Ford has been developing hybrid technology for much longer than you might think and they are aiming at leading the market with new hybrids.
This brand has been able to offer us hybrid models since 2005 and while not as plentiful or as popular as what Toyota offers with the Prius, the Ford brand is working toward leading the way in the development of hybrid technology for the future. The target is pretty high if Ford wants to give us more than what Toyota already offers, but it seems the Ford name is ready to reach high and make their own mark on the hybrid part of the automotive market.
It Started with a Whisper
The first hybrid model offered by Ford was the Escape Hybrid which showed up in the market back in 2005. This SUV was set up in FWD and showed that it could produce up to 29 mpg, which wasn’t bad for an SUV at the time. The hybrid powertrain developed wasn’t overly popular because of this low number, but it did prove to be exceptionally robust. Recently, Ford purchased a 2012 model from a New York City taxi company that has more than 400,000 miles on the odometer and still has the original engine, transmission, and hybrid battery pack in place.
Growing the Technology Created a Growl
The noise of the Ford hybrid division began to grow, even though the vehicles remained quiet and efficient. The team took the original Ford Escape Hybrid technology and used it to develop the Ford Fusion Hybrid and the C-Max. This led way to more hybrid versions and continued development as the range has been extended and these vehicles have proved to be more versatile than originally thought. With this growth at Ford, the brand has positioned itself to be ready to offer us more of the hybrid power we desire.
The Future Will Bring a Roar from Ford
Is Ford aggressively pursuing hybrid technology and development? Yes they are, this brand is on track to reach more than $11 billion in investments for hybrid and related technologies. They have also been granted nearly 1,300 patents in the last three years and have an additional 2,500 that are active while 4,300 more are pending. This is an aggressive approach to being able to offer us the hybrid technology which could be around for a long time as the driving power that we trust when we need to commute or travel.
Already in the Fourth Generation
If you think the hybrid vehicles from Ford are new, think about the fact that two models that will arrive and will be powered by the fourth generation of the hybrid system developed. The new Escape and Explorer will arrive at dealer locations before the end of this year to give us a fantastic way to enjoy the hybrid powertrain that we want to have in the vehicle we use every day. These excellent new SUVs will help us save fuel and could be the next models to reach over 400,000 miles on the road.
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