DEARBORN – Ford announced Tuesday that sales of its two hybrid vehicles, Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner, driven by rising gas prices, more than doubled from March, and increased 68 percent compared to April 2005 sales.
Escape Hybrid, an SUV, gets 36 miles per gallon in the city, an 80 percent improvement over an Escape V-6 powered by gasoline.
“There is a strong market for hybrids, provided they are attainable and affordable,” said Al Giombetti, President of Ford and Lincoln Mercury. “More and more consumers want to improve their fuel economy, both to save money at the pump and to limit the social and environmental impacts of oil consumption. Offering up to an 80 percent increase in fuel economy, up to $5,925 in tax incentives, and an affordable purchase price makes the Escape Hybrid and Mariner Hybrid very compelling for consumers.”
Ford plans to produce up to 250,000 hybrids a year by 2010. Ford has also has announced plans to offer hybrid technology in at least eight vehicles, including the Ford Fusion, Five Hundred, and Edge; Mercury Milan, Montego; and Lincoln MKX.
“The Escape Hybrid and Mariner Hybrid have established a hybrid leadership position for the company, in terms of both technological expertise and customer awareness,” says Giombetti. “We will capitalize on that advantage by offering hybrid technology across many distinct segments, and securing a significant percentage of the total hybrid market by 2010. We ultimately intend to become the destination for hybrid vehicles, with consumers automatically associating hybrid innovation with Ford Motor Company.”
