Much as with the machines found in average American driveways, traditional law enforcement vehicles have evolved from sedans like the Ford Crown Victoria and Chevrolet Impala into SUVs like the Ford Explorer and Dodge Durango in recent years. But not all law enforcement agencies can have their needs satisfied by a mid-size SUV, so Ram has a new solution: enter the 2027 Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle.
The Stellantis pickup brand’s latest creation is appealing to law enforcement agencies that need to “haul, tow, and stay in the chase” with its newest 3/4-ton “pursuit-capable” truck. And it already has a pedigree, as the Ram 2500 ERV has recently completed the Michigan State Police (MSP) vehicle trials.
Stellantis
The recipe starts with a 2027 Ram 2500 powered by a 6.4‑liter Hemi V‑8 producing 405 horsepower and 429 lb‑ft of torque. All that power is fed through a TorqueFlite eight‑speed automatic transmission, 4.10 axle ratio, and anti-spin differential. Ram claims an 8.4-second sprint to 60 mph, a 13.22-second run to 80 mph, and a time of 20.5 seconds to 100 mph. The Ram 2500 ERV reached its tire-limited top speed of 103 mph in 0.45 miles during MSP vehicle trials.
Granted, that may not be enough to run down a fleeing motorcycle, but the testing regimen was focused on durability as much as performance. Michigan State Police testers conducted an average deceleration rate evaluation, performing 20 full anti-lock brake stops from 60-0 mph, and ran 40 laps of the Grattan Raceway without any equipment failure. Ram included a transfer‑case skid plate, 18‑inch steel wheels, and dual alternators rated at 400 amps to increase the durability of the law-enforcement-focused model; a Vehicle System Interface Module, instrument panel auxiliary switches, and dedicated wiring circuits are also included to allow LEOs to customize the pickup for their needs.
Stellantis
“When your job means running toward danger, not away from it, you don’t have time to second‑guess your equipment. It has to be up to the task,” Ram boss Tim Kuniskis said in a statement. “The men and women who answer the call deserve a vehicle that can go anywhere, handle anything, and deliver when every second matters. That’s exactly what this truck is built to do.”
This is hardly Stellantis’s first venture into law enforcement fleet vehicles; the automotive conglomerate currently produces the Dodge Durango Pursuit and Jeep Grand Wagoneer Command Operations Vehicle, in addition to the retired Dodge Charger Pursuit. Pickup truck-based law enforcement vehicles are particularly popular in rural areas in the U.S., and the dedicated Ram 2500 ERV could win out over Ford’s F-150 Police Responder for many agencies; we suspect it will find as much use with park rangers and game wardens as it will with traditional police agencies.
The 2027 Ram 2500 Emergency Response Vehicle will be available for fleet service in the second half of 2026.
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A New York transplant hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Emmet White has a passion for anything that goes: cars, bicycles, planes, and motorcycles. After learning to ride at 17, Emmet worked in the motorcycle industry before joining Autoweek in 2022 and Road & Track in 2024. The woes of alternate side parking have kept his fleet moderate, with a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI and a BMW 318i E30 street parked in his Queens community.
