The Escape is actually a comfortable small to mid-sized SUV that looks quite stylish and is quite pleasant inside.

The front leather seats have electric adjustment and lumbar support for the driver, smart phone connectivity and wireless charging, Head up display and a host of other little luxuries that make daily driving better.

TO LISTEN TO THE ESCAPE PHEV RADIO REVIEW CLICK BELOW

The engine is a 2.5L hybrid petrol engine with a 14.4KWH (kilo watt hour) battery. It produces a combined output of 167kW and drives the front wheels through a CVT.

Overall the real world distance of the EV mode is about 45-50km, this is enough for my daily drive, but the hybrid petrol engine allows excellent economy without any range anxiety.

Driving the Escape is easy. You can select from four different modes to select when and how to use the EV only power.

The surprise is the price. It’s actually well priced from $54,440 plus the usual costs and is a good entry point into the world or electric driving. It is however substantially more expensive than the normal petrol Escape.

This is a Motoring Minute

I’m Brianna Fraser.

Also look at:

The small to medium PHEV SUV segment is growing. You could look to the Peugeot 3008 GT PHEV, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV, Kia Niro PHEV,  A  little bit up the price scale is the Volvo XC40 PHEV and the Lexus UX 250h,

You could also look at economical diesel or petrol SUVs such as the SsangYong Korando, Haval Jolion HEV, Mazda CX-60, Toyota RAV 4 Hybrid,

*MLP Includes GST and LCT but excluding statutory charges, dealer costs and dealer delivery. See your dealer for RDAP. Does not include price of options. Some features mentioned in the article are options. RDAP means Recommended Drive Away Price (without options but including all other charges).

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More Ford Escape ST-Line PHEV details

The Escape PHEV is Ford Australia’s first EV offering. Following the launch of Escape in late 2020, the 2022 PHEV completes the Escape line-up, giving customers more options in the mid-size SUV segment.

This is the first step for Ford Australia in introducing at least five electrified vehicles by the end of 2024.

The Escape PHEV delivers the driving range and freedom offered by a traditional internal combustion engine alongside the efficiency and refinement of an electric powertrain.

The power-split architecture combines a 2.5L four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol engine, electric motor, and generator with a 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery, for a combined 167kW of power. With a combined fuel economy figure of 1.5L/100km and 33g/km of CO2 ¹ Ford’s first PHEV in Australia will deliver electric driving range in excess of 50 kilometres.

The battery can be charged using a passenger-side front guard mounted charging port and is automatically replenished on the move using regenerative charging technology that captures the kinetic energy normally lost during braking.

Drivers can choose when and how to deploy battery power using four different modes: EV Auto, EV Now, EV Later and EV Charge.

When the vehicle is in EV Now mode, and the battery reaches its lowest state-of-charge, Escape PHEV will automatically revert to EV Auto mode, supplementing the petrol engine power with electric motor assistance.

Ford owner benefits

Escape PHEV will be backed by Ford’s five-year, unlimited kilometre factory warranty, with the electric motor and high-voltage system parts, including the battery, covered by an eight-year/160,000km (whichever comes first) warranty.

Escape PHEV eligible owners can take advantage of all the Ford service benefits on offer, such as a Service Loan Car, Auto Club Membership including National Roadside Assistance as well as Sat Nav Map Updates. With service intervals every 15,000 km/12 months, eligible Escape PHEV owners will pay a maximum of $299³ per A & B scheduled services for the first four services up to 4 years/60,000km (whichever comes first).

The Escape PHEV is available in eight distinctive colours:

• Frozen White
• Blazer Blue
• Agate Black
• Blue Metallic*
• Magnetic*
• Solar Silver*
• White Platinum*
• Rapid Red*

* Prestige paint colour option incurs an additional charge.

Escape PHEV Recommended MLP*: $54,440 MLP*

Options MLP*:

Options	MLP*	ST-Line PHEV
ST-Line Pack	$1,950
Park Pack	$1,500
Prestige Paint	$675

* Recommended MLP only. The offer price of any vehicle or option is entirely at the discretion of the Dealer. Prices shown exclude Dealer delivery and statutory charges.

ST-Line Pack: Hands-Free Power Tailgate, Front Heated Seats, LED Glare Free Headlamps and Heads Up Display

Park Pack: Enhanced Active Park Assist, Front Camera, Door Edge Guards

The post Ford Escape ST-Line PHEV 2022 Review appeared first on Eco Car Guide.

     The new Range Rover Evoque is now available with plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) technology, delivering the performance, refinement and capability customers expect together with an electric-only range of up to 66km and CO₂ emissions as low as 32g/km.

• Electrified: The Range Rover Evoque is now available as an efficient plug-in hybrid with CO₂ emissions from only 32g/km and an all-electric range of up to 66km* – enough to do the average daily commute without recharging
• Efficient, refined, capable: New 147kW three-cylinder 1.5-litre Ingenium petrol engine and smooth-shifting new eight-speed automatic transmission combined with a 80kW Electric Rear Axle Drive motor deliver low fuel consumption, excellent performance and Land Rover’s signature all-wheel-drive capability
• Cost-effective: Customers and businesses can make significant financial savings thanks to fuel consumption as low as 1.4L/100km (201.8mpg)*
• Fast, easy charging: 0-80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes using 32kW DC public charging or just 1hr 24mins using a 7kW AC wallbox
• Smart, flexible: PHEV system can operate in electric-only mode, combustion engine-only mode, or a combination, using GPS and navigation data to optimise efficiency on every journey
• Customer choice: The Range Rover Evoque PHEV model is badged P300e and available in HSE specification, as standard or R-Dynamic, with a range of wheel designs from 18 to 20 inches
• Australian deliveries: New Range Rover Evoque P300e PHEV is expected to be available for delivery in Australia early 2021. Pricing to be announced closer to launch.

Badged P300e, the new Range Rover Evoque plug-in hybrid is based on Land Rover’s state-of-the-art Premium Transverse architecture, which was designed to support electrification while maintaining Land Rover’s signature off-road capability. The new plug-in hybrid P300e model joins the existing 48-volt mild-hybrid SUV in the range, bringing new levels of efficiency to the premium compact SUV sector.

The new Range Rover Evoque P300e offers sustainable performance by combining a 147kW 1.5-litre three-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine with an 80kW electric motor integrated into the rear axle and powered by a 15kWh lithium-ion battery located below the rear seats. Performance and capability are uncompromised, with acceleration of 0-100km/h in just 6.4 seconds.

Efficiency is remarkable: the Range Rover Evoque P300e emits just 32g/km of CO₂ (WLTP) and has an all-electric, zero tailpipe emission range of up to 66km, with fuel economy of 1.4L/100km (201.8mpg)

Range Rover Evoque P300e

• Total power / torque output: 227kW / 540Nm^[1]
• Combined WLTP fuel economy: 1.4L/100km
• Combined WLTP CO₂ emissions: 32g/km
• EV-only range: 66km
• Rapid charging time: 0-80 per cent in 30 minutes*

Driver-selectable modes

Drivers can select from three driving modes to best suit their needs, whether they’re in the city or driving on the highway:

1. HYBRID mode (the default driving mode) – automatically combines power from the electric motor and petrol engine. The operating strategy adapts to driving conditions and the remaining charge in the battery. Entering a destination in the navigation system enables the Predictive Energy Optimisation (PEO) function to intelligently integrate route and GPS data to maximise efficiency and comfort for the selected journey.
2. EV (Electric Vehicle) mode – enables the vehicle to run solely on the electric motor using the energy stored in the battery, for quiet, zero-tailpipe emission journeys.
3. SAVE mode – prioritises the combustion engine as its main power source, maintaining battery State of Charge at the chosen level.

PHEV technology

The new Range Rover Evoque P300e uses Land Rover’s Premium Transverse Architecture, which was designed from the outset to accommodate plug-in and mild-hybrid technologies. The hardware is cleverly packaged beneath the cabin floor without compromising interior space.

The Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) is powered by a compact 15kWh lithium-ion battery located below the rear seats. The battery is made up of 84 prismatic cells, arranged in seven 50Ah modules of 12, with a 6mm-thick steel undertray that protects the battery without compromising the vehicle’s hallmark all-terrain capability.

The advanced Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) features a light, compact and efficient synchronous permanent magnet motor. To optimise package space, the driveshafts are concentric with the motor and single-speed transmission, while the inverter is also integrated within the ERAD casing. The ERAD module is neatly integrated within the Integral Link rear suspension system.

At speeds above 135km/h, the electric motor is decoupled to reduce drag and therefore optimise efficiency, and then seamlessly re-engages when the speed falls below this.

The compact high-voltage junction box (HVJB) under the front seats is another engineering innovation. This comprises the DC: DC converter (changes high-voltage current from the hybrid battery to low voltage to support the 12-volt network) and the 7kW on-board charger used to charge the hybrid battery when the vehicle is plugged in.

Packaged next to this is the Belt-integrated Starter Generator (BiSG) Inverter which, through intelligent electrical management, can send recuperation energy to the high-voltage battery for storage to use later or for immediate redeployment to support full all-wheel drive capability.

A new brake-by-wire system replaces the traditional brake vacuum servo, and seamlessly blends regenerative and friction braking to provide a consistent and precise pedal feel. The system can deliver up to 0.2g of deceleration under regenerative braking, maximising energy efficiency by using the vehicle’s kinetic energy to recharge the battery on the overrun.

Intelligently locating the PHEV system throughout the structure improves dynamics, lowering the centre of gravity by six per cent and further optimising front-rear weight distribution.

Charging

The new PHEV model is available with a Mode 2 Home Charging Cable, enabling customers to fully charge the vehicle from a plug socket in 6hrs 42mins, which is perfect for overnight charging.  For faster charging, the Mode 3 Charging Cable enables customers to plug-in to a 7kW AC domestic wall box or AC public charge points: this enables charging from 0-80 per cent in just 1hr 24mins. The quickest charge times are achieved using the growing public charging network of DC charge points: at 32KW DC, 0-80 per cent takes just 30 minutes.

The charge port flap is located on the rear fender – on the opposite side of the vehicle to the fuel filler flap.

Customers can stay connected to their Range Rover Evoque PHEV via Land Rover’s intelligent InControl Remote^ smartphone application. Whether at home or out and about, the app allows customers to monitor the vehicle’s charge status, ready the vehicle for the journey ahead or even set a charging timer to take advantage of off-peak energy tariffs.

Owners can automatically pre-condition the battery and cabin temperature before starting a journey:  using mains power to do this when the vehicle is plugged in rather than drawing energy from the battery when you start driving maximises range and enhances occupant comfort.

1.5-litre three-cylinder engine

A state-of-the-art 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is at the heart of the new Range Rover Evoque P300e. The new engine is the latest member of the modular, flexible Ingenium engine family, which now has three-, four- and six-cylinder variants.

The lightweight aluminium engine – 37kg lighter than the four-cylinder – delivers strong performance and refinement with impressive fuel economy.

This small-capacity engine achieves exceptionally low levels of friction, which contribute to its excellent efficiency. The exhaust manifold is integrated into the aluminium cylinder head, contributing to the rapid warm-up times and minimising the distance from the exhaust ports to the turbocharger’s turbine wheel for improved responsiveness.

The three-cylinder configuration delivers a better flow of exhaust gases, ensuring the turbine wheel delivers boost pressure almost instantaneously. A highly efficient water cooled Charge Air Cooler means the density of air being drawn into the combustion chambers remains high, further enhancing performance and efficiency across the engine’s operating range.

The three-cylinder – like the four-cylinder mild hybrid models – also features a belt-integrated starter-generator (BISG) unit. This works alongside the ERAD to deliver regenerative braking, recharging the battery on the overrun, and also enables smoother, quieter and faster stop-start operation than a traditional starter motor.

New eight-speed automatic transmission

A smooth new eight-speed automatic transmission has been selected to match the power and torque delivery of the three-cylinder engine and work seamlessly with the ERAD. As well as being 5kg lighter than the nine-speed transmission used in the other models, the new eight-speed delivers enhanced refinement and shift feel, and is an integral part of the hybrid system.

Cost of ownership

In Australia, the average vehicle commute is 31km a day. The RR Evoque PHEV can drive to work and back twice in EV Mode before needing a recharge.

As well as saving money on energy and spending much less time at the pumps, PHEV customers can also expect to benefit from strong residual values.

The Range Rover Evoque P300e PHEV is expected to be launched in Australia during second quarter 2021.

The post Range Rover Evoque plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) appeared first on Eco Car Guide.