WIRED Staff
Transportation

Slideshow: Car Makers Go Green With Hybrids

New fuel-efficient vehicles are headed for market, paving the way for people who drive everywhere to do a little less damage to the environment. Ford even has an SUV in the hybrid category. By John Gartner.
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Ford is revving up production of the Escape Hybrid, a first-of-its-kind sport utility vehicle. The 4-cylinder vehicle will look just like its gas-guzzling counterpart, but can get up to 40 mpg in the city instead of 23. Available in the summer of 2004, Ford will produce approximately 20,000 Escapes per year.John Gartner

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The 2004 Toyota Prius, available in the fall, is more fuel-efficient and somewhat larger than the compact version that first appeared on American highways in 2000. Toyota says the latest innovations to the Prius will give the car a combined fuel-efficiency rating of "mid-50's" miles per gallon, a 15 percent increase over the previous model.

John Gartner