An innovative new hybrid research vehicle being developed by Ford has a dual mission: help reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. At the Washington Auto Show, Ford unveiled the Ford Escape Hybrid E85, a research vehicle marrying two petroleum-saving technologies – hybrid electric power and flexible-fuel capability. E85 is a fuel blend that contains 85 percent ethanol and only 15 percent gasoline. Ethanol is a completely renewable fuel that in the U.S. most commonly is made from corn. And ethanol use releases no fossil-based CO 2, so its use as a fuel in place of gasoline reduces the release of greenhouse gases.
“As a leader in both hybrid vehicles and in vehicles capable of operating on ethanol-based fuels, Ford is the ideal company to bring both technologies together for the first time,� says Anne Stevens, executive vice president, Ford Motor Company, and chief operating officer, The Americas.
“This innovative research program could lead to breakthroughs to significantly reduce our nation’s dependence on imported oil while also helping to address global climate change,� Stevens says. “Both the Escape Hybrid E85 and the ethanol fuel it runs on are made in America . This is another example of how Ford is driving American innovation.�
