The Escape Hybrid was added for 2005 and while it appears nearly identical to a standard Escape, it is powered by an Atkinson-Cycle 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine combined with a 70-kilowatt electric motor.
Since its introduction, the Ford Escape has been one of America's best-selling small SUVs.
As the first true no-compromise hybrid SUV, it combines the cargo capacity and go-anywhere capability of the Ford Escape sport-utility vehicle with the fuel economy and emissions benefits of a "full" hybrid system.
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.Technology
The Ford Escape Hybrid significantly improves the power density of the hybrid drive system to meet the power demands of an SUV in available space.
At the heart of the Escape Hybrid is a compact hybrid transaxle linking Ford's efficient 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, 65-kW electric motor, 28-kW generator and the drive wheels.
This "full" hybrid functionality is packaged neatly in place of the standard transaxle and is powered by a 300-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery pack located beneath the rear load floor. Since the battery is charged while braking and cruising, the Escape Hybrid does not need to be "plugged in" like battery-electric vehicles.
Extraordinarily low emissions under the California SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) and PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) standards, with 97 percent fewer hydrocarbon emissions than permitted by the national Tier 1 standard and virtually zero evaporative emissions.
The 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid adds four new packages and three new exterior colors. A special appearance package features body-color door handles, silver bumper covers and body-side cladding and wheel lip moldings.
Inside, the differences between hybrid and gas-powered Escapes are negligible. The engine-temperature gauge has been replaced with a charge-and-assist meter. When the gas engine shuts off, the tachometer falls below the "0" level to an "EV" designation that indicates the electric motor is running the show. And the screen of the $1850 nav option provides fuel-economy and power-flow information. Unlike other hybrid makers, Ford didn't include a gauge to show how much juice remains in the battery, but there's not much the driver can do about that in any case.