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Jun
12
Ford’s new E85 plug-in hybrid
Filed Under E85, E85 / Alt Fuels, hybrid, plug-in
Ford’s Escape E85 / plug-in hybrid
Combining the best of all worlds — gasoline / E85 flex-fuel / plug-in — Ford Motor Company’s new Escape Plug-in Hybrid is being tested in California, reports Gear Diary.
The Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid is being developed by Ford, Southern California Edison and the Electric Power Research Institute. The Department of Energy also plans to place the Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid into its fleet.
James R. Healy wrote about his test drive of the Ford Escape Plug-in E85 hybrid:
The Escape plug-in hybrid, on display at the auto show in Washington, D.C., this week, is rolling into service at Southern California Edison, where some will go to individuals to measure results in ordinary driving.
Before delivering it to the show, Ford engineers gave USA TODAY wheel time in the front-drive prototype.
Short take: excellent mileage, extraordinarily smooth integration of gasoline and electric powerplants. Escape’s aging design hobbles the package overall, but it’s likely to be redesigned by the time a plug-in hybrid version would be available.
Related: An Argument for E85 Hybrids
More: Ford develops first E85 powered hybrid
Comments
4 Responses to “Ford’s new E85 plug-in hybrid”
I’m glad you’re following this line of posting Chris, it reminds me that Americans are the best in the world at innovation. We will find numerous other ways to move around, to heat and to light our lives.
E85 may be just the first step on a long line of innovations.
Hi Steve,
The more I read about fuel prices, peak oil and the strategic planning of the automakers, the future will see a movement away from oil and more toward hybrids that can run on some combination of E85 (probably cellulosic ethanol) and electricity.
We’ve probably seen the last days of easy oil — that’s why the big American automakers are retooling and closing down truck factories.
If we’re not careful and don’t get ahead of our fuel needs, we may end up seeing what is happening in Spain — trucker strikes that shut down businesses.
It is my sincere impression that semi trucks have seen their peak. I think we’ll see more and more shipments by rail, and a huge resurgence in the rail business … both passenger and freight.
This would be nice, since the semi’s make travel pretty difficult.
Just like when rail workers were gradually displaced by trucks and air freight, though, there will be a lot of truck drivers looking for new work. This is a big potential employment problem.
Hi Steve,
You’re probably right about the switchover from trucks to trains. It only makes sense because trains are so much more efficient and can carry hundreds of truck loads (including truck trailers) to and fro.