Ford's Hybrid Cars
Many people believe that hybrid vehicles are the future, however just as many people believe that the future lies with other technology. For now hybrids represent the best option for increasing fuel economy and reducing emissions. Although hybrid sales haven't exactly been through the roof they have been increasing in recent years and more and more hybrid models are being introduced to the market. Ford are one of the leaders when it comes to hybrid technology, they were the first to offer a hybrid SUV. They currently have two hybrid models available and both have been selling well.
Hybrid vehicles operate by using a combination of internal combustion engine and an electric engine to drive the vehicle. This is normally done to improve fuel efficiency, but it can be done for other reasons. A hybrid uses the internal combustion engine to charge the batteries while the vehicle is moving. There are number of different ways to operate a hybrid, Ford has chosen to go with a full hybrid system in which the vehicle can run on it's internal combustion engine or it's batteries or a combination of both. The advantage of this system is that it is the most fuel efficient, however it comes with the disadvantage of being heavy since it needs large batteries.
The first hybrid offered by Ford was the Escape which became available in 2004. The Escape is a compact crossover SUV and when Ford introduced the hybrid version it became the first hybrid SUV to hit the market. The Escape is powered by a 2.5 litre I4 engine which produces 155 horsepower however it performs at the same level as the 200 horsepower standard version of the Escape. Beyond the much better fuel efficiency there is no difference between the Escape hybrid and the standard version in terms of appearance, features or performance.
In 2009 Ford entered into the midsize hybrid car market with a hybrid version of it's Fusion. The Fusion quickly became a success, in large part because it is the most fuel efficient midsize hybrid on the market. The primary reason the Fusion was chosen as Ford's second hybrid is that it uses the same drive train as the Escape, this helped to keep down the cost of development and production.
Ford are one of the more successful hybrid producers as their two hybrid vehicles are amongst the best selling hybrids on the market, but there is still a long way to go. Currently hybrids represent just a very small portion of the new car market and they are still massively outsold by traditional vehicles. The hope is that as they gain acceptance in the marketplace the manufacturers will offer more vehicles with hybrid technology and sales will increase.