The plug-in version of the Ford Escape looks and feels a lot like a regular Escape hybrid: the main difference being, you can’t buy one yet.

Using a 10 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, Ford claims the cars can go up to 30 miles on an electric charge and up to 40 mph on battery power only. We didn’t have a chance to drive 30 miles, but were easily able to hit 40 mph on our test-track ride evaluation loop.

As with any plug-in hybrid vehicle, fuel economy depends mostly on how you drive it. The more time you spend at lower speeds on electric power, the better mileage you’ll get. However, Ford says the batteries are so expensive that it is looking at alternative business models to sell the cars. One possibility is consumers may buy the car but lease the batteries, guaranteeing ready replacements, ensuring the batteries are reused (likely by a power company) and reducing the cost. The company claims it takes six to eight hours to fully charge the plug-in Escape from a 110-volt outlet.

In partnership with Quantum Technologies, Ford is building up to 100 plug-in hybrids for testing at Southern California Edison and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

—Eric Evarts