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This Is Ford's "First EV Offering" to Launch in Australia, and It's Obviously a Crossover

You probably thought that Ford has at least one electrified model on sale in Australia, but you were wrong, as they have just launched the first one. It is the Escape Plug-in Hybrid, otherwise marketed as the Kuga in other parts of the world.
2022 Ford Escape PHEV 31 photos
Photo: Ford
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Powering it is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, backed up by an electric motor that takes its juice from a 14.4 kWh lithium-ion battery. It has a combined output of 167 kW (227 ps / 224 hp), returns 1.5 l/100 km (156.8 mpg US) on average with the battery fully charged, and emits 33 g/km of CO2. Ford says that it has a zero-emission driving range of over 50 km (31 miles), albeit based on a number of different factors.

Besides charging it by using the port mounted on the left front fender, the battery can be juiced up on the go by using the regenerative technology that captures the energy during braking. Drivers can choose between the EV Auto, EV Now, EV Later, and EV Charge modes. In EV Now, when the battery gets depleted, the car will automatically revert to EV Auto, and the motor will supplement the ICE.

Standard paint finishes include the Frozen White, Blazer Blue, and Agate Black. For the Blue Metallic, Magnetic, White Platinum, Solar Silver, or Rapid Red, customers will have to pay an extra AU$675 (US$474). Speaking of things that cost more, these comprise the ST-Line Pack, with its LED headlights, electric tailgate, head-up display, and front heated seats, offered from AU$1,950 (US$1,368). The Park Pack brings door edge guards, front camera, and enhanced active park assist, from AU$1,500 (US$1,053).

Pricing for the 2022 Ford Escape PHEV starts at AU$53,440 (US$37,503) for now and will be bumped by AU$1,000 (US$702) after July 1. The vehicle is offered with a five-year/unlimited kilometers factory warranty. The electric motor and high-voltage parts, including the battery, are covered by an 8-year/160,000-km (99,419-mile) warranty.
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About the author: Cristian Gnaticov
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After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s.
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