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About the
Ford Escape Hybrid
 

This article is about the first generation Escape Hybrid. The 2008's are out!

click here to read about the 2008 Escape Hybrid

Ford has introduced the world's first hybrid SUV.

 To give you an idea just how clean hybrids can be, the Escape hybrid produces less than 1 pound of smog-forming pollutants for every 15,000 miles you drive it.

According to Environmental Protection Agency information, the average for all light trucks is 105 pounds of smog-forming pollutants for every 15,000 miles. For passenger cars, the average is 67 pounds. So the Escape Hybrid is cleaner than most new cars. It meets the requirements for an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV).

The Escape improves fuel economy in the city by 75% over the non-hybrid version. The EPA figures for the Escape hybrid are 36 mpg city/31 mpg highway. It should get close to 500 miles on a tank of gas.

The Ford combines a Duratec 2.3 liter four cylinder gasoline engine producing 133 hp, with a 94-hp electric motor. Ford says the performance will be similar to a V6. Ever wonder what the batteries for the electric motor are like on a hybrid? Well, in this case, there's 250 encased D-sized nickel-metal-hydride cells, producing 330 volts. They're hidden in the rear under the carpet. These are covered under Ford's warranty, which is eight years, or 100,000 miles.

The Escape hybrid has a liquid-crystal display in the center console, providing a navigation system and and a visual display of the operating state of the hybrid system (such as electric mode, gasoline or combined).

For 2007, Ford has reduced the base price to $26,215 for front wheel drive and $27,845 for 4WD.

Firsts:

The Escape hybrid is able to tow up to a 1000 pound trailer.

It comes with a 110V electrical outlet. So when you're getting away from it all and camping, but just have to catch the Redskins game on TV...

It is the first hybrid vehicle available with 4WD.

The Escape Hybrid is turning out to be the choice of elected officials. Florida Governor Jeb Bush and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson are switching to the Escape Hybrid to get them around.

Summary

As the fourth hybrid to be available in the US, the Escape offers some nice alternatives to Toyota's and Honda's offerings. For someone who really wants 4WD, but in a cleaner, more fuel-efficient design, this is a good choice.

Owners of the Escape Hybrid reported on greenhybrid.com average gas mileage of:

31.9 (front wheel drive)

29.0 (all wheel drive).