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Did North Carolina Highway Patrol Replace Its Chargers With Mustangs?

North Carolina’s 25 new Mustang GTs are patrol cars, not proof that every Dodge Charger is gone. The Patrol’s separate Charger replacement plan covers pursuit-training vehicles.
Entry131 Date Time4 min MechanicCarCody Team
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No—not fleetwide. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol added 25 Ford Mustang GTs for patrol use in early 2025, but its separate plan to replace Dodge Chargers applies specifically to pursuit-training vehicles. Those training cars are slated to become Ford Police Interceptor Utilities by January 1, 2027.

What changed in North Carolina’s patrol fleet?

Ford reported on May 16, 2025, that the Patrol had added 25 Mustang GTs earlier that year. The agency described the cars as released for statewide patrol coverage; logistics staff outfitted them for daily use, and driving trainers reviewed their performance features and capabilities. The agency account does not publish the trainers’ findings.

The Mustang’s return is a revival rather than a first appearance. An NCSHP post says the Patrol used Mustangs in the 1980s and early 1990s. In July 2024, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety also described the model’s resurgence when it announced the agency’s participation in a cruiser-design contest.

Did the Mustangs replace the Dodge Chargers?

There is no evidence that the 25 Mustangs replaced every Charger, or that the agency retired its Charger patrol fleet. The Patrol’s 2025–2029 strategic plan identifies a narrower change: replacing Dodge Charger pursuit-training vehicles with Ford Police Interceptor Utilities, with a target date of January 1, 2027. The plan does not describe the Mustang GTs as the replacement for those training cars.

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Vehicle change Role described What the source establishes
25 Ford Mustang GTs added in early 2025 Statewide patrol coverage Ford’s May 16, 2025 account and NCSHP’s rollout post describe the additions and patrol use.
Dodge Chargers planned for replacement by Ford Police Interceptor Utilities Pursuit training NCSHP’s 2025–2029 strategic plan sets a January 1, 2027 target; it does not say all patrol Chargers are being replaced.

For context, a 2019 North Carolina Department of Public Safety history article said the Patrol then used Dodge Chargers and BMW Police Touring motorcycles in daily patrol and covered around 78,000 miles of roadway. That is a historical figure from 2019, not a current fleet or roadway statistic.

Why add a Mustang GT?

The rationale described by NCSHP and Ford combines patrol demands with safety and public-facing value. Ford says the agency and Ford Pro discussed the need for repeated acceleration and braking on interstate roads without a drop in performance. Sgt. Christopher Knox, an NCSHP public information officer, said troopers respond to help people and take part in pursuits, adding: “We have troopers that are responding to assist people in need,” and “They’re involved in vehicle pursuits and our goal with everything we do is to be as safe as possible.”

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Knox also pointed to recruitment: “Having a car like the Mustang can really enhance the appeal of a career in law enforcement.” The agency’s commander, Colonel Freddy L. Johnson, Jr., described the cars as a small addition intended to support patrol visibility and the Patrol’s role as ambassadors for the state.

How did the Mustang rollout reach beyond patrol?

One NCSHP Mustang GT appeared at the May 18, 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, alongside a Mustang Dark Horse pace car. Ford Pro government sales manager Andrew Simmons said showcasing the Mustang during race weekend with Ford Performance and the Patrol was a way to highlight innovation. The event linked the state’s fleet announcement to Mustang’s motorsports profile, but it does not establish a performance comparison with Chargers or other police vehicles.

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The rollout was delayed while the Patrol redirected resources to Hurricane Helene relief and public safety in western North Carolina, according to the agency-originated post. That post says the first deliveries had arrived the previous spring; it does not provide an exact publication date for the post, so a more precise release date cannot be established from it.

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What the public information does—and does not—show

The available accounts establish the number of Mustang GTs, their patrol role, the separate training-vehicle plan, and the stated operational and recruitment rationale. They do not provide a purchase price, fuel economy, lifecycle cost, Charger disposal details, a complete fleet count by vehicle type, comparative field-test results, or measured pursuit outcomes. The agency says driving trainers reviewed the Mustang’s capabilities, but no results from that review are published.

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The Mustangs described by Ford are GTs, not electric vehicles. A separate 2024 climate strategy says the State Highway Patrol would monitor the electric-vehicle market and seek funding and infrastructure to support cleaner-energy patrol vehicles; it does not identify the Mustang GTs as electric or set out a timeline for an electric Mustang patrol fleet.

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Sources

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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