The 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid does not need to be plugged in.
Honest. Really. It does not come standard with an extension cord. Hybrid powertrains are exactly what the name implies: dual powertrains, one for internal combustion and one for electric power, that work together to use and regenerate energy while you drive. Just as the Escape Hybrid's 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine has a gas tank, the two electric motors have a 330-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery pack that's located under the rear load floor of the vehicle.

These electric motors do different things: the first, a 65-kilowatt motor, serves up energy when maximum acceleration is needed. There's also a 28-kilowatt motor that recharges the batteries, starts the engine and helps regulate how the two propulsion systems work together. The addition of these electric motors enables the use of a smaller, more efficient gasoline engine - the 2.3-liter four-cylinder produces 133 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 124 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm - numbers boosted by the electric motors to a combined rating of about 155 horsepower.

The electric system also enables the Ford Escape Hybrid to essentially turn off the gasoline engine when at a stop. This is where much of the Ford Escape Hybrid's fuel savings - and emissions reduction - come into play. You arrive at a stoplight and, as the vehicle stops, the engine clicks off, unless you're running the air conditioning full blast. Then, as the signal turns green, you step on the accelerator and whoosh - you're once again on your way. Sounds like any other vehicle, and it is - except that it doesn't sound like any other vehicle, thanks to the absence of an idling engine. Add to that a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which saves fuel by eliminating traditional gear changes, and you get around 35 miles per gallon - according to the EPA.

For the front-wheel-drive Escape Hybrid, the EPA rates gas mileage at 36 city, 31 highway; the all-wheel-drive version comes in at 33 and 29, respectively. Compared to the regular Ford Escape XLT V6, which is rated at 20/25, this boosts fuel mileage a whopping 16 miles in the city - where the hybrid powertrain does most of its work - and 6 miles on the highway, where the four-cylinder engine takes over.

As far as the reduction of harmful emissions, here is what Ford claims: the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid creates "97 percent less hydrocarbon and oxides of nitrogen emissions than vehicles that meet today's nationwide Tier I emissions standard." The Escape Hybrid qualifies for the Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) classification, and according to Ford produces as little as half the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2).

In other words: there ain't no smoke coming out of the tailpipe.
An important aspect to achieving these reduced emissions is the "full" hybrid technology used in the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid, which means the vehicle can move solely on the grunt of electric power. There's no switch to flip or cord to use: when accelerating from a standstill, the electric system powers the vehicle forward until the four-cylinder kicks in - usually around 1,500 rpm. Unless you're paying attention, it's likely that you'd miss the changeover altogether. What you won't miss when driving the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid, however, is its seamless operation, smooth acceleration and quiet ride.