Ford fans have a great deal to cheer about in the 2005 Escape.
The company has put together a package that is a North American first. The Escape Hybrid is a true hybrid in that it has two sources of power that can work independently of each other or in conjunction.
The main power source is a 2.2 litre, DOHC, in-line four cylinder engine that puts out 133 horses and 129 pound feet of torque.
This is the engine used on the entry level Escape. To make it a hybrid, Ford has added a 70 kilowatt, or 94 hp, electric motor. Both power sources use the same continuously variable transmission for seamless propulsion and the best use of the two engines’ torque characteristics.
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As well as the electric motor, the hybrid Escape has a “full stop” shut-off, which means that if the battery has enough charge in it, the gas engine automatically shuts off at stop lights or when coasting and will start in less than 400 milliseconds when required. By shutting off the engine and letting the electric motor take over when coming off a start, fuel consumption is reduced – no idling equals no wasted fuel. As well, the normally inefficient startup of a gas engine is avoided, which means start-up emissions are reduced.
Keeping the 300-volt battery pack charged obviously takes more juice than what’s available from a regular alternator, so the electric motor also doubles as a generator under braking (called regenerative braking.) When you touch the brakes with this regenerative braking system, the computer lets the electric controller know that it is to start to recharge and at maximum charge it can put 48 kW back into the 300 volt battery pack.
On paper, neither power plant is going to set any performance records, but when working together, they make the Hybrid as quick as a V6 and more frugal with a litre of fuel than the four cylinder by itself.
It takes a bit of computer magic and specialized parts to make this all work, which is why Ford has made sure that each dealership has someone trained in these systems.
When I “went to school” on the Hybrid, my teacher was Saud Abbasi, marketing brand manager from Ford of Canada.
I managed to get him back into his notes a few times when I asked questions such as how much battery efficiency is lost at -40 C. The answer is that it depends on the temperature of the battery pack. The battery pack would function at -40 C and efficiency would improve as temperature increased from use. I should know better than to ask an engineer a simple question.
Packaging all this into an Escape proved to be a challenge. The electric traction motor and power controller fit in roughly the same space as a conventional transmission with a torque converter. New battery technology allows the battery pack to be sealed neatly under the rear cargo floor. Cargo area remains at 65.5 cubic feet.
One other thing separates the Escape Hybrid from other hybrids: the ability to order the off-pavement, fully automatic, four-wheel-drive-system, which is not as rugged as off road. It is considered to be an “intelligent” system because it does not require driver interaction. A computer-controlled clutch engages the rear wheels as needed and can transfer as much as 99 percent of the torque to the rear wheels. A side benefit for city users is that the system can sense the wheel bind that normally occurs in most other 4WD systems so you never feel a jerk or harshness in the steering when turning a tight corner.
My first drive was in the city, so I spent a lot of time working the electric motor at low speed. If I was in reverse or under light acceleration from a stop, the drive was electric all the way. The only reasons I knew this was the absence of engine noise and a tachometer needle that was in the green zone underneath the “zero rpm” label.
Once into drive and over 20 km-h, the gas engine cut in, or rather I noticed a slight increase in noise from the front of the Escape. Power delivery was seamless.
Darting about town took getting used to, mostly because of the smoothness and lack of noise.
On the highway, it was like any other Escape. The suspension, which is fully independent with a stabilizer bar up front, has been recalibrated to handle the extra weight of the batteries. Road bumps, tar strips and medium speed corners can be handled normally. It’s only if you start acting like an idiot that you will notice the battery pack’s extra mass.
Behaving yourself is always a bit easier if you are comfortable and Ford has done a good job here, too. I found the seats comfortable with a good range of adjustment up front and only slightly restrictive in the rear when there are tall front seat passengers.
I have always maintained that it would be easy to be green if the vehicle was comfortable and practical. The Ford Escape Hybrid fills that bill.
Charles Renny is a freelance automotive columnist and a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. The opinions expressed in this column are the personal views of the writer.
