Family suV: Ford escape hybrid
Only one family-friendly, fuel-efficient, hybrid sports
utility vehicle comes courtesy of an American compa-
ny—the Ford Escape Hybrid, which debuted in 2005
and was updated in 2008. The deal here is that drivers
get to combine 30 mpg from a hybrid drive train with
the 177 horsepower of a V-6.
The 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine attaches to two
electric motors and a fuel-saving, continuously variable
transmission (CVT). Regenerative breaking turns energy
from the car’s motion into electricity that recharges
the battery. Escape prices start around $27,000, but
buyers may well consider adding the optional Sync
audio system; its voice interface and ability to play any
economy car: Ford Focus
USB-enabled device is unparalleled.
The Focus available today, starting at $16,400, is already a
partial-zero emissions vehicle, meaning that its tailpipe emis-
sions are cleaner than 90 percent of all cars and trucks on
the road. Assuming Ford survives, the next Focus, available
late next year, will manifest a total redesign, with the whole
Earth in mind.
Europe got a new Focus in 2005, but the United States,
in a cost-cutting move, has been soldiering on with the C1
design, introduced in 2000. The latest, 2011 model, is a
world car; it must appeal to fuel-stingy Europeans, as well as
highway-oriented Americans.
The new C3 Focus will be slightly larger, with more
attention paid to its carbon footprint, through the use of light-
weight metals and other materials, improved fuel economy
and emissions. The four-cylinder engine could support ef-
ficient direct injection, in which fuel directly enters combus-
tion chambers, and cylinder deactivation, in which two or
four cylinders are shut off at cruising speeds. A hybrid version
is possible; a clean, diesel option, hugely popular in Europe,
where it provides tax advantages, is likely.
car of the Future: chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is in a race against time: Will this state-of-
the-art green sedan reach production before General Motors
as we know it disappears? One hopes so, because its Voltec
propulsion system is truly innovative. Specs confirm that the
four-cylinder gas engine exists only to generate electricity for
its electric motor, and is not connected to the wheels.
If claims on the order forms are true, the Volt, sched-
uled to appear in late 2010, as a 2011 model, will have a
40-mile all-electric range, perfect for the average roundtrip
of 33 miles. With the gas engine, it has a whopping range
of 640 miles. The Volt could be cheaper—price is estimated
at $40,000—but a $7,500 federal tax credit will bring that
down to $32,500. The Volt is understandably GM’s number
one priority.
Note: Vehicle prices may vary.
Jim Motavalli is a freelance writer, speaker and author who spe-
cializes in environmental news. Connect at JimMotavalli.com.
June 2009 21
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