FORD ESCAPE HYBRID – A Generation of Hybrid Automobiles

The Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid are the gasoline-electric hybrid powered versions that launched in the U.S. in 2004 for the 2005 model year. 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 and the first hybrid vehicle from an American automaker, joined by the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Hybrids during the same model year. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the first generation Ford Escape Hybrid is 70% more efficient than the regular Escape. The Mercury Mariner Hybrid is a rebadged version of the Escape Hybrid. It features revised front-end styling and a more luxurious interior.

First Generation;  2005-2007

Escape hybrid versions can be identified by the “Hybrid” badges located on the front driver’s and passenger’s doors as well as near the right 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. This package replaced the traditional lower cladding of the Escape with a silver finish. Standard equipment on the Escape Hybrid includes: an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, cruise control, a six-CD stereo, 16-inch alloy wheels, power door locks with remote keyless entry, and power windows.

Ford built 17,000 Escape Hybrids in the second half of 2004, four times as many as it had originally planned. Starting in 2005 New York City and other cities in the world began using the Ford Escape Hybrid as taxicabs. The Ford Escape Hybrid won the North American Truck of the Year award in 2005.

The Escape Hybrid uses technology similar to that used in the Toyota 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. Ford maintains that Ford received no technical assistance from Toyota in developing the hybrid power-train, but that some hybrid engine technologies developed by Ford independently were found to be similar to technologies previously patented by Toyota, so licenses were obtained. Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., a Japanese automotive components supplier belonging to the Toyota Group, supplies the HD-10 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. built the 50 kg (110 lb), 330 volt^[24] 5.5 Ah (would make it 1.8kWh storage), 250-cell nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack for the 2005 Escape Hybrid.

Second Generation;  2008-2012

The second generation Ford Escape debuted at the 2006 Los Angeles International Auto Show. The North American-market Escape and its Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner siblings were redesigned in order to stay competitive with other new compact SUVs, however most of the internals have been carried over for the 2008 model year. The Escape still uses the CD2 platform. Ford also included an electronic stability control system standard on the 2008 Escape.

The updated Escape received some styling cues from the Explorer, Edge, and Expedition. Changes include a new grille with larger headlamps in the front fascia, while the sides were revised with cleaner lines and rounder wheel arches. The interior is also completely redesigned, including the newest standard Ford family navigation system.

The 2008 Escape and its Mercury Mariner sibling were the first vehicles to feature Ford’s pull-drift steering mode, an enhancement made possible by applying software control to the Electric Power Steering(EPS) system.

On June 23, 2010, it was announced that Ford will end production on the second generation Escape in 2011 and move production to its Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky, where it is slated to be succeeded by a Taiwanese version of its European CUV counterpart, the Ford Kuga.

Third Generation; 2013-present

The third generation was designed and re-badged by Ford of Europe alongside the largely identical European-market Ford Kuga. It was released to North American markets in 2012 for the 2013 model year. Other markets that previously used the “Escape” nameplate have switched to “Kuga” under the One Ford program.

SOURCE:    wikipedia