Ford's Hybrid Economy | Green Energy News

April 4, 2004 – Vol.9 No.2

FORD’S HYBRID ECONOMY.

Slowly the details are coming in about Ford’s Escape Hybrid SUV. And the most watched detail? Fuel economy of course.

In a 37-hour non-stop drive around Manhattan, N.Y. - 576 miles of driving - the SUV averaged more than 38 miles to the gallon in the all-urban drive. Not bad, considering a stock V6 Escape, which the vehicle is expected to perform as well as, is rated at 19 miles per gallon in city driving. (Highway driving may yield less fuel economy if the hybrid configuration is set up like the Toyota Prius where fuel economy goes down in steady high-speed driving.)

The Escape Hybrid has a 70-kilowatt electric traction motor which will be able to drive the vehicle at low speeds as well as be used to instantly start the vehicle’s gasoline motor. In crawling traffic, the Escape will run on electric only as per the Prius. Ford will introduce Escape Hybrids to the U.S. market later this year as a 2005 model. Visit the Escape Hybrid at http://www.fordvehicles.com/index.asp?bhcp=1