Ford expects its hybrid vehicles to make money once hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans start production later this year.
Ford sells around 21,000 Escape and Mariner hybrids per year. Ford has not said how many hybrid Fusion and Milan sedans it expects to sell, but the price of batteries and the vehicles' hybrid transmission will drop once the volume increases. Escape, Mariner, Tribute, Fusion and Milan will share the same basic powertrain and battery pack.