| In January, 2007, I purchased a Ford | | | | been used on other vehicles in the past |
| Escape Hybrid four wheel drive vehicle. | | | | and is nothing new. But, since I bought |
| The Escape is a mid sized SUV that is | | | | this car with the intention of |
| smaller that the Chevy Blazer I had been | | | | increasing my fuel economy significantly |
| driving for the past 4 years and is | | | | I watch this little gauge a lot. |
| rated at 31 miles per gallon or about | | | | The most gratifying time is when you are |
| twice the 15 miles per gallon I was | | | | going down the street running on battery |
| getting with the Blazer. | | | | power with the gas engine tachometer on |
| The four wheel drive system on the | | | | zero and the fuel economy gauge is all |
| Escape is automatically engaged when | | | | the way over to the highest fuel economy |
| needed and unlike many four wheel drive | | | | limit. A little pressure on the |
| owners I actally need four wheel drive | | | | accelerator and you can watch you fuel |
| to get in and out to the road during the | | | | economy drop. |
| worst winter weather. | | | | The Escape hybrid system is set to go |
| Under the hood is a gas engine and an | | | | from a dead stop up to 26 miles per hour |
| electric motor and in the rear of the | | | | on the electric motor. But, this is |
| vehicle is a large battery that gets | | | | variable depending on how quickly you |
| charged when you drive and when you | | | | accelerate. A quick acceleration will |
| brake. Like any new car you can lift | | | | start up the gas motor almost |
| the hood and look at what is under there | | | | immediately. With a lighter touch and a |
| but you might as well just close it back | | | | subsequent slower acceleration I have |
| up because you are not going to do | | | | been cruising at about 35 miles per hour |
| anything other than look unless you have | | | | before the gas engine starts up. |
| the thousands of dollars of equipment | | | | Going down hill my speed has gone up to |
| needed to work on one of these | | | | about 40 miles per hour before the gas |
| engineering marvels. | | | | engine begins to run. So economy in this |
| You start the car up like any other | | | | vehicle, and really any other vehicle, |
| vehicle by turning the key but you do | | | | is dependant upon how you drive it. What |
| not here the motor crank and then fire | | | | is really apparent when you start to |
| up. There are a couple of clicks back in | | | | drive in a more economic fashion is how |
| the back and the motor starts running so | | | | fast everyone else wants to go. |
| you head off down the road. | | | | When you want to pass someone or |
| The instrument panel is like any other | | | | otherwise accelerate the electric motor |
| car with a speedometer, a tachometer, | | | | comes on to assist the gas engine for |
| and a fuel gauge. In addition, there are | | | | more power. When you are driving on the |
| two more gauges. One is a needle gauge | | | | gas engine and you decelerate the system |
| that tells you when the big battery in | | | | charges the battery. Also when you brake |
| the back is either assisting the gas | | | | the system charges the battery. |
| engine or powering the vehicle on its | | | | By the time you come up to a stop light |
| own. The other gauge is a digital | | | | the motor is off and you sit there |
| readout that can be changed to show | | | | waiting for the light to change and you |
| various types of information about the | | | | are not burning any gas or giving off |
| fuel consumption of the car and the | | | | any emissions or making any noise. I |
| electrical charge in the battery. | | | | have seen reports of people getting up |
| The most watched gauge, and the one I | | | | to 35 miles per gallon with these |
| usually have in use, is a series of | | | | vehicles and maybe with careful driving |
| blocks that light up or darken in real | | | | techniques I might some day be able to |
| time as your fuel economy goes up or | | | | achieve that level of economy. |
| down. This type of real time readout has | | | | |