by RON DE LOS REYES
ince its introduction in the US in July 2004, customer demand for the Escape Hybrid has been overwhelming. Reports say Ford initially sold 4,000 Hybrids and is expected to build 20,000 more at the end of the year. Ford is targeting to sell 250,000 units by 2010.
We first drove a Ford Escape Hybrid back in October 2004 during a test drive of environmentally-friendly vehicles at the Shanghai International Circuit. Back then, the Escape Hybrid, the world’s first full hybrid SUV, impressed us as a "green vehicle" that has retained the genuine Ford SUV go-anywhere capability. On the fast Shanghai Formula 1 track, it was really hard to tell the difference between a regular gasoline-powered Escape and an Escape Hybrid except perhaps if you pay close attention to the exhaust emission.
The Escape Hybrid is a full hybrid that minimizes exhaust emissions and maximizes fuel efficiency.
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| 2006 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID | | There are six major components in the Powertrain that contribute to the Escape Hybrid’s efficient operation.
The Escape Hybrid’s Electric Motor is a compact design that operates on power drawn both from the battery pack and from a very intelligent generator motor. Its peak power is 70 kilowatts (equivalent to an extra 23 horsepower).
When required, the generator motor restarts the gas engine (the gas engine shuts down automatically for stoplights and when coasting). And when the engine is running, it helps recharge the battery pack.
The second component is Regenerative Braking. In a conventional system, when you brake, the energy is lost as heat. During braking in the Escape Hybrid, the electric motor captures this energy and sends it back to the battery pack to be stored in later use.
The Escape Hybrid’s Gasoline Engine is a dual-overhead-cam design with four valves per cylinder for optimum breathing. The engine generates 133 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 129lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm.
The combined output of both gas and electric motor is 155 fun-to-drive horsepower.
The fourth component is the Battery Pack. The sealed nickel-metal hydride battery pack is rated at 330 volts. Its function is to store electrical energy for starting the gasoline engine and for added boosts in acceleration performance.
The Vehicle System Controller or VSC is the brains of the Escape Hybrid. The VSC helps manage charging the battery pack and the engine’s starting functions.
The sixth and last component in the Escape Hybrid technology is the Transmission (eCVT). The electronically controlled, continuously variable transmission or eCVT is integral with the generator motor. It harnesses internal combustion and electric power sources to drive the wheels.
Well, that’s it for the technical portion of this feature. We go to the fun part — our 900-mile or 1,440-km three day test drive in California from Carson City to Union City-San Francisco, Monterey and back to Carson.
Equipped with a satellite-linked navigation system, the Escape Hybrid immediately gave us the confidence to drive to far away places from our base in Carson as we knew we would never get lost with its accurate directional instructions. Its compact five-seater configuration also gave its four occupants plenty of room for stretching legs and arms. We also had more than enough space for our bags, pillows, cooler box and snack items.
As soon as we exited the Los Angeles area, the more we enjoyed driving the Escape as the beautiful scenery from the Frazier Mountain ranges unfolded before us from the freeway. We were on our way to Union City, some 400 kms. away and with its compact size and powerful engine, the Escape rolled almost effortlessly with the long stretches of winding roads and straights.
The Escape drove like a car and unlike in bigger SUVs, we could afford to go a little bit faster on the curves. Upon arrival in Union City, seeing Jollibee and Chowking outlets and several Filipinos in the supermarket made us feel at home.
The following day, we went to San Francisco. But since it was a Sunday, there were a lot of cars and tourists competing for road space.
On bumper-to-bumper traffic going to the famous Golden Gate Bridge, I did not worry about fuel consumption as I knew that the Escape’s electric motor had taken over the task of keeping us moving and keeping airconditioning running without use of fuel.
During the close to 1500-km test drive, we averaged 19 miles per gallon or about 8.3 kms per liter. It’s a little bit on the high side considering the Ford figure is 29 mpg on highway driving. But this is because we drove more than 70 mph (112 kph) most of the time and except in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas, we rarely encountered any traffic.
Overall, the Escape Hybrid’s combination of fuel economy and go-anywhere SUV capability sets it apart from other green vehicles.
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