2009 Ford Escape Hybrid

[haven]

Ford has released information about new powertrains for the Escape in 2009.

For the hybrid model, Ford pairs a newly designed 2.5L four cylinder gasoline engine with a 94 hp electric motor and a constantly variable transmission. The result is 30 mpg city, 34 highway. This is the same mileage as 2008, but acceleration is improved considerably.

The V6 model with new 6 speed auto trans is rated at 19/25, so the hybrid provides a 36% improvement.

The Escape Hybrid is still eligible for an energy tax credit of $3000. The credit for Toyota and Honda models has expired since more than 60,000 have been sold.

The Escape hybrid can run at low speeds under electric power only. One came past me in a parking lot, making only quiet whirring noises.

It sure would be nice to replace all those Crown Victoria taxis with Escape Hybrids!

Chip Haven

 

[Scott Brady]

Chip,

Have you read if there are any trail restrictions on the AWD. The Escape was the one electric that had no factory restrictions.

 

[OS-Aussie]

We have an 2008 Hybrid Escape and we consistently get better mileage than those quoted. 34 city and 40+ highway.

I believe that the Ford quote is that they are not designed for off road, however I have purchased the hitch and want to try towing my AT sometime to test it out for a possible road trip. Lucky I have an older AT which is lighter than most.

 

[tamangel]

What's the difference in price for a similarly equipped Escape with Hybrid option and without? Someone can do the math over a ten year period using, say $5.00 a gallon for gas. How long are the big batteries warranted for?

Taxi's? I was just in Victoria, BC and most of their taxis are Toyota Prius's..

Mike

 

[OS-Aussie]

What's the difference in price for a similarly equipped Escape with Hybrid option and without? Someone can do the math over a ten year period using, say $5.00 a gallon for gas. How long are the big batteries warranted for?

Taxi's? I was just in Victoria, BC and most of their taxis are Toyota Prius's..

Mike

5 years on the power cells

 

[LRNAD90]

What's the difference in price for a similarly equipped Escape with Hybrid option and without? Someone can do the math over a ten year period using, say $5.00 a gallon for gas. How long are the big batteries warranted for?

Taxi's? I was just in Victoria, BC and most of their taxis are Toyota Prius's..

Mike

The Today show had a Car and Driver editor on a week or so ago talking about hybrids, and how long break even is on them. The Prius was the best, and the Saturn Sedan the worst (30 years or something ridiculous). But anyway, just running some basic numbers on the Escape, with numbers provided by Ford's website, it looks like you would save $7,725 in fuel over five years by going Hybrid, IF your driving was ALL CITY. If your driving was all highway, you'd save $900 in fuel over five years. So five years is about the break even point if you are an ALL CITY driver, given that the Escape Hybrids base price is $7,500 more than the regular 4 cyl. Escape. If you Drive all highway, it looks like it would take about 41.6 years to break even on buying the Hybrid....

 

[Jerry]

I am looking forward to hearing about any ones experiences with the Hybrid Escape on rough roads and/or easy 4x4 trails. We have an '03 6cyl and love it. Best car we have EVER owned, bar none. We drive it places it was never designed to go and it just keeps going. But, since there is no low range the little bugger can't do steep hills and it doesn't have enough ground clearance for serious obstacles. Ours has just over 80,000 on the clock and we are in the talking stages about a replacement. A hybrid might be in the running if the engine and tranny could handle steep grades. I haven't put a pen to the costs and thanks to those of you who have already reported on same. Much appreciated.
Jerry

 

[haven]

Here's a basic calculator that helps you compare the higher
purchase price of a hybrid with the fuel cost savings

http://www.money-zine.com/Calculators/Auto-Loan-Calculators/Hybrid-Car-Calculator/

This calculator lets you vary the inputs graphically (it's fun)

http://moneyandsuch.blogspot.com/2008/05/calculator-does-hybrid-car-make-sense.html

And here's a calculator that lets you compare the annual fuel
costs of two vehicles that use different fuel (regular vs diesel,
or regular vs premium gas, for example).

http://www.ajdesigner.com/fl_fuel/fuel.php

None of these calculators lets you consider depreciation
of the vehicles in the equation. For example, Kelley Blue
Book says a 2006 Escape Hybrid is worth about $5000
more than a 2006 Escape Limited with V6, if both vehicles
have similar miles and similar equipment. When new, the
Hybrid costs only about $2500 more than the Limited. So
the depreciation favors the Hybrid in this case.

The government also offers tax credits on some hybrid
models. The tax credit phases out after a certain number of
vehicles has been sold, so the tax credit is gone for Prius,
and almost gone for Honda Civic hybrid, but I think it's
still at $2200 for the Escape Hybrid 4x4.

My conclusion is that the Escape Hybrid looks like a good deal today.
The tax credit will wipe out a lot of the premium you pay
to buy it, the hybrid will save about $1000 a year in gas
(assuming you drive more at city and suburban speeds,
rather than highway speeds), and the depreciated value is
greater than an Escape with gas engine.

Chip Haven

 

[762X39]

I am a bit amused that people worry about payback on purchasing a hybrid versus a conventional vehicle since the life of an "average" vehicle is only 10 years anyway. What about the payback in terms of emissions over the life of the vehicle. Most people that purchase hybrids have more in mind than just mileage (especially commuters in city traffic).
I am quite interested in knowing if anyone has experience with towing behind an Escape hybrid.
Just being a devil's advocate (we are close friends...) but maybe going hybrid has less to do with payback and more to do with life attitude.
In any case, I still want to know what I can drag behind one, does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[LRNAD90]

I am a bit amused that people worry about payback on purchasing a hybrid versus a conventional vehicle since the life of an "average" vehicle is only 10 years anyway. What about the payback in terms of emissions over the life of the vehicle. Most people that purchase hybrids have more in mind than just mileage (especially commuters in city traffic).
I am quite interested in knowing if anyone has experience with towing behind an Escape hybrid.
Just being a devil's advocate (we are close friends...) but maybe going hybrid has less to do with payback and more to do with life attitude.
In any case, I still want to know what I can drag behind one, does anyone have any experience with this?

Don't forget to factor in the environmental impact of hybrid vehicles. Everyone likes to talk about how green they are, but no one wants to consider the impact of manufacturing for the battery systems, nor the impact for disposal...

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~coreyp/hybridenvimp.html

http://www.hybridcars.com/battery-toxicity.html

And the new wave of 'plug-in' hybrids are setting us up for new challenges to the power infrastructure, one that is likely more polluting then the base gasoline version of the hybrid vehicle, since we still rely heavily on fossil fueled electrical generation plants..

 

[762X39]

In any case, I still want to know what I can drag behind one, does anyone have any experience with this?

So back to my question, how much can I legally tow with a Hybrid Escape?

I don't for a minute believe that hybrids are the solution to our woes but I do think they are a good idea to tide us over till the next big thing comes along. My chainsaw pollutes more in an hour than my early 70's Unimog does in a week and my 2004 F150 pollutes less in a year than my Unimog does in a week.Luckily, my vintage Cannondale touring bike only pollutes as much as I do so that lets me off the carbon footprint hook some days

 

[LRNAD90]

So back to my question, how much can I legally tow with a Hybrid Escape?

I don't for a minute believe that hybrids are the solution to our woes but I do think they are a good idea to tide us over till the next big thing comes along. My chainsaw pollutes more in an hour than my early 70's Unimog does in a week and my 2004 F150 pollutes less in a year than my Unimog does in a week.Luckily, my vintage Cannondale touring bike only pollutes as much as I do so that lets me off the carbon footprint hook some days

"Escape Hybrid is not recomended for towing" -- http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/pdf/towing/08ESP_towing.pdf (Page 2)

So I would have to say you can legally tow nothing, since the manufacturer does not provide a tow rating, and does not recommend towing with it...

 

[Super Doody]

The Today show had a Car and Driver editor on a week or so ago talking about hybrids, and how long break even is on them. The Prius was the best, and the Saturn Sedan the worst (30 years or something ridiculous). But anyway, just running some basic numbers on the Escape, with numbers provided by Ford's website, it looks like you would save $7,725 in fuel over five years by going Hybrid, IF your driving was ALL CITY. If your driving was all highway, you'd save $900 in fuel over five years. So five years is about the break even point if you are an ALL CITY driver, given that the Escape Hybrids base price is $7,500 more than the regular 4 cyl. Escape. If you Drive all highway, it looks like it would take about 41.6 years to break even on buying the Hybrid....

I realize that $$$ is very important but there others who will pay a premiums for ethical and political reason.

 

[LRNAD90]

I realize that $$$ is very important but there others who will pay a premiums for ethical and political reason.

Political I can understand (why else would many of Hollywood's elite choose a Prius over their other choices?), but ethical, not so much. At least assuming it is truly ethical, and not mindlessly led by the media ethical. Since it appears that both the birth and death of Hybrids are far more damaging to the enviornment than most driving them care to understand..

 

[jnaut]

Don't forget to factor in the environmental impact of hybrid vehicles. Everyone likes to talk about how green they are, but no one wants to consider the impact of manufacturing for the battery systems, nor the impact for disposal...

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~coreyp/hybridenvimp.html

http://www.hybridcars.com/battery-toxicity.html

And the new wave of 'plug-in' hybrids are setting us up for new challenges to the power infrastructure, one that is likely more polluting then the base gasoline version of the hybrid vehicle, since we still rely heavily on fossil fueled electrical generation plants..

Nothing says you care about the environment more than a trunk full of nickel metal hydride batteries.