The Ford Escape Hybrid, launched in 2004 as a 2005 model, is a gasoline-electric hybrid powered version of the Ford Escape SUV developed by the Ford Motor Company. Built in Kansas City, Missouri, it was the first hybrid SUV to hit the market. The Ford Escape Hybrid was the first American-built hybrid SUV as well as being the first hybrid passenger vehicle from an American automaker.

Hybrid versions can be identified by the “Hybrid” badges on the front driver’s and passenger’s doors as well as on the tailgate. In addition, the driver’s side window in the cargo area is smaller in size in order to accommodate a ventilation slot for the high voltage battery. There was also a “Special Appearance Package” available as an option on the 2005-2007 Hybrid models.

The Escape hybrid is a “full” hybrid electric system, meaning the system can switch automatically between pure electric power, pure gasoline engine power, or a combination of electric battery and gasoline engine operating together, for maximum performance and efficiency at all speeds and loads. When braking or decelerating, the Escape’s hybrid system uses regenerative braking, where the electric drive motor becomes a generator, converting the vehicle’s momentum back to electricity for storage in the batteries. With 155 hp, the Hybrid Escape has nearly the same acceleration performance as the conventional 200 hp V6-powered Escape.

Ford built 17,000 Escape Hybrids in the second half of 2004, four times as many as it had originally planned, and sales figures have remained steady. Starting in 2005 New York City and other citites in the world such as Mexico city began using the Ford Escape Hybrid as
The Escape Hybrid uses technology similar to that used in Toyota’s Prius. Ford engineers realized their technology may conflict with patents held by Toyota, which led to a 2004 patent-sharing accord between the companies, licensing Ford’s use of some of Toyota’s hybrid technology in exchange for Toyota’s use of some of Ford’s diesel and direct-injection engine technology. Both Ford and Toyota state that Ford received no technical assistance from Toyota in developing the hybrid powertrain, but that some hybrid engine technologies developed by Ford independently were found to be similar to technologies previously patented by Toyota.[10] Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., a Japanese automotive components supplier belonging to the Toyota Group, supplies the hybrid continuously variable transmission for the Escape Hybrid. While Toyota produces its third-generation Prius transmission in-house, Aisin is the only supplier of hybrid transmissions to other manufacturers. Friction has arisen concerning Aisin’s allocation of limited production capacity and engineering resources to Ford.

Sanyo Electric Co., which first produced hybrid car batteries in a joint venture with Honda, built the heavy 330V 250-cell nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack for the 2005 Escape Hybrid.

The Escape Hybrid’s 133 horsepower gasoline inline-4 engine and electric motor combine to give performance similar to the engine commonly used in the regular Escape. The hybrid is said to give approximately 75% greater efficiency, with about 33 to 36 mpg-U.S. in city traffic, and has demonstrated it can travel 400–500 miles on a single 16.5-gallon tank in city driving, and 29 to 31 mpg on the highway. Unlike conventional vehicles, hybrids often achieve better figures in the city because they do not waste power idling and can recover some power when stopping (by using regenerative braking) that would be wasted on a conventional vehicle.

The Escape Hybrid can accelerate up to approximately 30 miles per hour on electric,[citation needed] with a gentle acceleration. A maximum distance of 1.5 miles – 1.8 miles can be performed on electric before the batteries will discharge and the gasoline will restart. When coasting, if the brake is gently tapped when passing below 40 mph, the gasoline engine will cut off, and the coast will continue with no gasoline being consumed. Electric mode does not perform as well when below 50 °F, and performance degrades further as outside temperature drops further. The Escape Hybrid gives a top speed of 102 mph.

The Escape Hybrid meets both California’s SULEV and PZEV standards, with tailpipe emissions better than 90% less than the average 2003 new car and zero evaporative emissions.

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