Earlier this year, the Renewable Fuels Association unveiled our 2022 Ford Escape plug-in hybrid electric flex-fuel vehicle—the first of its kind anywhere in the world. While automakers have previously combined “mild hybrid” technology with flex-fuel capability (Ford manufactured a small number of hybrid FFV Escape demonstration vehicles in 2007 and Toyota offers hybrid FFVs in Brazil and India), our 2022 Escape is the first in the world to combine external plug-in charging and an independent battery-powered motor with a flex-fuel internal combustion engine.

Why are we doing this? The answer is simple. We want to prove to policymakers, auto manufacturers, and (most importantly) American drivers that low-carbon renewable liquid fuels in combination with plug-in hybrid technology can deliver excellent environmental performance at a lower cost than a full battery electric vehicle. We want to show that consumers don’t need to sacrifice optionality, convenience, or affordability for superior environmental benefits. And we want to show that ethanol and electricity can be complementary decarbonization solutions.

In recent surveys, both current owners and potential buyers of battery electric vehicles have expressed several concerns and challenges that have caused them to think twice about their next vehicle purchase. Range anxiety, long recharging times, lack of public charging locations, higher vehicle purchase price, lack of flexibility, the cost of installing home charging capacity, and other obstacles were commonly cited.

Most—if not all—of these concerns can be overcome with a plug-in hybrid electric FFV like our new Escape.
With a full tank of E85 and a full charge of the battery, it can travel about 430 miles, with most of that coming from the E85. That’s about double the mileage range of a comparable battery electric vehicle. And, depending on the carbon intensity of the ethanol used in the E85, this vehicle can reduce emissions by about 80 percent today compared to a Ford Escape running on gasoline. One day soon this could be the first real Zero Emissions Vehicle to run on 100 percent renewable liquid fuels!

In addition, recent testing of the RFA Escape conducted by the University of California, Riverside (UCR) showed major benefits in reducing emissions of other harmful pollutants. When operating on E85, the vehicle showed a 48-79% reduction (compared to E10) in emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which causes smog and is a contributor to respiratory illnesses and heart disease. Emissions of particulate matter—which contributes to poor air quality and human health concerns—fell 70-76% when operating on E85.

Meanwhile, the Escape has not seen the “mileage penalty” that critics typically associate with E85’s lower energy density. During the UCR testing, the vehicle’s onboard computer showed just a 3-4% loss in miles-per-gallon on E85, and nearly 15,000 miles of real-world driving have generated similar fuel economy results. It is likely that the Escape’s 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine, which has an impressive 13:1 compression ratio, can take advantage of E85’s higher octane rating to overcome the fuel’s lower energy density.

Next up: the University of Illinois in Chicago and Life Cycle Associates are conducting a detailed lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions analysis on the Escape using several different liquid fuel and electricity sources. We expect the study to show that a plug-in hybrid electric FFV running on cleaner, greener E85 can offer comparable—or better—carbon performance than many battery electric vehicles. 

Unfortunately, you can’t go to your local dealership and buy a plug-in electric FFV today. Our Escape is a concept vehicle. But we hope to change that by continuing to push for policies that take a more reasonable and rational approach to the future of our fuel and vehicle options. It is our hope that one day soon, after proving the benefits of this technology, consumers will be able to choose a true zero-emissions vehicle that meets their everyday needs and doesn’t break the bank.
 

Author: Geoff Cooper
President and CEO
Renewable Fuels Association
202-289-3835
gcooper@ethanolrfa.org

View From the Hill
Printed in the August 2023 issue of Ethanol Producer Magazine