Ford Will Limit Initial Hybrid Escape Release To East, West Coasts

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. will limit distribution of its hybrid-powered Ford Escape sport wagon to 15 states along the East and West coasts during 2004.

Sales begin in August, and Ford expects to deliver about 4,000 Escape Hybrids this year. Because of the low volume, Ford is allocating the gasoline-electric hybrid first to major urban centers and markets with higher demand for environmentally friendly vehicles. California leads those states. "We want some concentration of vehicles as we ramped up in the summer months," said Marty Collins, Ford Division general marketing manager. "Those are the big markets for hybrids anyway."

EDIT

Distribution will become nationwide on Jan. 1. Ford expects to produce 20,000 Escape Hybrids annually, though officials aren't promising that they will hit that number in 2005.

Toyota sold 24,627 Prius hybrids in 2003. Sales this year, boosted by a redesigned model, are up 79.8 percent during the first four months. Ford dealers must sign up to sell hybrids, receive special sales and service training and buy about $1,500 worth of special shop equipment. Not all dealers are expected to participate."

EDIT

This was on NPR this morning.

just added a third shift at their plant to handle the backlog. They had never had a third production shift in their history...

JM

anyway--the upgraded Prius was a big improvement over the first year; now it's hard to get rid of the early models if you're stuck with one. (so I hear)

maybe they'll have them out here by then