Ford Pushes for High Tech Escape Hybrid SUV Taxi

Are hybrids a natural for taxi service? Ford thinks so, and has highlighted the environmental and economic benefits of Escape Hybrid SUV taxis in a nationwide tour. With some 40 taxis currently in service in San Francisco – some with more than 150,000 miles on the odometer – plus another 22 on the streets of New York City, the Escape Hybrid has been successful enough to warrant additional orders from both cities. Chicago has committed to adding hybrids to the city’s taxi fleet by June 2007, while Miami’s mayor passed an initiative that will convert 1,000 city vehicles to use hybrid or other fuel efficient technologies by 2012.

Offering an EPA rating of 36 mpg in the city, some cab drivers are reporting savings of up to $30 per shift. Working four shifts a week for a year could save over $6,000, Ford points out. Another benefit of high fuel economy is reduced CO2 emissions. Ford estimates that over 100,000 miles, the Escape Hybrid taxi uses 1,666 fewer gallons of gas than a traditional cab, equivalent to 32,000 pounds of carbon emissions.