Chevrolet is a brand that has continuously proven that dependability can go a long way. Since the company’s inception back in 1911 by Louis-Joseph Chevrolet and William C. Durant, Chevrolet went on to become trailblazers in the automotive industry by designing and manufacturing vehicles with a distinctive quality that only a Chevy could deliver. Today, over 3,000 Chevy dealerships operate in all 50 states, and they remain one of the most memorable brands within the entire industry.
Throughout the years, Chevy has perfected its brand, offering stellar lineups of various automobiles. Many of the vehicles available, receive annual refreshes that not only meet the expectations of their large fan base but often far exceed them as well. Chevy has also found success in their lineups of SUVs, both in the public eye and even various service agencies, the Tahoe was one such vehicle.
In 1995, Chevy introduced its first police package for the Tahoe, and the model has seen substantial upgrades and innovations ever since. Many police forces throughout the country utilize the Tahoe for its capabilities, including performance and safety. The Chevy Tahoe will be receiving its annual refresh for 2021, and details have begun surfacing about the latest police package planned to hit the streets by Q1 of 2021.
What Makes It a PPV/SSV?
There are two different variants of the Tahoe that are suitable for police work. Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) differ from their regular civilian-style counterparts and are designed to excel in a variety of different situations a police officer may face, such as high-speed pursuits. When Chevy mentions the Tahoe PPV, they’re usually referencing the pursuit vehicle that comes standard with rear-wheel drive (RWD), but it is offered with all-wheel drive (AWD) as well.
The Tahoe PPV is much more similar to a standard V8 SUV, but enhancements made to the vehicle make them perfect for patrol units. These vehicles are designed to not only handle high-speeds but to handle sudden-braking situations too. Chevy understands that cops will need some hefty wheels capable of such speeds and the sudden application of brakes, so the Tahoe PPV is always able to accommodate.
The second 2021 Tahoe built for the police force is an AWD variant of the Tahoe but constructed for a much different set of tasks. The AWD Tahoe for police officers is known as a Special Services Vehicle (SSV). These vehicles are not suited for any high-speed car chases, but they’re perfect for towing, with the ability to tow up to 8,200 lbs if combined with the available Max Trailering Package offered by Chevy.
The 2021 Tahoe SSV operates well in various climates such as snow and rain, and thanks to ample off-roading capabilities with a Terrain Mode on offer. This Tahoe is heavily utilized by police officers who work in locations where weather and terrain can be problematic.
What’s Included?
The Tahoe PPV may look rather similar to the Tahoe you see at the dealership, but it’s had several advancements made to the overall design. For example, the 2021 Tahoe PPV is lower to the ground, which serves to retain exceptional fuel economy ratings plus making the vehicle more aerodynamic, improving on acceleration. The Tahoe PPV’s suspension is specially-designed and tuned with a variety of springs, dampeners, and stabilizer bars that work in tandem to reduce body roll significantly. The aforementioned brakes, that are specially designed to withstand abrupt and possibly constant braking, consist of large front Brembo six-piston aluminum monoblock calipers paired on 16-inch rotors according to Chevy. The speedometer inside of the 2021 Tahoe PPV is capped at 140 mph.
Both the 2021 Tahoe PPV and SSV contain the same 5.3L V8 engine and are both paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It has yet to be confirmed whether or not this engine will perform better or identically to the 5.3L V8 engine found inside of the 2020 Tahoe PPV, but the 10-speed transmission is far better than the 6-speed found in last year’s vehicles. Chevy has improved the wheels this time around, straying away from the 17-inch Goodyear all-season tires and instead opted to work alongside Bridgestone to develop a new set of tires. The new all-season tires found on the 2021 Tahoe PPV and SSV are now built with 20-inch steel wheels. According to Chevy, these new tires greatly improve braking capabilities, and based on their testing of sudden braking from 62 mph down to 0, Bridgestone’s new tires have a reduced stopping distance of 11 feet compared to its Goodyear predecessor.
Officers, of course, need proper tech-centric features in order to complete their work efficiently. With the new 2021 Tahoe PPV and SSV, officers can utilize an available 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot for a fast internet connection. For easier accessibility, keyless entry with a push-to-start ignition comes included with the goal retaining to officers starting their vehicles with their key attached to their belt. Officers can opt for a variety of additional safety features, including Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Front Pedestrian Braking, Automatic Emergency Braking, a Following Distance Indicator, and lastly, Forward Collision Alert.
With these safety features equipped, the Tahoe PPV and SSV do excellent work of keeping officers safe when on the road. According to Chevrolet, the electrical engineering inside of the 2021 models has been significantly improved upon and receives its power from a dual battery setup that has seen its own share of upgrades. Impressively, the high-output alternator has been refreshed from previous models, and Chevy now has stated a 47% increase to performance in keeping the wide array of electrical equipment functioning for long periods of time. In addition to this new alternator, the Tahoe PPV and SSV both receive a 760-amp auxiliary battery that allows a variety of police equipment to operate while the engine is turned off. Amongst the equipment, this battery can power lighting, department radios, mobile data terminals, and video systems, according to Chevrolet.
Protect and Serve
With what we’ve seen regarding the new 2021 Tahoe PPV and SSV, a multitude of innovations has been made apparent, making these vehicles more powerful and dependable than ever. For more than two decades, Chevy has meticulously worked alongside law enforcement to build the vehicle they need. It’s important that manufacturers such as Chevrolet spend resources to focus on making proper vehicles for emergency services to use as they’re able to translate a host of modern-day features seen in SUVs over to a fully-functional police vehicle. Many manufacturers attempt at making their own version of the PPV, but the consistency of reliability found in Chevy’s fan-favorite lineups make these SUVs perfect for police officers.
As our everyday vehicles get increasingly more powerful, it only makes sense that police officers will receive vehicles with similar capabilities. Even for those who don’t work for any police force, the 2021 Chevy Tahoe is still shaping up to be an exceptional option for anyone looking for a stellar SUV and will be releasing it later this year.
Chevy makes it enjoyable to speculate about what’s to come in the automotive industry, and we’re sure they’ll be continuing their lineup of Tahoe PPVs in the future. It’ll be interesting to see how the 2021 Chevy Tahoe that anyone could be at their local Chevy dealership will compare. As the year goes on, we’ll be made aware of more info regarding these new PPVs and SSVs, but it shouldn’t be too long before you see one in your rear-view mirror.
