The 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet, helped generate $37,000 for the environmental groupHeal the Bay at the organization's annual charity auction.
Ford donated a 2008 Escape Hybrid to Heal the Bay, the Santa Monica-based environmental group dedicated to improving water quality along California's coastline. The Escape Hybrid was the featured auction item at the group's annual "Bring Back the Beach" dinner last night at Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport. This is the fourth straight year Ford has donated a hybrid SUV to benefit Heal the Bay.
The winning bidder, Jennifer McCabe of Venice Beach, Calif., outbid numerous others to claim the Escape Hybrid. McCabe, who owns her own virtual accounting company, has been a supporter of Heal the Bay for six years.
In addition to the vehicle, the winner will receive one-of-a-kind custom-designed his and hers tote bags made from the Escape's sustainable cloth fabric that were created by the Ford Design team. The Escape and Escape Hybrid feature the fabric, made from 100-percent recycled material, as an available interior trim option.
Since 1995, Ford Motor Company has underwritten Heal the Bay's "Beach Report Card," an annual survey of water quality at California's beaches. The Beach Report Card assigns a letter grade (A-F) based on bacterial levels at beaches from Humboldt County to the Mexican border.
"Ford Motor Company has demonstrated a commitment to the environment that ranges from green building to coastal protection," said Dr. Mark Gold, president of Heal the Bay. "We're thankful for their support, and salute Ford for recognizing the need for hybrid SUVs like the Escape Hybrid."
The 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid comes with a 2.3-liter DOHC 16-valve Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine and a permanent magnet AC synchronous motor. The gasoline engine produces 133 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 124 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,250 rpm. The electric motor produces 70 kw @ 5,000 rpm and 330V maximum voltage. The net result is 155 horsepower with 0-60 acceleration comparable to a 200 horsepower V-6 engine. The Escape Hybrid achieves 34 miles per gallon in city driving and 30 mpg on the highway. A smooth-shifting, electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is the only available transmission on the hybrid model.
Escape Hybrid continues to be a "full" hybrid. This means that, unlike other "mild" hybrid vehicles, Escape Hybrid can run on 100 percent electric power up to about 30 mph, maximizing in-city fuel economy. Escape Hybrid automatically switches between pure electric power, pure gasoline engine power or combined operation of the two to maximize efficiency and performance.