Which Ford vehicle became the world’s first hybrid-electric SUV?

The Ford Escape Hybrid became the world’s first hybrid-electric SUV when it was introduced for the 2005 model year.

Ford developed the Escape Hybrid with a gasoline engine, an electric motor, and a battery pack. Its powertrain could use the electric motor at low speeds and combine gasoline and electric power during acceleration. The system used regenerative braking to recover energy that would otherwise be lost as heat.

The Escape Hybrid was based on the compact Ford Escape, which was introduced for the 2001 model year. Ford also sold the mechanically related Mercury Mariner Hybrid. The vehicle is often described as the first hybrid SUV, although Toyota’s Prius had already established hybrid technology in the passenger-car market. Later Ford SUVs, including the Escape’s successors, continued to offer hybrid versions.