The Ford Motor Company’s Take On Hybrid Vehicles
Provided By: CarInsurance.com
Gas prices continue to soar. The finite amount of fossil fuels the world is digging out of the earth will eventually run out. Before it comes to this, our world’s leading car manufacturers are researching and testing ways in which to power cars with alternate energy sources. This article will discuss what the Ford Company is doing in regards to hybrid vehicles.
A hybrid vehicle is one that combines a gasoline engine with a battery powered electric motor. Ford has started the hybrid trend here in America by being the first Detroit car manufacturer to produce a gas-electric hybrid powered version of their small, four door sport utility vehicle (SUV) called the Escape. It came out with their 2004 product line up. At its time it was the first full hybrid and first SUV hybrid built in America.
Ford believes there are many benefits of hybrid vehicles such as helping the environment by reducing emission. Even though the emissions are being reduced the engine is still able to increase its efficiency. The electric motor boosts acceleration performance but also shuts down when the vehicle stops to save on fuel consumption.
Ford’s hybrid Escape was developed with regenerative brakes which recapture energy to recharge the battery. Ford stresses that driving performance is optimized because you have both the electric motor and the gas engine working for you. You get all these futuristic capabilities but with options and comforts of traditional gas powered vehicle.
William Clay Ford, Jr. the CEO of Ford Motor Company explains why Ford has decided to research and build the hybrid Ford Escape. The Ford CEO said “Our customers are increasingly concerned about the price of gasoline, air quality, oil supply issues and effects of CO2 emissions on climate change. At the same time, they tell us how much they appreciate the versatility and capability of our SUVs. They do not want to give them up, and we do not think they should have to.” He is please by how well customers have responded to the produce they have release.
Carey Russ writing for theautochannel.com did a comprehensive test drive on the hybrid Ford Escape. He described the Escape Hybrid as a four cylinder SUV that drove with the performance of a V6 but with better fuel mileage than a normal four or six cylinder gas engine. The interior does not sacrifice space or comfort either. He was impressed that with the battery that recharged as the vehicle was driven and unlike other alternative fuel vehicles it runs on regular gasoline.
Ford has announced that due to the hurricanes that have hit the Gulf Coast area in 2005 which hurt oil refineries they are going to step up their production of hybrids. This increase is expected to push up production to 250,000 vehicles by 2010. This production number will include three new hybrid models Ford reports.
Ford has taken a bold step in moving away from the gasoline powered car that its company was founded on. Ford Motor Company understands that to make the motorist less burdened with the price of a barrel of oil alternative sources to power vehicles must be researched and eventually produced. The first step is the Escape hybrid SUV. With the impression it is making on the population at large.
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