This is the link for this review: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...n-hybrid_N.htm

The article claims the Escape PHEV will go 30 miles on pure electric (up to 40 miles per hour) while the Toyota Prius PHEV will go only 7 miles! Reporter based his news on a 23 mile test drive he did in the Washington DC surburan area.

Battery difference PHEV= 10-kilowatt-hour battery vs. 2-kilowatt- for the normal hybrid.

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.

Not exactly....

The ( regular ) FEH has a 2 kWh battery, but you normally only get to use 40% to 60% SOC, so it is really a 0.4 kWh battery.

The PHEV from Hybrid-Plus for example contain a 12 kWh battery, and you get to use 10% to 95% SOC ( or more ) so it is really a 10 kWh battery.

-John

Figuring in the SOC does reduce the "total" kWh available. Thanks for pointing this out. Now, if I remember correctly, Mark Smith previously commented that the 08 Hybrid's SOC is now 35-65%. This can help explain the mileage improvement with that year's edition.

Oops! I forgot to ask if anyone thinks FORD is sticking with the 35-65% SOC limitations with the PHEV Escape?

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.

To get that kind of mileage, and that many usable kWh... they must do something like 10% to 90%. Maybe 10% to 100%. Not sure.

Remember... lithium batteries perform differently. So 10% to 90% every day is not necessarily bad for them.

10% to 90% would shorten the life of NiMH in our cars...

BillyK. My 08 FEH AWD adheres to the 40%-60% range, same as previous years. If SoC is the only limiting factor, I can watch the ICE come back on from EV mode right at 40% SoC. On the other end, using Regen to boost the charge above 53.x% from ICE, I have NEVER seen above 60%. I do wish I could experience the extra 5% on each end, especially the lower end.

However, based on other 08 model year differences discussed in various threads, I now think there are at least two, if not three changes Ford incorporated in the 08 model depending on it's 'born on' date .

In that regard, I'm not questioning Mark Smith's statement about the 08 having a 35%-65% Soc range. I can only saw with some sadness that my 08 model is the same as previous years, 40-60%.

Most of us wish we could have the 35-65% SOC range. That is only 30% of the total. I'm assuming this "could" be achieved with a Ford Software download but as someone said ealier, they would rather sell you a new vehicle.

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.

Have you driven yours when the outside temp was above 70'F? This SOC difference was one of the first things I noticed when I test drove the '08 MMH. The other thing was the more agressive use of the battery in the hybrid mode. One thing though this was a very new '08 MMH and had not gone through the battery conditioning.

Ducit Amour Hybridae
Mark Smith
Master Certifited Technician
Tempus non reparabilis fugit
"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."

Best Tank 35.0 MPG

It's a case of catch 22.

More range = shorter lifespan, so you will need a new car ( or battery ) sooner!

Let's just say for simplicity sake, 40% to 60% = a 15 year, 220,000 mile useful battery.

Let's say 35% to 65% gives more MPG but = a 10 year 150,000 mile useful battery.

Who wants which? Sounds like personal preference to me.
There's no real advantage to one over the other as I see it.
Both batteries should have about the same utility. -John