2004 Ford Escape Hybrid Reviews
It was hardly news when Ford division president Steve Lyons predicted that in the next 100 years the internal combustion engine would be replaced with hydrogen fuel cell technology. It was just a Ford Escape with a big "Hybrid" decal on the side. It meets California Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standards and achieves a nearly 50 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
The system allows the vehicle to run on gasoline or battery power. Lyons also proudly pointed out that this vehicle is different from other hybrid vehicles (i.e. Toyota Prius and Honda Insight) because it eschews weird styling and cramped interiors. The only difference between the Escape Hybrid and the regular Escape will be the powertrain.
Combining a 2.3-liter four-cylinder internal combustion engine with a 65-kilowatt electric motor and a 28-kilowatt generator, the Escape Hybrid allows "full" hybrid functionality and demonstrates advanced energy efficiency.
Únlike other battery-electric vehicles, the Escape Hybrid's battery charges while braking and cruising, so there's no need to plug in your SÚV at night.
In accordance with California SÚLEV (Super Últra Low Emission Vehicle) and PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) standards, the new Escape Hybrid produces 97 percent fewer hydrocarbon emissions than permitted by the national Tier 1 standard. Steve Lyons—Ford Division President
The company also revealed today its second hybrid vehicle, the upcoming Ford Futura midsize sedan, underscoring its commitment to environmental responsibility and the importance of hybrid technology.
In New York, the Ice Blue Escape Hybrid show vehicle sports 18-inch, 8-spoke alloy wheels. Additionally, the hybrid model is offered in front- and four-wheel drive configurations.
The Escape now joins a burgeoning array of hybrids from Toyota and Honda. This first Ford hybrid follows the technology path of the Toyota Prius by combining an efficient gasoline engine with not one but two electric motors. The gas engine is the base Escape's 2.3-liter four, which has been modified to run on the Atkinson cycle. Two motors and a planetary-type continuously variable transmission (CVT) permit the Escape and the Prius to be driven via electric power only, whereas no Honda can be driven this way. The electric motors are powered by a 330-volt battery pack that resides beneath the Escape's load floor. The battery is charged in two ways: regeneratively, capturing energy during braking, or via the gas engine.
Turning the key in the ignition starts the electric motor, which in turn fires the hybrid's gas engine. Inside, the differences between hybrid and gas-powered Escapes are negligible. We equaled that 33 mpg over about 100 miles of stop-and-go city driving and came close to the EPA highway number of 29 mpg over a 400-mile highway-only run. We never drove over 75 mph but still averaged 28 mpg, 1 mpg short. Speaking of costs, our hybrid Escape was delivered with an eye-bulging $32,450 price tag. The EPA projects that the conventional Escape will deliver 19 mpg city and 22 mpg highway.
