This is the tenative order and build dates for the 2009 Escape and Mariner Hybrid:

2009 Initial Order Acceptance: 04/17/08
2009 Production Scheduling Begins: 05/15/08
2009 Production Start Up: 06/23/08

I guess some of you will have a 4th of July Special Delievery.

2005 AWD Escape Hybrid
Best tank trip MPG 39.02 (scangauge II) for 402 miles on I-70, 10.3 gallons used over mostly flat terrain.

Best tank trip MPG 34.6 for E30 for 271 miles along I-80 in Indiana and Ohio.

These dates are not quite current. They've been updated several times since originally posted here in January:

http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f...tml#post158944

Sometimes people pull these out of Google but they're usually old, cached versions. I think that's what's been happening as they are out there in several places like this.

New dates are currently unavailable. They are still marked "N/A" on the schedules and have been that way for a few weeks. I'll try to post updated info if I see it.

I'm one who will be ordering right away, tried to order in feb of this year and dealer was told the 08' were sold out....I'll keep you guys posted what I hear.

Jason Barreca
Owner
Audioriginals
custom car audio and beyond...
http://www.audioriginals.com

An owner of a Ford Dealership stated to me the 2009 Escape is scheduled to arrive this summer but could not state the exact date. What I posted is what he believed would be fairly accurate at this time.

This came from GaryG http://www.bblfleet.com/ford_buildout.pdf
My source may have been referring to this information.

2005 AWD Escape Hybrid
Best tank trip MPG 39.02 (scangauge II) for 402 miles on I-70, 10.3 gallons used over mostly flat terrain.

Best tank trip MPG 34.6 for E30 for 271 miles along I-80 in Indiana and Ohio.

I was told very late summer by three dealers.

http://www.donlen.com/buildstart_trucks_ford.html site was updated today.

It shows 2009 Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner hybrid order aceptance as 4/17 ; order scheduling in mid September and build start in October .

The new Ford Fusion Hybrid is to arrive later this year and shares the hybrid components with the Escape. This could explain the later in the year introduction for the Escape Hybrid compared to the non-hybrid version.

Nice find. Pass the word out.

2005 AWD Escape Hybrid
Best tank trip MPG 39.02 (scangauge II) for 402 miles on I-70, 10.3 gallons used over mostly flat terrain.

Best tank trip MPG 34.6 for E30 for 271 miles along I-80 in Indiana and Ohio.

No dates are available yet but it looks like Donlen put up some estimates. This is good info.

This is just a guess, but I think we could be looking at a situation where Ford still can't get parts (batteries) to meet demand, in which case they will continue 2008 production as a subsequent run occurring after the summer break. I'll bet they already have enough orders in hand for it.

I agree with whoever said resources are going to the Fusion as a priority right now. That's important.

But how will they continue 08' production or extend it after summer break....when they stopped taking orders and told us to basically come back in april? I can imagine the fusion will put a dent in escape hybrid production...but if they really aren't starting back up on the FEH util september or october I'll be buying used....**** model year is almost over by then.

Jason Barreca
Owner
Audioriginals
custom car audio and beyond...
http://www.audioriginals.com

These are all guesses of course, but...

They might do it if orders already in-hand exceed their ability to fill them before break. We know they stopped taking 08 orders, but do we know how many they have? I wonder. In the past KCAP people have repeatedly said they can only build a certain number of hybrids per day. If Ford has orders to keep the '08 run going after break, maybe they will just continue. It's not like it's unprecedented.

Perhaps production is being altered to match the Fusion. The dates provided are almost identical to those of the FF, and we know the 2010 FFH will share much with the 2009 and on FEH.

Not sure but these are two possible explanations for the unusual changes in production scheduling.