Ford SUV drops hybrid for EcoBoost engines

Hybrid powertrain systems have penetrated the US market considerably more than they have in Australia, with virtually all the major marques including them in their line-ups. But when Ford launches the next generation of its Escape at the LA auto show in November, the popular compact SUV segment will lose its only hybrid entrant.

Ford has announced it will abandon the petrol-electric powertrain available in the current model in favour of two new, direct-injected EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder engines. Its justification for bucking the trend starts with the superior highway cycle fuel-efficiency of the smaller of the two powerplants.

The new range will adopt the 177kW 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine already used in the larger Explorer and introduce a European-sourced 1.6-litre four-cylinder good for 130kW and 230Nm of torque in the Escape.

According to US analyst Edmunds, Ford’s justification for what appears to be a backward step is that the 1.6-litre engine records better highway-cycle fuel economy than the current Escape Hybrid.

No word yet on the new model’s exact figures but the Hybrid gets 31 mpg (7.6L/100km) in FWD and 27mpg (8.7L/100km) in AWD.

The move represents the next step for Ford in pushing its EcoBoost technologies towards the high-volume mainstream models in its range. The big F-Series pickup already uses an EcoBoost V6.

A company spokesman said in a statement that by 2013, 90 per cent of Ford’s model line-up will offer EcoBoost engines.

Further justification came in the results of Ford’s recent market research, revealing just how far the industry has to go in cajoling consumers towards alternative powertrains. Some 50 per cent of respondents didn’t understand the technical differences between hybrids, PHEVs and EVs.

The study also measured consumer resistance to these mystery packages, with participants saying petrol prices would have to surpass US$5 per gallon before they would look at a hybrid and $6 before they looked at an EV. That’s probably a while away, with prices generally in the vicinity of $3.50 in the States.

However Ford is not forsaking hybrid drivetrains completely – far from it. Like every major maker in this most uncertain of times, Ford is covering every base with a number of new hybrids, PHEVs and EVs coming on stream in the near future. The Focus-based C-Max MPV retains conventional hybrid power alongside the upcoming Energi PHEV version. The company will also keep entry-level prices to the new Escape down by retaining the current big-selling old-tech 2.5-litre petrol four in the base models.

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