The Ford Escape has a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, an electric drive motor-generator, and a 14.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, the Escape PHEV’s powertrain is anything but simple. In terms of power, the e-CVT automatic gearbox sends 167kW to the front wheels.
As with other PHEVs, the pure-electric range depends on your charging habits – up to 56 kilometres. It is possible to charge the Escape Plug-in at 110 volts from a typical household outlet. Or at 240 volts from the high-output outlet found in most homes, such as those used in clothes dryers. Level 1 charging takes roughly 11 hours to replenish the battery. However, Level 2 charging only takes 3.3 hours. All Escape Plug-in models have an 8″ touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. SEL and Titanium trims have a premium 10-speaker B&O audio system, while other trims have a standard six-speaker system. The digital instrument cluster is 12.3 inches, and gear shifting is controlled by a rotary dial.