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Ford's Hybrid Program
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| Martens, Wright talk about Escape Hybrid and future plans |
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| Updated |
Jul 7, 2004 21:46:24 |
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 51 ( -10 -19.6% ) | | Author | Tara Baukus Mello |
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Description:
Ford Hybrid Q & A
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Mary Ann Wright, Chief Engineer on the Escape Hybrid.
Phil Martens, Ford's Group Vice President for Product Creation.
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2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. Inside, the hybrid Escape benefits from the interior upgrades that were given to all 2005 Escape models, making the interior quieter and more luxurious than the previous generation.
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. A gauge on the instrument panel is devoted to the status of the 250-cell battery pack, while the tachometer has a "green zone" below zero rpm, indicating when the vehicle is in electric-only mode.
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2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. The electric motor is recharged during driving both from the fuel burning in the internal combustion engine as well as through the energy dissipated during braking.
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. The 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid is expected to arrive at dealer showrooms in August and will be available in both front-wheel and four-wheel drive models.
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Ford has been talking about its alternative fuels program for quite some time and announced back in 2001 that it would introduce a hybrid version of its Escape SUV in 2003. The goal from the start was to create a "no compromise" vehicle that offered all the benefits of a hybrid in a package that would appeal to one of the most popular segments of the market---the SUV segment. After much fine-tuning of its hybrid system, production is finally underway and the Escape Hybrid will begin arriving at dealers in August 2004.
Phil Martens, Ford's Group Vice President for Product Creation, oversees the design, engineering and development of all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, including its new line of hybrid vehicles, which begins with the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. Phil has been with Ford Motor Company since 1987, holding various positions in product development and engineering in the United States, Europe and Japan.
Mary Ann Wright was the chief engineer on the Escape Hybrid and was promoted to Director, Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Vehicle Programs, shortly before the launch of the Escape Hybrid. In her new role, she is responsible for all present and future hybrid, fuel cell and alternative fuel technology development. Mary Ann joined Ford in 1988, working in the areas of Finance, Product and Business Planning and Engineering. Prior to her role with Ford's hybrid program, she was the Chief Engineer for Lincoln's luxury sedans.
Tara Baukus Mello caught up with Phil and Mary Ann to learn more about the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid and the company's plans for its alternative fuel vehicle program.
ABT: There's been a lot of talk about alternative fueled vehicles among automakers. Are Ford's hybrid vehicles one step on the evolution to something else? If so, what?
PM: Hybrid vehicles are a major step toward fulfilling what we consider the ultimate dream and that is the hydrogen-powered future. That's why we formed the new group within Ford, Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Vehicle Programs, which Mary Ann now leads. These future hydrogen-powered vehicles will include hydrogen internal combustion, hydrogen hybrids and fuel cell vehicles. As a matter of fact, testing of each of these new vehicles is on the road as we speak. All of these vehicles are part of our commitment to creating a better world---meaning one that is learner and greener.
ABT: Why was the Escape chosen as the first vehicle for Ford to showcase its hybrid technology? Why an SUV versus a car?
MAW: There are lots of manufacturers who are talking about hybrids and we needed to stand out. The big difference with an SUV-based hybrid versus a car is that you can go anywhere, do anything, carry your stuff, go off-road, tow with it. That's what consumers want. We wanted to appeal to the environmentally conscious customer but we also knew they didn't want to give anything up. They want to carry their passengers, carry their stuff, get excellent fuel economy and be kind to the environment. This vehicle does all of that. It's truly a no compromises vehicle.
ABT: The Escape Hybrid looks pretty much like a regular Escape. In terms styling, what's different?
MAW: You're right-it looks very similar with only a few exterior changes. On the inside, however, there are several things that are unique than what you see in the conventional Escape. On the left side of the instrument panel we have a charge and assist gauge. When you accelerate, you'll see it goes into assist mode, drawing energy from the battery to supply torque to the wheels. Start braking and you'll see it charging the battery. The tachometer is also unique because it goes below zero. Whenever your needle is below zero, it means that you are running in pure electric mode, expending zero fuel and zero pollutants. On the center stack, there's a new screen in the middle that displays three functions: energy flow, fuel economy and navigation.
ABT: What do you mean by energy flow?
MAW: When the screen is in energy flow mode, you can see what's going on in the vehicle at any given time. For example, it will show you when the battery is being charged, when it's giving you power from both electric motor and the gas engine, or when it is in a steady state of idle.
ABT: Are there any other unique items on the interior?
MAW: Yes, there's a 110-volt outlet that is offered as an option. This is a standard household plug. You can plug in your regular phone charger or your laptop, for example. If you like to do tailgate parties, you can bring a blender along for some drinks…Not while you are driving, of course.
ABT: What's the powertrain?
MAW: The engine is a 2.3-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine that has been paired with an electronic continuously variable transmission with the electric motor imbedded in it. So you have an I-4 that performs comparably to the V-6 conventional Escape.
ABT: I understand that the Escape is a full hybrid. Can you explain the differences between full hybrids versus mild hybrids?
MAW: The reality is there's a big difference between hybrids and we are seeing a very liberal use of the word hybrid. There are two full hybrids out in the marketplace right now, the Ford Escape Hybrid and the Toyota Prius. The advantage with the full hybrids is that we can run on the electric motor alone. With the mild hybrids, the gas engine shuts off when you are coasting to a stop or at a full stop, but as soon as you put your foot on the gas pedal, the engine has to re-engage.
ABT: So the gasoline engine and electric motor sometimes run in tandem and sometime run separately. How does this work?
MAW: The Escape Hybrid wants to be in electric mode all the time, except when you tell it you need more power. Come to a stop, the entire system goes to rest mode to save fuel. When you pull away, energy flows to the electric motor, with the gasoline engine kicking in when you need more power. It all happens seamlessly. You simply put it in gear and drive away like you would a conventional Escape.
ABT: In addition to using an electric motor to improve fuel economy, the Escape Hybrid also uses something called regenerative braking? What is that?
MAW: Every time you step on the brake, energy that would normally be dispersed as heat to the wheels is captured, transferred into useful energy and stored in the battery. When the battery needs it, it uses it. The really cool thing is that you never plug the Escape Hybrid in. The energy that you need to recharge the batteries comes from this braking system, so recharging happens while you are driving.
ABT: What are the projected fuel economy ratings for city and highway? How does this differ from the non-hybrid Escape?
MAW: We don't have the EPA's fuel economy ratings yet, but we are seeing a 75 percent improvement in full economy in the city versus the conventional Escape. When you combine that with highway driving, it's a 50 percent improvement overall. That's about 35 (miles per gallon) city and 29 (miles per gallon) highway.
ABT: Tell me about the recent "Manhattan On A Tank of Gas" endeavor and the results.
PM: During the New York Auto Show we did a test to see how long we could drive around Manhattan on one tank of gas. It was what we considered some of the worst driving conditions in the country, with the worst gridlock anywhere. In 37 hours, we logged 576 miles on a single 15-gallon tank of gas, which is better than 38 miles per gallon.
ABT: We've talked about regenerative braking and electric drive mode. Are there other features that help give the Escape Hybrid such good fuel economy?
MAW: We also have an electric power steering system that gives us fuel economy benefits, but it also helps us to optimize ride and handling attributes so you get a really dynamite driving experience too.
ABT: What's different about maintenance on the Escape Hybrid versus the non-hybrid version?
MAW: Most of our vehicles have to serviced every 3,000 to 5,000 miles with oil changes and so forth. With the Escape Hybrid, the service intervals are 10,000 miles.
ABT: What can we expect in terms of hybrids in the near future?
PM: We'll be building a second hybrid, the 2007 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, an SUV. Then a new mid-sized sedan hybrid will follow.
---Story by Tara Baukus Mello
---Photos courtesy of Ford
© 2004, Tara Baukus Mello, All Rights Reserved. |
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