FORD AND HYDRO-QUÉBEC WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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• First Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) delivered in Canada to Hydro-Québec, the largest electricity generator in Canada.
• Collaboration between Ford and utilities is key to advance commercialization of electric vehicles.
• Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid with lithium-ion battery achieves up to 120 mpg (2 L/100km).

Ford Motor Company and Hydro-Québec announced today that Hydro-Québec has joined a North America wide demonstration and research program on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

Ford, in collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), is undertaking a three-year test program on the Ford Escape PHEV designed to develop and evaluate technical approaches for integrating PHEVs into the electric grid. EPRI has identified nine utilities across North America to test drive the vehicles and collect data on battery technology, vehicle systems, customer use and grid infrastructure. In total, Ford will provide 21 vehicles for the real-world trials. Hydro-Québec is the only Canadian company participating in the North American Ford PHEV Program.

Vehicle electrification is a sound environmental choice that may play an important role in the fight against climate change. Furthermore, it could be advantageous for consumers to refuel at plug rather than at the pump. Refueling costs for an average vehicle driven 18,000 km per year would be $244 as opposed to $1,383, which is 6 times less costly.

"We have to work towards replacing oil by electricity, at least for personal and urban transportation. The transport sector accounts for 42% of Québec's greenhouse gas emissions. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that could be achieved through the electrification of transport in Québec, where 98% of the electricity is produced from renewable sources, would be considerable. Hydro-Québec is committed to doing its part in this area,” noted Thierry Vandal, Hydro-Québec’s president and CEO.

The average consumption of one million all-electric vehicles, which represent 25% of Québec’s cars, is 3 TWh,(one billion kilowatts per hour) the equivalent of the annual generation of the Carillon hydroelectric facility.

The electrification of vehicles has sparked significant interest in the U.S.A and Canada. PHEVs are one element of Ford’s blueprint for sustainability that includes actions ranging from refinements in gasoline fueled engines and transmissions, to the development of battery electric vehicles.

“The delivery of this Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid vehicle today represents another step in our development and understanding of the technology and its place in the overall energy picture,” said Nancy Gioia, director, Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Vehicle programs at Ford Motor Company. “We believe collaboration with utility companies to explore new business models, standards, infrastructure, and communication between vehicle and electric grids will be a key component to advancing the commercialization of electric vehicles in the coming years.”

The collaboration between Hydro-Quebec, Ford and EPRI represents a valuable contribution to the development of commercially viable plug-in hybrid electric vehicles,” said Arshad Mansoor, Vice-President of Power Delivery and Utilization at EPRI. “The expansion of field testing into Canada will enable us to gather the data required for the seamless integration into the grid while providing real world driving experience.”

The Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid, a research vehicle using high voltage, lithium-ion batteries, uses common household current (120 volts) for charging. Full charge of the battery takes six to eight hours.

When driven for the first 30 miles (48 km) following a full charge, the Ford Escape PHEV can achieve up to 120 mpg (2 L /100 km) when driven on surface streets. The vehicle is not range limited by the amount of charge available in the high-voltage lithium-ion battery, because once the charge in the battery has been depleted, the vehicle continues to operate as a fuel efficient, standard Ford Escape Hybrid. The transition is automatic and unnoticeable to the driver.

FAST FACTS ABOUT FORD HYBRIDS

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• Launched in 2004, the Ford Escape Hybrid was the world's first domestically produced hybrid SUV
• The Ford Escape Hybrid debuted on the streets in Manhattan in 2004, setting a record driving
  37 hours straight and 576 miles on a single tank of gas
• In 2005, San Francisco became the first city in the United States to use a hybrid SUV in its taxi fleet with the Ford Escape Hybrid
• Today, there currently are 250 Ford Escape Hybrids providing taxi service in San Francisco and 1,400 Ford Escape Hybrids providing taxi service in New York City
• Kermit the Frog debuted with the Ford Escape Hybrid in 2006 in an award-winning Super Bowl ad bringing two green icons together with the "It must be easy being green after all” campaign
• Escape Hybrid continues to be the most fuel-efficient (34 mpg city/31 mpg hwy) and cleanest (ATPZEV) SUV on the planet
• In 2006, Ford created a fleet of E-85 Ford Escape Hybrids – capable of operating on blends of fuel containing up as much as 85% ethanol, a renewable fuel – demonstrating a combination of two technologies that could contribute to the nation’s energy security
• Ford is doubling its hybrid production in 2009
• The 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids are the newest additions to Ford's hybrid lineup
• The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is America’s most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan at 41 mpg city driving, beating the Toyota Camry by 8 mpg
• In January, 2009, Ford announced its electrification strategy to deliver a suite of electrified vehicles to market by 2012 – the Ford Escape Hybrid serves as the base for Ford's Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) demonstration fleet with utility companies around the country

FORD ESCAPE HYBRID RECOGNIZED AS BEST NEW FAMILY VEHICLE BY KELLEY BLUE BOOK'S KBB.COM

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* Editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com today named the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid one of its “2009 Best New Family Vehicles.”
* Kbb.com editors praised the 2009 Escape Hybrid’s improved – more powerful and more efficient – gas-electric powertrain and its fuel economy rating of 34 mpg in the city.
* In addition to five-passenger seating and plenty of cargo storage, the 2009 Escape Hybrid offers families a host of safe, smart and green technologies.

Dearborn, Mich., Feb. 17, 2009 – Editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com today named the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid one of its “2009 Best New Family Vehicles.”

“After undergoing a major overhaul for the 2008 model year, the Ford Escape Hybrid is improved again for 2009 with a more powerful and more efficient gas-electric powertrain,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “Its fuel economy rating of 34 miles per gallon in the city is even better than that of the Toyota Camry Hybrid.”

According to Nerad, the kbb.com editors considered factors such as resale value, capability and kid-friendliness when choosing this year’s list of the top 10 best cars for families, but extra emphasis was placed on fuel economy.

“Gas prices have dropped sharply from their record highs, but the sluggish economy is now dictating smart spending with a focus on overall value,” he said. “Given the current state of the economy, parents want to get even greater value for their money while buying a new vehicle that also will accommodate their family’s lifestyle and needs.”

Not only is the Ford Escape Hybrid the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet, it also offers families the perfect combination of value and versatility, says Ford Hybrid Marketing Manager David Finnegan.

“The Escape Hybrid offers the convenience and flexibility that many families need in an ultra fuel-efficient vehicle,” he said. “You can fit five passengers plus a lot of cargo, such as sporting and camping equipment. It’s a fully functional SUV that happens to be a hybrid as well.”

Safety – an important consideration for families – comes standard on the Escape Hybrid.

All vehicles are equipped with AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control®; Safety Canopy™ side air curtain technology which offers protection for the first and second seating rows; Personal Safety System®, which includes new dual-stage front air bags for the driver and front-seat passenger, side air bags and a front passenger sensor system; tire pressure monitoring system; and the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system for rear seating positions.

“Entertainment and connectivity also are important factors for families to consider,” said Finnegan.

Along with SYNC, the Escape Hybrid offers features such as SIRIUS® Satellite Radio and Voice-Activated Navigation with SIRIUS® Travel Link™.

In addition to being kid-friendly, the Escape Hybrid is environmentally friendly, meeting strict Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV II) and Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) standards.

The 2009 model features new comfort-designed seats with soy-based foam that substitutes for petroleum-based products to conserve limited resources and reduce CO2 emissions.
Eco-friendly seat fabrics made from post-industrial 100 percent recycled materials also are offered on the Escape.

“Customers can be environmentally responsible and still have a vehicle that provides the utility of an SUV and is fun to drive,” said Finnegan.

Earning a spot on kbb.com’s exclusive list of “2009 Best New Family Vehicles” is not the only accolade the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid has received. Ward’s Automotive Group named Ford’s redesigned Escape Hybrid engine to its “2009 10 Best Engines” list. The vehicle also was recognized as “Best Crossover/SUV Value Under $28,000” by Intellichoice.com, a leading source for automotive ownership cost and value analysis.

FORD HYBRIDS RECOGNIZED BY INTELLICHOICE.COM AS BEST CROSSOVER/SUV VALUE UNDER $28,000

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• 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid were named Best Crossover/SUV Value Under $28,000 by IntelliChoice.com.
• Best Overall Value of the Year (BOVY) Awards recognize vehicles whose cost of ownership are significantly lower than expected compared to competitive models in the same class.

Chicago, Feb. 12, 2009 – The 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid were named Best Crossover/SUV Value Under $28,000 today at the Chicago Auto Show by IntelliChoice.com, a leading source for automotive ownership cost and value analysis.

The Best Overall Value of the Year (BOVY) Awards recognize vehicles whose cost of ownership are significantly lower than expected compared to competitive models in the same class. According to James Bell, editor of IntelliChoice.com, the awards provide consumers with a quick reference to finding vehicles that promise the best return on investment.

“The BOVY Awards are an essential guide at a time when most consumers are carefully watching their wallets,” said Bell. “A vehicle’s cost of ownership has gone from ‘nice to know’ to ‘need to know’ when comparing possible purchases. The BOVY’s guide buyers on which car, truck or Crossover/SUV will deliver the most value for their money, especially when that vehicle ages and starts to lose that seductive new car smell. ”
IntelliChoice.com selects BOVY winners based on the most important factors that determine the long-term costs of a vehicle, says Bell. They include depreciation/retained value, maintenance and repair costs, fuel costs, insurance and state fees. When you look at all of those areas, he says, the Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner came out on top.

“Sometimes the more expensive a vehicle is, the better the value, but in this particular case it’s like the perfect storm,” he explained. “The Ford Escape Hybrid and the Mercury Mariner Hybrid offer 95 percent of the space and quality of other hybrid SUVs but at a lower price point with a great, readily available dealer network and strong brand value.”

Ford Lincoln Mercury Hybrid Marketing Manager David Finnegan agrees.

“The Escape and Mariner Hybrids offer a no-compromise solution for SUV customers – great SUV features and capability all wrapped up in the most fuel-efficient SUVs on the planet,” said Finnegan. “The BOVY Award is recognition of that value.”

Though the BOVY Awards are strictly data driven and not influenced by editorial opinions, Bell had the opportunity to drive both vehicles and was impressed by the refinements made over the prior models.

“Not only are they smart buys, but the Ford Escape Hybrid and the Mercury Mariner Hybrid are also very rewarding vehicles to drive,” he said. “Ford is not taking hybrids lightly, and I think that’s excellent.”