LAS VEGAS -Sanyo announced it is providing the battery for the Ford Escape, the automotive industry’s first hybrid electric SUV.
The Ford Escape is powered by both a motor and a 2-liter, 4-cylinder gas-powered engine. The motor is run by a rechargeable battery that charges while the car is driving, and therefore, the vehicle never has to stop to be plugged into an AC outlet.
Sanyo’s rechargeable system uses a 240-cell nickel metal-hydride battery that starts the vehicle and drives it at low speeds. On the highway, the gas-powered engine kicks in, and both the motor and gas engine combine during acceleration.
The car offers the performance of a 6-cylinder engine with 75 percent less emission, said Ford.