Sometimes, people do the right thing for the wrong reason. Case in point: fuel economy. We know that fossil fuels aren’t forever. We know that buying a vehicle that sips gas instead of slurping it would make the world’s supply of ex-dinosaurs last longer. But, we are also a culture that likes our trucks, loves our sport utes – breeds perennially on the EPA’s Ten Least Wanted list. Hybrid power first appeared in small cars, but advancements in technology have now made it practical to offer in larger packages, like the popular, compact SUV Ford Escape. With oil prices crashing through the $50/barrel barrier, vehicles like the Escape Hybrid offer hope. Can we really keep our SUV’s without losing our shirts at the pump?
Page 2: Full HybridThe key to making fuel economy or alternative fuels popular is to make them transparent to the driver. The more different the vehicle looks or feels from conventional, gas powered cars and trucks, the less likely we are to buy them, which is why the Escape Hybrid offers a full hybrid system. The 2.3 liter, 133 hp, four cylinder motor is teamed with a 94 hp electric motor, and a Continuously Variable Transmission. The “full” in full hybrid means that either power source is capable of powering the vehicle by itself. In addition, they both can work in tandem in high demand situations, like passing, or other foot-to-the-floor situations. One attribute of hybrid systems that can be a little unnerving is the stop/start function. In order to save fuel, the gas engine automatically shuts off when it isn’t needed, and switches back on when it is. In theory, this makes sense. In practice, this takes some getting used to. After years of driving cars, we are conditioned to react with alarm when they shut off without our asking them to. Scientists refer to this phenomena as the Blue Sky Syndrome: when the motor cuts out and we didn’t throw the switch, we get tense, and turn the sky that color.
Page 3: Is it on?Fight through the feeling.
Something interesting will happen while you sit stationary at a traffic light, your silent vehicle giving every indication that it’s powerless and unable to move. That age-old anxiety whispers in your ear, “Do something!” When the light changes, your instincts tell you, nothing will be moving but your stomach. You realize that the green light will be followed a millisecond later by a hearty chorus of horns and verbal encouragement, and just as a light bead of sweat forms on your brow, the light does change and – surprise – you roll away swiftly, in golf cart like silence. Then, the gas motor chimes in, to spirit you off. Gradually, you lose your fear, and it takes a little getting used to, though Ford’s cut-in/cut-out is more gentle than I’ve found in other hybrids. Beyond stop/start, hybrid driving makes no demands on the driver. The high torque inherent in electric motors means that there’s plenty of bottom end on hand to launch you (enough, in fact, to get the tires spinning) and the Escape Hybrid cruises easily at highway speeds. Combined engine noise is less than conventionally powered vehicles. Ride and handling mirrors other Escapes. Gas mileage is estimated at 36 city/31 highway in front wheel drive models, 33 city/29 highway in 4x4’s. However, the EPA’s estimating for hybrids seems less accurate than their numbers with gas powered vehicles. We averaged 28 mpg’s in a mix of city/country driving in my front wheel drive tester. Still—that kind of gas mileage from an SUV is quite good. Grazing 30 would surely spark uncontrollable weeping in many a sport ute owner.
Page 4: TowingThe Hybrid can be outfitted to tow a maximum of 1,000 lb. – enough for a utility trailer or a small boat. Those who are suspicious of modern technology will appreciate the fact that the Escape Hybrid’s standard, 3/36 bumper-to-bumper warranty is expanded to cover hybrid specific components for 8 yrs/100k (10 years, in emissions states). And, every Ford dealership that sells the hybrid is required by Ford to send at least one of its service technicians to a special, two day training session, to learn the ins and outs of the new model.
Like the conventional Escape, Escape Hybrid is available in either front wheel drive or available all wheel drive. The 4WD system is fully automatic, requiring no input from the driver. Operating in front wheel drive under normal conditions, sensors in each wheel detect slip, and channel power rearward as necessary to maintain your grip
Page 5: InteriorInside, the Hybrid looks and feels much like other Escape models. With its low step-in height, getting into the Escape requires neither a running start nor a trampoline. Once inside, drivers find the white-faced gauges a quick read. Controls are within easy reach and storage room is generous. Deep door pockets, a glove box, a big, covered storage bin and a smattering of cup holders and cubbyholes take care of your carry-ons. My test truck had the optional Audiophile & Navigation system ($1,850). The color display screen is only the size of a baseball card, but it will show either GPS-based navigation information, or a real-time energy flow diagram and fuel economy data. Escape will seat five, and the cargo area behind will hold 28-65.5 cubic feet of cargo, depending on how many seats you elect to fold. That’s enough room to hold a large mountain bike, without removing any wheels. Access to the back is by means of a swing up hatch door, with a window that opens independently. It’s been said that a compromise is a solution to a problem that pleases no one, but Escape Hybrid challenges this notion. It combines a right-size, highly utility vehicle with a level of fuel efficiency that most SUV drivers only dream of. Based on early returns, it looks like people are doing more buying than dreaming. Through the end of the 2004 calendar year, Ford expects to build some 17,000 Escape Hybrids – four times the number that they had originally predicted.
Page 6: NotesNotes:
Test Vehicle:
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid
MSRP: $26,380 FWD
As Tested: $30,825
Warranty: The standard 3/36 bumper-to-bumper warranty is expanded to cover hybrid specific components for 8 yrs/100k (10 years, in emissions states).
Gas mileage is estimated at 36 city/31 highway in front wheel drive models, 33 city/29 highway in 4x4’s. However, the EPA’s estimating for hybrids seems less accurate than their numbers with gas powered vehicles.
Page 7: FAQsWhat’s it like to drive?
It’s easy. The dual power sources work together very well and the SUV goes down the road much like the conventional Escape – but with a lot better gas mileage.
What’s the downside?
Mostly, it’s a matter of getting used to the gas engine cutting out to save fuel when you sit at a traffic light or intersection. You only need the electric motor to get started, but it takes a while to train your brain to this.
How does an Escape Hybrid differ from the basic Escape?
This Escape model is a full hybrid, meaning that it can run on either its 2.3 liter gas engine, the electric traction motor, or both.
Photos: © Dan Lyons 2004
