worth of free gas to consumers.

“The Ford Hybrid Patrol was a great program that demonstrated our commitment to hybrid technology and the benefits our consumers can experience with these vehicles,” says Nancy Gioia, director of Ford’s Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Programs. “With the success of the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrids, we aren't letting up on our promise deliver more fuel-saving alternatives for our customers.”

The Ford Hybrid Patrol tour was supported by BP and also rolled into Chicago, IL; the Boston suburb of Somerville, MA; Boston, MA; Alexandria, VA; East Point, GA; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles suburb, Glendale, CA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; and Miramar, FL.

“BP and Ford are working collaboratively on the development of more efficient engines and motor fuels,” says Polly Flinn, president of BP’s U.S. convenience retail operations. “Working together on the tour, we focused on fuel conservation which fits our shared vision of sustainable mobility solutions for our customers.”

About Cleveland Division of Police

Founded in 1866, the Cleveland Division of Police has been innovative in law enforcement having been cited for a number of “fascinating firsts” including introducing the first police call box and the first closed circuit camera, which was used in banks to photograph unsuspecting criminals.

About BP

BP markets more than 15 billion gallons of gasoline every year to U.S. consumers through 14,000 retail outlets and supplies more than four billion gallons of fuel annually to fleets, industrial users, auto and truck manufacturers, railroads and utilities.

BP is the single, global brand and formed by the combination of the former British Petroleum, Amoco Corporation, Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) and Burmah Castrol. BP is a global producer, manufacturer and marketer of oil, gas, chemicals and renewable energy sources. For more information, please visit www.AmocoUltimate.com or www.BP.com.

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 300,000 employees and 108 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.