Ford Introduces First Hybrid Gas/Electric Car From a US Mfr.
 

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CLAYCOMO, Mo. - The Ford Motor Co. kicked off formal production Thursday of a hybrid version of its Escape SUV, the world's first gas-electric hybrid sports utility vehicle and the first hybrid vehicle produced by an American automaker.

The Escape joins the Toyota Prius and the hybrid version of the Honda Civic as the only gas-electric vehicles available.

Company officials said demand for the new Escape, which starts at $26,300, about $3,300 more than the regular Escape, has been huge, with some dealers in California already taking orders and amassing waiting lists of 80 or more people.

The hybrid Escape uses a 200-pound, 330-volt battery pack to power the vehicle at low speeds and in stop-and-go traffic. A 2.3-liter gas-powered engine kicks in for faster speeds and to recharge the battery, which also captures part of the energy that would otherwise be lost during braking.

Ford said the Escape gets up to 36 miles per gallon in city driving and produces 30 percent fewer emissions than the regular Escape, which is a low-emissions vehicle.

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There should be more cars with combo systems like this. Helps reduce our demand for oil and more importantly helps the environment which has gotten all fucked up from the hundreds of millions of cars pumping toxic fumes into our air every day around the world.

:thumbsup

not a bad looking vehicle for a hybrid; too bad it's a FORD:(

great, now get those hydrogen cars off the lines and we will be excited

I think I am going to actually get one of these when they come out I like the idea of being free of the oil providing countries...

it didnt say battery powered, you still need gas

Toyota will also be producing hybrid cars in the states by 2005 as well.

You better not try and outrun the law in that thing ;-)

Yup, limitless fuel right under our noses and it doesn't seem like anybody gives a flying fuck about research to reduce the extraction cost to a reasonable price.

Imagine how far that 180 billion we spent on war would have gone for this kind of research.

Didnt chevy's ev1 already do this years ago. And theres already a chevy colorado hybrid. Wtf is goin on here? ;)

If this becomes a hit, I can only see efficiency going up, low emissions ratings going up and prices going down.

Capitalism--never underestimate it.

KRL, ever been to korea or japan?