Is a hybrid actually better

Is Remote Work Actually Better for the Environment?

Common sense says that without a commute, employees who can work from home (WFH) have a lower environmental impact than their in-office peers, but this isnt necessarily the case. In fact, when multiple environmental net impacts are taken into consideration, including factors like energy and technology usage, WFH is not a clear win for the environment. Companies that are taking action on environmental sustainability and all should be need to be conscious of this as they develop remote work policies. The authors of this piece three behavioral scientists working on sustainability, well-being, and the future of work think that making WFH sustainable is possible. But doing so requires doing more than simply calculating a simple commute trade-off.

The Ford Escape Hybrid Is Actually Better Than You Think

The Ford Escape Hybrid Is Actually Better Than You Think

The 2024 Ford Escape Hybrid deserves your attention. Check out how much value the Ford Escape Hybrid provides with its MPG.

Published onJanuary 23, 2024 9:05 am

Some SUVs dont get the attention or respect they deserve. Options like the Ford Escape Hybrid are ignored while the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Honda CR-V Hybrid flex in the spotlight. Well, its time to take a look at how the 2024 Ford Escape Hybrid packs in value.

How many MPG does the Ford Escape Hybrid get?

The 2024 Ford Escape Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 42 mpg in the city and up to 36 mpg on the highway. The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 41 mpg in the city and up to 38 mpg on the highway.

Also, the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 40 mpg in the city and up to 34 mpg on the highway. So, the Escape Hybrid has the best fuel economy in the city and beats the CR-V Hybrid on the highway.

The Escape Hybrid pairs a 2.5-liter inline-four engine with an electric motor to generate 191 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque.

Higher trim levels get the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine for 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard with these models, which can cost between $1,500 to $3,000 to add on other SUVs.

With the base engine, the Escape Hybrid can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 8.1 seconds, which is excellent for the class. The upgraded benign helps the Escape Hybrid reach 60 mpg in roughly 6.9 seconds, which is faster than its rivals.

Plus, the ADVANCE TRAC AWD system features a roll-stability control traction control system to enhance stability and prevent slipping in icy or snowy conditions.

The Escape Hybrid has MacPherson struts with a stabilizer bar, hydraulic gas-pressurized shocks, progressive rate springs, and independent double lateral trailing arms for an athletic performance and smooth ride.

The 2024 Escape Hybrid has an MSRP of $35,190. The RAV4 Hybrid starts at $31,275 and the CR-V Hybrid rings in at $34,050.

While the Escape Hybris is more expensive, it packs in tons of standard features. It starts with 17-inch wheels, cloth upholstery, an 8.0-inch infotainment system, a height-adjustable drivers seat, a six-speaker audio system, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Standard safety features include forward collision mitigation, blind spot warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams.

If youre looking for a hybrid SUV, dont let the Ford Escape Hybrid fall off your radar.

Are hybrid cars better for the environment?

In most developed countries, policies have been announced to phase out gas-powered cars over the next 10 20 years. Most of these policies aim to ensure that zero emission cars are the only cars sold after this period. That means were in quite a strange period at the moment. Gas-powered vehicles are still the standard but its clear that the time-of-death on them is approaching. If youre interested in buying a car now, it isnt an easy decision about what to buy. Should you buy the gas-powered car youre familiar with? Is now the time for an electric vehicle? Or should you ease into the transition with a hybrid car? In this post, Im going to take a deeper look into hybrid cars, something that a lot of people think could be a good transitional step. We will find out if hybrid cars are better for the environment.

When were taking a look at these cars, its important to note that there are several types of hybrid cars. In order to judge their sustainability properly, we will be looking at each one individually.

Standard hybrids

The standard kind of hybrid has a very small battery which is charged by braking. The battery works in combination with the combustion engine to reduce the amount of fuel consumed. Whilst it has the advantage of being able to use traditional gas stations, the battery is so small that it cant really be used for most drives without the gas engine. When driving in cities they do tend to charge a reasonable amount, since you need to start and stop more frequently. When youre driving at a higher speed the benefits of this battery become smaller and smaller. It is clear that standard hybrids wont allow us to reach our environmental goals and depending on how and where youre driving, may not save you much money on fuel either.

Plug-in hybrids

This car has a larger battery than a standard hybrid. That means the battery needs to be charged itself through a charging point (hence the plug-in name :)). Some of these vehicles use electricity exclusively until it runs out; only then does it switch to gas. Others use a blended mode where both are used at the same time. The former can normally run for 20 50 miles (32km 80km) on electricity and then will switch to gas. As a result, they are useful for frequent short drives where you can charge them when you get home. In these cases, the carbon emissions are low.

If you plan on using them for longer drives, they can be less ideal. In this case, you have to use traditional gas stations as well as charging the battery, which adds additional complexity. In addition, due to the weight of the batteries, the car will typically have lower fuel efficiency when using gas. When the gas engine is being exclusively used, you will be using more gas than a typical gas-powered car. They can also have higher maintenance costs due to the additional components, which adds more points-of-failure.

Range extended electric vehicles

Whilst the other types are mostly gas-powered cars with various sizes of electric batteries included, a range extended electric vehicle is fundamentally an electric vehicle which has a small gas motor. This charges the battery when the battery of the car is low. This increases the range of the car by a small amount. The benefit of this is clear a common reason why people are reluctant to buy an all-electric car is range anxiety, where they are worried that the battery will run out and they wont be able to charge it.

It also has the advantage that you will be using electricity rather than gas most of the time. However, these have been losing favor with both manufacturers and consumers due to continuous improvements in battery technology. This means that the need for a range extender is getting smaller over time. Because of this these cars are largely unavailable, especially in developed, densely populated countries.

Benefits of hybrids

Now that weve looked at the different types, we can look at some of the benefits of them as a whole:

• Hybrids tend to have higher resale value than traditional cars.
• Reduction is gas usage (better for the environment!)
• Potential to save cost on gas, depending on how the car is used.

Some critics of hybrids and electric cars state that because electricity generation in most countries is reliant on fossil fuels, there are no real benefits of using electricity over regular gas. This is not the case. Whilst it is true that there is work to be done on renewables in our electricity grids, most countries have at least some percentage of renewables in the mix. This reduces the carbon emissions. Even if the amount of renewables was 0%, a car running on electricity would still be more efficient because it converts about 75% 80% of the energy into power at the wheels compared to a gas-powered engine which only converts 12% 30%.

Drawbacks of hybrids

Whilst hybrid cars can reduce your environmental impact, it isnt quite as simple as that. Heres a summary of the cons:

• The way that you drive will have a significant influence: if youre driving long distance or arent able to charge the battery on a very regular basis, youre going to be using gas a lot of the time and this comes with the same drawbacks of a regular gas car (including the emissions and the air pollution).
• It might be more effort having to refuel your car as well as potentially needing to charge its battery.
• The car itself will likely cost more to purchase.
• Hybrids come with higher maintenance costs.

Are hybrid cars better for the environment?

Now that weve reached the conclusion, its time to look at whether hybrids are better for the environment and whether it is a worthwhile purchase. These are two questions that should be answered seperately.

It is clear that for most people, hybrid cars are better for the environment than a traditional car. If you have a car which is using electricity, that electricity usage is better for the environment than gas right now and will continue to become even better as the share of renewables in the electricity grid grows. Comparing hybrids to to all-electric cars: the difference can range from a small to very large difference depending on the types of trips you take. If youre driving short distances (like city drivers) and can frequently charge your vehicle, then a plug-in hybrid can use electricity almost all the time and therefore operates similarly to an all-electric vehicle.

However, if youre planning on taking longer trips, then youre going to be using a reasonable amount of gas due to the extra weight of the car. Unsurprisingly, this does make an all-electric vehicle the better choice.

Should I buy a hybrid?

If were looking at whether a hybrid vehicle is a worthwhile purchase, you need to look at your personal circumstances. Its clear that emissions-free vehicles are our future, whether that be electric, hydrogen or another type of fuel. In this transition period, you can either go all-in and switch to an all-electric vehicle now or you can transition more slowly and get a hybrid until all-electric cars are more common. Theres an argument that all-electric cars wont become the standard until people start to buy them. That doesnt mean you should be forced to do that if youre not comfortable yet though. As weve said before on this blog, making a difference is about finding your comfort level.

If you are wanting to take longer trips and are in an area which is improving its electric vehicle infrastructure, Id probably recommend getting an all-electric vehicle instead. Youll be surprised at the huge improvements in range that have been achieved in recent years. If you frequently take shorter trips and can charge your car at home (or if you live in an area with little electric car infrastructure) then a plug-in hybrid which does not use blended mode might be a great way for you to travel with low carbon emissions.

Is a plug-in hybrid better than a fully electric vehicle?

Climate Lab

is a Seattle Times initiative that explores the effects of climate change in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The project is funded in part by The Bullitt Foundation, Mike and Becky Hughes, University of Washington and Walker Family Foundation, and its fiscal sponsor is the Seattle Foundation.

Like most things, the answer to whether one car is better than another depends on what youre looking for.

Thats probably disappointing to hear. So it goes. This isnt a cut-and-dry issue.

Whats the problem in the first place, you might ask? Internal combustion engines. You put in gasoline (or diesel), the fuel combusts, pushing pistons back and forth, and voil, weve got a moving vehicle.

Combusting fossil fuels also churns out greenhouse gas emissions, warms the atmosphere and exacerbates climate change.

That, in a nutshell, is the problem. So, how do we reduce (or eliminate) these greenhouse gasses while still producing that motion that, ya know, gets us from home to work, to day care, to the grocery store, to our next adventure?

Its an increasingly pertinent question, since the sale of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-operated vehicles continues to climb. Those three options made up more than 16% of all vehicles sold last year, up from less than 13% in 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Of the three, plug-ins saw the biggest jump, Bloomberg reported, with an 83% increase in sales, compared to 21% with fully electric vehicles.

What are hybrids, plug-ins and electric vehicles?

A hybrid vehicle operates on both gas and a battery. The battery, of course, relies on electricity so theres none of that pesky combustion when its in use. These vehicles rely on gas for the majority of their time in use but capture energy from their momentum to charge a battery within so they can also lean on electricity some of the time, therefore cutting emissions.

A plug-in hybrid uses the same concept except it boasts a larger battery and owners can plug it in. This way, its less dependent on gas to generate an electrical charge and can cut emissions even further.

And a fully electric vehicle or battery-electric vehicle, some call them relies entirely on electricity.

That means fewer greenhouse gas emissions, right? Well, yes and no. Again, it depends.

What kind of emissions are we talking about?

Sorry, but weve got to do a little basic math. Hang in there.

To find the total emissions of a vehicle, we must consider its entire life cycle, said Ashley Nunes, a researcher at Harvards Department of Economics. That means combining the emissions churned out by manufacturing the vehicle, transporting it to consumers, manufacturing the fuel, burning the fuel and scrapping the thing when its finished.

Nunes assumes a 180,000-mile life span for a given vehicle and the figures break down like this:

An internal combustion engine generates about 370 grams of carbon dioxide emissions for every mile driven. Thats 66.6 million grams over the course of 180,000 miles, or 66,600 kilograms, which equals 73.4 tons of emissions over the cars full life.

A hybrid generates 270 grams of carbon dioxide per mile, roughly 53.6 tons in its life.

A plug-in hybrid generates 230 grams of carbon dioxide per mile, about 45.6 tons in its life.

An EV generates 195 grams of carbon dioxide per mile, about 38.7 tons in its life.

Wait, you say, why arent the emissions for EVs lower? Well, building the thing creates emissions in the first place but the resources inside its batteries like lithium are also fairly energy-intensive to mine, refine and transform into something usable.

But theres your first, oversimplified answer. Over a 180,000-mile life of a vehicle, fully electric vehicles will produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Plug-in hybrids are next best, then regular hybrids, then internal combustion engines.

Whats the catch?

We dont live in a vacuum. Cars dont always work as intended. And a tweak in the life of a car can have a big influence on the total emissions.

The base carbon footprint of producing an electric car and its battery, transporting it to consumers and scrapping the vehicle remains the same. So if those cars arent driven to the full 180,000 miles, their per-mile carbon dioxide emissions increase.

How many electric cars do you see that are 15 years old or 16 years old? Nunes said.

However, Don MacKenzie, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Washington, expressed optimism that EVs currently on the road can indeed last those 180,000 miles.

How your electricity is generated matters too. Charging your EV with power generated at a coal plant wont cut emissions as much as those that use hydropower, wind or solar farms.

Theres another factor, perhaps the most important one: cost.

First, there are the emissions reductions for every dollar spent.

Hybrids might cost $4,000 or $5,000 more than a normal car, he said. Plug-in hybrids cost even more, and fully electric vehicles cost perhaps $15,000 to $20,000 more than normal.

Local, state and federal governments can offer rebates or tax credits but dollars are limited, Nunes said.

On that per-dollar basis, the hybrid takes the cake.

Cost also translates to accessibility. What good is an EV if its unaffordable?

If were talking about cutting the greatest amount of emissions relatively quickly, MacKenzie said, hybrids again probably win.

Are we better off having 10 cars that cut their emissions by 100% or 50 cars that cut their emissions by 50%? MacKenzie said.

(Hint: Its the second option)

Dont overlook compatibility either, MacKenzie said. EVs and plug-in hybrids must be, well, plugged in, and not everybody has access to their own charging station.

Think outside the box

Lets not pretend like these are our only options, though.

Transportation accounts for nearly 30% of our greenhouse gas emissions in this country, and there are plenty of ways to cut that number down. Wed be remiss in assuming its a one-for-one scenario where a bad car goes out and a good car comes in.

If an EV produces about half as much carbon dioxide per mile as an internal combustion engine, a full bus could produce less than a fifth as much carbon dioxide as that same traditional engine.

Trains can offer similar sometimes even better savings, a 2022 U.S. Department of Transportation study found.

Thats not to say we need to immediately flood city streets with buses, MacKenzie said. These transit options must be accessible and practical enough to attract riders.

Low emissions per seat-mile plus $5 gets you a cup of coffee, MacKenzie said. It means nothing unless there are butts in the seats.

Ride sharing and carpooling can also help, Nunes said.

So can electric bicycles (for which rebates are also available), regular bicycles, walking, roller skates, Razor scooters or a friendly equine. You get the idea.

Anything to avoid that dreaded, single-occupant vehicle clogging the freeway and spewing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Theres no one way to cut our emissions, individually or collectively. Its going to take a little bit of everything.

Correction: This story was updated on March 21, 2024, to accurately reflect the name of the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Conrad Swanson: 206-464-3805

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[email protected]; Conrad covers climate change and its intersection with environmental and political issues.