Ford Escape Turned into Taxis

Hybrid Cars from Hybrid Hippie!

This is an excellent idea in my opinion. They would be a heck of a lot more roomy than the old cabs also.

- Ford is undertaking an 8-city, cross-country tour to promote hybrid technology. The tour starts today in Chicago, where Ford officials will present the city with a Ford Escape Hybrid taxi for demonstration and evaluation. The goal of such evaluations by high-profile city taxi fleets – and grueling taxi duty – is to create awareness of Ford’s hybrid leadership, and underscore the durability of the technology. "The Escape Hybrid taxi program is an exciting collaboration between car makers, policy makers and fuel providers," says Nancy Gioia, director, Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Vehicle Programs. "It is this type of collaboration that will help us meet our goal of reducing oil consumption, reducing smog and improving fuel economy.”
Currently, there are approximately 40 Escape Hybrid taxis in San Francisco, some with more than 125,000 miles on the odometer. There are another 22 Escape Hybrids in New York City, with almost 50,000 miles logged on the streets of Manhattan. The fleets have been such a success that additional Escape Hybrid taxis are on order in both cities. EPA rated at 36 miles per gallon in city driving, the front-wheel drive Escape Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient SUV on earth, and can provide drivers 500 miles to a tank. According to San Francisco cab driver Paul Gillespie, driving an Escape Hybrid saves him up to $30 per shift. Working four shifts a week for a year could equal more than $6,000. "The fuel economy of the Escape Hybrid puts thousands of dollars back in drivers pockets, and helps decrease emissions," says Gillespie. Gillespie has been driving an Escape Hybrid since November 2004. His cab has traveled 125,000 miles, without any major mechanical repairs. The reliability of Gillespies vehicle is the rule, rather than the exception. For taxi owners, the Escape Hybrid is proving to be remarkably durable, capable of surviving around-the-clock use in one of the most severe driving conditions any vehicle will face. This durability is backed by a standard 8-year / 100,000-mile limited warranty for unique hybrid components, including the battery pack. For city officials, Escape Hybrid taxis are helping meet clean-air targets. Over 100,000 miles the Escape Hybrid will conserve approximately 1,666 gallons of gas over a traditional cab, effectively preventing 32,000 pounds of carbon emissions. In addition, the Escape Hybrid dramatically reduces smog-forming emissions, as it meets the cleanest emissions standard available for a vehicle that uses fossil fuels, Californias AT-PZEV standard. "The Escape Hybrid taxi fleet is an extreme but real-world testament to the economic advantages, environmental benefits and reliability of Fords hybrid technology," says Gioia. "We are taking the Escape Hybrid taxi presentation to other progressive cities across the country to help increase awareness of the benefits the Escape Hybrid has to offer cities, taxi drivers and consumers."

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