Electricnick, The EV Revolution

No doubt about it, the only American SUV that gets exceptional mileage in city driving is hands down the Ford Escape Hybrid.

The gist is that you have to hand it to Ford, they have not only defied bankruptcy so far but managed to produce some highly efficient hybrids, HEV so far, after a late start.

The Economic SUV.  No, it’s not an oxymoron but SUVs can be fuel efficient if they sport an HEV system.  Considering the Ford Escape HEV that gets 34 mpg, it is nothing to scoff at.  Add insult to injury, many HEV sedans don’t get that type of mileage.  Over the years, Ford has refined it’s Escape HEV to make it even more alluring.  So why don’t we hear more about it?

The New And Improved Escape Hybrid.  If the first Escape Hybrid came out in 2003 and last year model fell prey to face lifts, and the new 2009 has had its mechanics reworked with a new modified Atkinson cycle V6 I4 engine, two new transmissions and a better tweaked hybrid drivetrain.  And the results?  The ‘09 version comes in a little cheaper, MSRP: $29,645 to $33,725, which should rejoice consumers.

Technically Speaking.  The new 2.5L engine delivers better fuel-efficiency with the power dropping from 153hp compared to 171hp.  However with the 94hp electric motor, the two produce 177hp, making it sufficient for almost any use

Added Benefits.  The added benefits this year are that the Escape is finally a “full hybrid” drivetrain, meaning electricity alone can power it up to 30 mph, depending on condition and load.  The HEV has an engine auto-stop/start to save on extra fuel but the drawback, according to Canada, is that the AC needs to be off in order to use it.

We’ll conclude with what we have said before, the Ford Escape HEV is still your best bet if you do a lot of city driving and need to extra storage for hauling purposes.  At about 34mpg and around $30,000, it’s a serious contender.  So when will we see the plug-in hybrid, PHEV version?