They might not be fully electric, but plug in hybrids are a step in the right direction. Ford, which killed the TH!NK and Ranger EV, is bring plug in hybrid versions of its Escape Hybrid for Southern California Edison (SCE) to test.
Plug in hybrids, like regular hybrids, run partly on battery and partly on your standard internal combustion engine. The advantage to plug in hybrids is that because you can plug them in, you can go for miles without polluting. A plug in Prius could get over 100 m.p.g.
From Autobloggreen: "Ford and Edison will work together on a "multi-million dollar, multi-year PHEV evaluation and demonstration program." This means that Ford will give SCE a demonstration fleet of 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid SUVs that will be converted by Ford and a "battery company partner yet to be named" to be fully PHEV capable. SCE will test the Escapes, and, "Some of the vehicles will be evaluated in typical customer settings in order to model overall home and grid values this technology could tap." Does that mean customers will be able to test them? Unclear. But the good news is that "As Ford's plug-in hybrid program grows, the automaker will look for broader participation as it develops a business model not just for Southern California, but potentially nationwide."
Maybe if Ford finds the testing successful, we could all be driving plug in Escape's in a few years!
Autobloggreen Link
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