Dearborn-based Ford Motor Co.’s all-new Escape Plug-In Hybrid has an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated all-electric fuel economy rating of 100 miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent (MPGe), combined with an EPA-estimated 37 miles of all-electric driving range. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price starts under $35,000, and the vehicle is currently available.
According to Edmunds, an online car shopping guide with offices in California and Detroit, this means the car drives for 37 miles on purely electric power before switching over to gasoline hybrid operation. The vehicle has an EPA-estimated rating of 41 miles per gallon combined when running strictly on gasoline.
MPGe is an EPA metric to compare the amount of energy consumed by alternative fuel vehicles, including those partially powered by electricity such as the Escape, to what gas-powered vehicles consume.
“The original Ford Escape was the world’s first hybrid SUV, and the all-new Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid represents how far we’ve come in technology and efficiency,” says Hau Thai-Tang, chief product development and purchasing officer at Ford. “The all-new Escape plug-in has more power and more passenger space than the Fusion Energi plug-in, as well as up to four times the cargo volume behind its second-row seats.”
The vehicle’s liquid-cooled, 14.4-kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery is below the second-row seats rather than occupying a portion of the cargo area, freeing up space for passengers and cargo.
It also has a Level1/Level 2 AC charging port. Using a 110-volt Level 1 charger, the estimated time to fully charge the battery is 10-11 hours. Using a 240-volt Level 2 charger, charge time drops to about 3.5 hours.
“The economic and environmental impacts of this virus have created a roller coaster for consumers looking to balance value, need, and efficiency going forward,” Thai-Tang says. “Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid is that ideal balance our customers want.”
Hybrid models feature four modes that allow customers to select the setting most suitable for their needs. In Auto EV mode, the vehicle decides whether to run on gas or electric power. In EV Now mode, drivers can operate on all-electric power. In EV Later mode, drivers can switch to full gas-hybrid driving to conserve electric miles for later. In the new EV Charge mode, drivers can continue to charge the battery while driving and generate electric-only miles to use later.
The Escape comes standard with Ford Co-Pilot360 and offers available Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ features such as adaptive cruise control and stop and go and lane centering, evasive steering assist, and a voice-activated navigation system with SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link. Also available is the class exclusive Active Park Assist 2.0.
The vehicle is part of Ford’s investment of more than $11.5 billion in electrified vehicles. The Escape features Ford’s fourth generation hybrid propulsion system, which includes an all-new 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle hybrid engine and electronic continuously variable transmission. The plug-in hybrid system is available on every Escape trim level except S and SE Sport.
