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Ford Escape Hybrid

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Comments

  • dubowdubow Member Posts: 1
    So will Ford have to strip down the vehicle to reduce its weight in order to get it to "perform" well as a hybrid?

    Remember that for crash test safety mass matters!
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    I remember reading one of the articles about the hybrid Escape a while back which discussed this. They said something to the affect that the battery array will actually improve crashworthiness. Most vehicles have the spare in the trunk which, in case you didn't know, is a key component in it's rear crash system. It is actually part of the crash structure.

    The battery array in the Escape will be in the rear under the cargo floor and, because of it's size and mass, will help out in a crash more than any temp spare would.

    If you think about it it makes perfect sense. I'm sure we'll see a more solid answer to this question as next July approaches though.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    The vehicle will not be lightened that much by removing items, instead, replace them with lighter, yet stronger materials, such as aluminum. Don't be surprised if there's a few components here and there be interchanged this way.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Latest on the Escape HEV, it'll be built in KC.

    http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=16755&ma- ke_id=trust

    Source: Ford Media
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Here is the Press Kit for the 2005 Escape. All the information pertaining to changes, and such, are listed here.

    http://media.ford.com/products/press_article_display.cfm?article_- id=16802&vehicle_id=1004&make_id=92
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    are they finally going to let the pubic drive this car???
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    At some point, hopefully :-) Look for the end of Summer as some of the previous stories I posted stated.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I drove a Prius last week and really liked it, in fact I was surprised about just how much I liked it, may even consider one.

    It's cool, they are totally silent at low speeds, it feels very luxurious. Plus the Prius has 295 lb-ft of torque at idle, so it steps off smartly.

    Another cool thing? The $2000 tax deduction can amount to $800 if you're in the 40% tax bracket, but more importantly, you don't pay state tax in MD, at least. That's 5%.

    For a $25,000 vehicle, that saves you $1250! If you're in the right tax bracket, you save $2 grand. That might even make prices about the same.

    Depends on where you live, of course, but that's a big deal!

    -juice
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    will Ford's Escape Hybrid be eligible for the soon to be $1500 tax credit?
  • harhirharhir Member Posts: 29
    Does anybody know if the Hybrid version will be available with 4WD and if it will be rated for towing? I would require about 2000lbs of towing capacity for a small popup trailer.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    it'll have optional AWD. I don't know about towing. Hybrids generally have gobs of torque, but the Prius can't really tow anything with 295 lbs torque. It's just not the type. Maybe the Escape, but I don't know.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    they're trying to iron out all the bugs to avoid recalls coming daily.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    > but the Prius can't really tow anything with 295 lbs torque

    Since a handful of Prius owners have reported towing small utility trailers using the less powerful version (258 lbs torque), "can't really" is not an accurate description. "should not" is probably the phrase you were looking for.

    JOHN
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    you got me- I didn't know that the Prius could actually tow, but in any case, people shouldn't be slapping on a trailer the size of the car onto the Prius. It's like towing an Excursion with an Excursion- you shouldn't do it. The Excursion would be safer towing a Prius, or an Explorer.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    I'm willing to admit that towing isn't something to be endorsed as a Prius ability. We'll save that for the upcoming bigger hybrids.

    The concern actually revolves around the cooling aspect. Even though the battery-pack, inverter, and electric-motor can handle the power requirements just fine, it's what to do with the heat after pulling the load for too long. In fact, that was a reason Ford sighted as causing one of the delays for the Escape-Hybrid debut. They wanted to insure cooling needs had been properly handled. Those electric components get very hot when fully utilized.

    JOHN
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Some people just want to pull a little utility trailer or a 1000 lb pop up camper. Not everyone needs 4 tons towing capacity. Myself included.

    -juice
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Don't forget carguy, BMW is on the 15th & 16th recall on their X-5 now. You just don't hear about it because it's not "cool" to bash a foreign car maker in America - especially the sacred Bavarians. Recalls happen, and they're actually a good thing. Mitsubishi was indicted last year for ignoring safety concerns on many of their models. It's customary for Honda to disclaim any potential defects in their cars, like Accord transmissions recently. At least, Ford steps up! So does BMW.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I agree, a recall admits guilt, better than denial.

    -juice
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    did a recall on the 99-2000 Odyssey. They sent me a letter saying my 2002's timing belt could snap because of a slight design problem and they fixed it for free. Honda just doesn't go public with this kind of stuff. Toyota had a recall on the Sienna a few months back. Nobody's Perfect.
  • carguy1234carguy1234 Member Posts: 233
    I agree with juice (as usual), that a recall admits a problem and is better than denial. But I also seem to remember a few class action suits and a bunch of people dieing before Ford pulled the trigger on recalls in the past (ignition, tires, gas tank explosions, etc, etc). So I'm not so quick to say Ford steps up, at least not willingly, or at least not always.

    But you guys are right, nobody is perfect in this regard. I'm still interested in the Escape Hybrid. We'll see.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    There's a difference between a design flaw, and a mechanical defect when it comes to recalls. I never bought into the class action suits against Ford or GM on their gas tank issues, frankly. If you plow the back of a Pinto with an Impala at 60mph, what do you expect? Hell, the fire is the least of your worries. Same think on the GM pickups that NBC staged the exposion on with an incendiary under the saddle tank. The Explorer's rollover thing clearly was Firestone's fault. NHTSA cleared Ford, and you notice once the tires were gone, they stopped rolling? And Ford did step up and recalled ALL the Firestone tires, not just the ones identified from the Decatur plant.

    Look, I like Fords, but I don't ONLY buy Fords. I just think they tend to get more than their share of bashing, and I don't really understand why. I don't see much difference between them and myriad other manufacturers of autos. The Lawyers call all the shots anyway in any large American corporation. It's all about the acceptable risk of doing business.

    Odds are, BTW, I'll never buy a Hybrid though. Just doesn't make sense to me to power a car with two separate propulsion systems. I guess I'm dense.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    seems to have a few hits on its hands. The Freestyle and Five-Hundred both look great.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    The Freestyle looks great to me. The Five Hundred looks like an Avalon to me, but that's ok I guess. Little bland for my taste.
  • carguy1234carguy1234 Member Posts: 233
    I also am interested in the Freestyle.

    I'm wondering though - will there be a Mercury or better yet a Lincoln version of the Escape Hybrid?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Freestar is the one I'm worried about, they didn't do enough to update it. Look how competitive the minivan market has become.

    -juice
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    doesn't belong in the new Ford car line. It's from the old one, with some plastic (and steel) surgery done to it. I'm worried the Freestar won't sell.. (not) The Freestyle looks great! The Five Hundred reminds me of a Volkswagen Passat and the Montego reminds me more of a Lincoln Town Car from the back, especially with those 10 spoke wheels that look like they were lifted right off the Town Car (not a bad thing) My only worry for the Five-Hundred and Montego is price. Will consumers accept that the costs to engineer the Five-Hundred was high enough to warrant above Taurus SEL prices on the dealer lot? Or will they turn away from it, just like the Pacifica?
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    "Will consumers accept that the costs to engineer the Five-Hundred was high enough to warrant above Taurus SEL prices on the dealer lot? Or will they turn away from it, just like the Pacifica?"

    Maybe Address is in the 500 Forum :) The 500 is not a Taurus replacement, although some might grow into it, than an offering like the Crown Vic. And considering it'll be priced a bit over $25K, I see the price very reachable considering the amount of engineering and techonology involved.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Mazda 6 already has big rebates, the market is tough...

    -juice
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    Toyota has 2.9 APR on all 04 Corollas. The market is tough. Only the hot sellers (Sienna, Prius) don't have rebates in today's world. Even Honda has great low lease specials on Odyssey LX models. And VW has always done great lease deals on Jetta and Passat GL models.
  • ad2004ad2004 Member Posts: 1
    Any idea what the life expectancy of the battery packs is? How much would it cost to replace these parts that aren't so standard? An engineer I was talking to recently suggested that the 5-yr and beyond resale value of any hybrid is going to be dismal because of the cost to replace old battery packs/electric motors/etc. Does anyone have any insight to this?

    I can't wait to see some hybrid SUV's on the road!
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    First, since you really can't expect a resale dropoff until after the warranty expires. In Toyota's case, that's 8 years.

    Second, full hybrids (that use HSD anyway) don't use the battery-pack anywhere near as much as most people think. Much of the time, the electricity is actually supplied for the engine instead. It is simply generated on-the-fly rather than having to draw from the battery-pack. Not getting used as much is definitely a benefit.

    Third, the battery-pack is never allowed to be deep-discharged. That is the primary cause of short life. Keeping within the safe charging/draining cycle limitations means the pack will last a very, very long time.

    After studying the design then driving around for a few thousand miles in one, you'll discover the expectation of *NEVER* having to replace the pack is actually realistic.

    And if you don't believe that, just focus on the fact that you wouldn't need to replace the whole thing anyway. Modules can be individually replaced. (Prius has 28 inside.)

    JOHN
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    puts the battery where the spare would normally go. Where is the spare located now?
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    The mini spare is under the rear cargo floor (inside the vehicle) right now. Just like it would be in a car's trunk.

    The '05's spare is now a full size spare and resides under the rear of the vehicle. Just like the Explorer's or Trailblazer's. The Hybrid's should be in the same place if I'm not mistaken.
  • carguy1234carguy1234 Member Posts: 233
    Who makes them anyway? I thought I heard Panasonic makes the ones for the Prius.

    What about Fords?
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Samsung will make the batteries. That was a long time ago though.
  • alaskaservealaskaserve Member Posts: 2
    I have 13 photos out of about 20 you can find on the Internet. One of the photos shows top side of battery in the Escape Hybrid which is located under the rear cargo area. The battery is labeled "Sanyo".

    See my link for more photos and open link there on left side either links or photos.

     
    http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/FordEscapeHybrid2005PressKitL- ink
  • timotimo Member Posts: 2
    I drive almost 50 miles roundtrip to work each day, year-round, and also need a family car. My kids want us to get a vehicle that can easily carry bikes and snowboards. My wife wants a car where the kids won't be sitting elbow-to-elbow in the back seat complaining that they're cramped for space. Since I can't afford two cars, the Escape Hybrid might be a good compromise that could please the entire family. Anyone know what its projected MPG is?
  • rushorerushore Member Posts: 2
    The latest articles state that you can expect 35-40 mpg for the fW drive and a little less for the AWD
  • timotimo Member Posts: 2
    I drive almost 50 miles roundtrip to work each day, year-round, and also need a family car. My kids want us to get a vehicle that can easily carry bikes and snowboards. My wife wants a car where the kids won't be sitting elbow-to-elbow in the back seat complaining that they're cramped for space. Since I can't afford two cars, the Escape Hybrid might be a good compromise that could please the entire family. Anyone know what its projected MPG is?
  • jonesjones Member Posts: 1
    According to Ford the Escape Hybrid will have the power of the 6 Cyl. I wonder if the 2 WD will be able to pull a small boat or am I going to have to settle for low gas mileage with the 6 cyl. Any opinions?
  • carguy1234carguy1234 Member Posts: 233
    Escape hybrid is supposed to be rated at 1000 pounds towing. Highlander Hybrid will be rated at 3500 pounds towing, though it will likely be a lot more expensive too.
  • chimpsnestchimpsnest Member Posts: 27
    Right now I've got an 03 Mazda Tribute V6 and I rack up serious highway miles - I've had the vehicle since August of 03 and already have 23K on it, but most of it is highway - I can do 1K miles a week sometimes.

    The gas mileage is as to be expected, slightly piggish, but liveable. This hybrid definitely piques my interest, but all they talk about is the 'city mileage' savings, stop and go traffic, etc. Will a hybrid offer me any fuel effeciency on the highway? Will it just be using the motor like my current vehicle does? I know when I coast the electric would kick in, but I really don't think I coast much on the highway.

    TIA
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    The most accurate information so far is the info Ford just released yesturday over it.

    http://www.autoweek.com/specials/2004_newyork/escape/info.doc

    It's a document that will open on Word/Excel, source; Autoweek.com
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Detroit News website has an article on the "test". The Manhattan drive demo on a tank of gas resulted in the Escape hybrid doing 576 miles on a tank which was reported as fuel efficiency of 38 miles per gallon. Pretty impressive mileage, and if the price of the Escape hybrid is not ridiculous, I would guess it will sell well.
  • f111df111d Member Posts: 114
    Write the EPA,your Senator, Ford and the oil companies. And the public still won't get what they want. Common rail diesel with real world MPG 30-50 mpg and the old time big bottom end torque. Damiler got the right thinking in offering one on the Liberty. And I hope America wakes up soon and Damiler will be offering the same in a Mini-van, if the Liberty goes well. This whole Hybrid thing is strict a Band-Aid right-now. If you have money to spare and want the latest toy get a Hybrid, but otherwise I'd wait. No one has mention the size of the battery pack? You slide it under the seat, it just big bunch of Ni-NH tabbed cells.
    Paul
  • marcyumarcyu Member Posts: 1
    I think we're missing the real points of this vehicle. First, this is a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle. That means better air quality for every generation after us. Secondly, it gets a 75% improvement in gas mileage compared to the non-hybrid model. So we depend on foreign countries less for gas, not to mention less money out of my own wallet. It may cost a little more up front, but it makes up for it at the gas pump. And clean air for the next generation really is priceless.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    Federal Tax Credits, State fringes like HOV lanes, tax credits.....
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    I really have no idea why Bush removed the tax credit on alternative fuel vehicles. I really hope that is rectified soon specially how gas prices are increasing.
  • baggs32baggs32 Member Posts: 3,229
    "I really have no idea why Bush removed the tax credit on alternative fuel vehicles."

    I think he was pushing for a $3000 credit to replace it but was turned down. I heard he's going to try again though.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    If that goal was turned down, it would have stayed at the current amount. He specifically phased it out stating manufacturer's had to try that much harder.
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