Vehicle System Controller (VSC)
2.3L Atkinson Cycle 4-cylinder Gasoline Engine
Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable
Transmission (eCVT)
70-kilowatt Electric Traction Motor
Electric Generator Motor
PERFORMANCE/HANDLING
This page is about:
2007 Escape Hybrid
Performance/Handling
7
May 2006
Escape Hybrid
Powertrain Operation
Vehicle System Controller (VSC)
• Continuously monitors and controls the powertrain
components
• Automatically switches between operating modes as
needed, boosting performance and fuel economy while
minimizing emissions
2.3L Atkinson Cycle 4-cylinder Gasoline Engine
• This is the internal combustion engine side of the Escape
Hybrid powertrain
• It is a 2.3L I-4 Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine designed
specifically for the Escape Hybrid to operate at peak
fuel efficiency
• Uses a “5-stroke” combustion process that is more efficient
than a conventional 4-stroke gasoline engine
• Slightly delays intake valve closing, significantly increasing
the gasoline engine’s energy conversion efficiency, producing
more mileage out of each gallon of gasoline
• Shuts off when it is not
needed to significantly reduce
both emissions and
fuel consumption
(1)
• Quickly restarts, seamlessly
and virtually undetectable to
passengers, when the need
for additional power is
detected
• Uses regular unleaded
gasoline
Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable
Transmission (eCVT)
• Combines power from the engine and electric motor to drive
the wheels
• Eliminates the noticeable upshifts and downshifts of
conventional transmissions, providing smoother operation
• Signals the VSC to shut down the gasoline engine at low
speeds and idle so the electric traction motor alone drives
the vehicle
• Uses one planetary gear set for all the ratio changes,
unlike other Ford CVTs that use a steel link belt to provide
continuous ratio changes
70-kilowatt Electric Traction Motor
• 70-kilowatt electric traction motor drives the vehicle
(by itself or with the gasoline engine)
– Can power the Escape Hybrid alone up to 25 mph
– Using the electric traction motor during launch allows for
a smaller gasoline engine and significantly reduces fuel
consumption
– Used as a generator to recover the vehicle energy during
deceleration or braking to recharge the battery pack
Electric Generator Motor
• Starts the gasoline engine quickly and automatically
when required
• Eliminates the need to “plug in” the vehicle
A CLOSER LOOK: Full Hybrid Design
There are two basic types of hybrids on the market: mild
hybrids and full hybrids such as Escape Hybrid. The easiest
way to tell what type you’re looking at is to look at the EPA
gasoline mileage. A full hybrid gets better mpg in the city
than on the highway. A full hybrid system operates in five
functional states:
– Idling
– Regenerative Braking
– Electric Launch (electric-only operation)
– Electric Assist (gasoline/electric operation)
– Gasoline Engine Only Operation
• In contrast to a mild hybrid, a full hybrid design provides
these benefits:
– Allows the electric traction motor to power the vehicle
in pure electric mode (mild hybrids only provide
electric assist, not full electric launch)
– Incorporates full regenerative braking (mild hybrids
only provide mild regenerative braking)
– Provides significantly better fuel economy, particularly in
city driving because it drives entirely on electric power
in some conditions (mild hybrids like the Saturn VUE
®
Green Line typically average only about 20 percent
improvement in fuel economy)
(1) See Maximizing Fuel Economy, page 10.
