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.
