Click the plug-in hybrid Escape for a high res gallery
The city of St. Petersburg, Florida isn't part of Ford's plug-in hybrid test program but it will soon be testing a PHEV Escape anyway. Progress Energy will be partnering with the Florida city to convert one of the 14 Escape hybrids in the city fleet to plug-in capability. $28,000 of the $37,000 cost will be covered by the utility company which is working to develop a public charging network in the Tampa Bay region. The city currently has 3,500 vehicles in its fleet of which the Escapes and 5 Saturn Vues are hybrids. The two-year test program will evaluate the performance of the vehicle as well as what the requirements of a charging network will be.
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