I have heard that on the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid you can only use the A/C when the vehicle’s engine is running (meaning not running on the battery). Is this true? And if it is, has Ford made any changes in the ‘09 model?
The 2008 Escape Hybrid’s air conditioning runs using the engine’s belt system, so you’re correct that the engine needs to be running for it to work. Some hybrids use an independent electric motor to spin the air conditioning instead of having it be driven by the engine, which doesn’t put a draw on the engine like a belt-driven air conditioning system will and helps fuel economy.
The Escape does have an “Econ” button, however, that allows the engine to stay off for a longer amount of time with the air conditioning on. You’re not getting a full-blown air-conditioned breeze, but the engine won’t run continuously to keep you cool.
There’s limited information available on the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid, but we do know that it will use a new engine. That system’s fuel efficiency, as well as whether it will have an electric air-conditioning system, is still unknown.
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That might be true, but some people think that an engine driven compressor has to be oversized to provide good cooling at low engine rpm. An electricly powered compressor can be run at a single speed as needed, and can be built to an optimal size. Also, electric compressors don't have the frictional loss of a pulley and clutch system that keeps on spinning, even when the AC is not in use.
The losses due to the pulley spinning are minimal, it is spinning on a bearing (~97% efficient), and belts are ~95% efficient, much more efficient than the electricity generation and running of an electric compressor motor. But the shutting down of the engine, which is the big contributor to ~70% inefficiency of the gasoline usage due to the ~30% efficiency of an IC engine is still the big saver, so some lower level losses may need to occur to accomplish the big one.
And a little discomfort on the part of the driver may be part of the compromise needed to achieve the mpg. Back in the 50's and 60's, we just opened the windows when it got too hot inside. ;-)
Electric A/C is a must if you want to drive with electricity alone - PHEV. The conversions are available if Ford doesn't want offer the option.
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Actually it's quite the opposite -- if the a/c runs on electricity, we have to contend with conversion losses. Escape saves on this conversion loss by using the gas engine to run it. It is actually more efficient to run the engine than to convert kinetic energy to electric then back to kinetic to run the a/c compressor.