• Union Sites & Technologies
• Tour Info
• Green Machines News
• Policies
• Clean Fuels
• Background

FORD ESCAPE HYBRID The Escape Hybrid is the first U.S.-made hybrid and the first hybrid SUV sold in the U.S. It combines a gasoline engine with an electric motor and battery, and employs several other advanced technologies to provide improved fuel economy, reduced emissions, and a variety of benefits to Missouri's economy and large automotive manufacturing base.
JOBS AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS The automotive industry plays a key role in Missouri's manufacturing sector. The Escape Hybrid will ensure that Missouri's manufacturing sector stays competitive.
The Escape Hybrid is being produced at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri. The Escape Hybrid is being produced at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri. The plant employs over 5,600 UAW members. Annual payroll of the plant is over $430 million. The addition of the new Escape Hybrid will help retain and add to the current employment base. Eleven percent of Missouri's manufacturing employment is in the automotive segment, more than any other segment in the state. Missouri has the sixth highest level of auto industry related employment in the nation with more than 37,000 employed by the industry. Ford recently decided to transfer additional production of the Escape, the Mercury Mariner and Mariner Hybrid to the Claycomo plant from its sister plant in Avon Lake, Ohio, ensuring a strong future for the Claycomo plant.		"The automobile industry has been an integral part of Missouri’s economic base for many many years. Recent decisions by our state’s automakers will help ensure auto manufacturing will be a big part of our economy for many years to come."            -- Bob Holden, Missouri Governor
CONSUMER AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS The Escape Hybrid's improved fuel economy and reduced emissions make it one of the cleanest vehicles on the U.S. market, providing many benefits to the environment, consumers and general public health.
		FUEL ECONOMY The Escape Hybrid achieves over 32 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving, a near 50% fuel economy improvement over the average compact SUV. This means nearly 500 miles per tank of gas, compared to only 330 miles on other compact SUVs. For the consumer this means not only less money spent on fuel, but also less time spent at gas stations.
GLOBAL WARMING GAS EMISSIONS Greenhouse gases that are produced during the combustion of gasoline in a vehicle's engine contribute to global warming. Global warming could raise the temperature of the earth's surface by up to 10 degrees by 2100, causing major disruptions to the earth's climate systems and irreversible damage to human health and the environment. The average compact SUV sold in the U.S. emits 6.0 tons of greenhouse gases annually during engine operation. By comparison, the Escape Hybrid will produce only 4.1 tons annually, a 30% improvement over other compact SUVs.
SMOG FORMING EMISSIONS According to the EPA, the largest U.S. source of urban smog is mobile vehicles, including passenger cars and trucks. The Escape Hybrid has significantly less smog-forming emissions than other cars and SUVs and is certified to the Advanced Technology Ð Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) standard. This is the strictest emission standard for gasoline vehicles used in the state of California. To be certified under this classification, a vehicle must be a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) with zero evaporative emissions and must carry a 15-year/150,000 mile warranty on emissions equipment. Vehicles with this stringent emission level produce 90-percent fewer smog-forming engine emissions than the average new vehicle.
THE FUTURE FOR U.S. HYBRIDS With consumer interest in hybrid vehicles on the rise, the future for U.S.-made hybrids looks promising.
"We think the importance of fuel economy will only increase. We will push for more hybrids."            -- William Clay Ford, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Ford Motor Company	Foreign manufacturers in the U.S. sold over 43,000 hybrids in 2003, and are expected to nearly double that to more than 70,000 in 2004. The Escape Hybrid will provide consumers the first opportunity to purchase a U.S.-made hybrid or a hybrid SUV. Ford plans to produce 20,000 Escape Hybrids next year at the Claycomo plant. It is expected that U.S. sales of hybrid vehicles could reach 350,000 units by 2008, meaning increased production volumes in coming years.
Download this information for printing as a PDF