Nearly every time we post an article about a hybrid or electric vehicle, concerns about the battery and system longevity are raised. That’s natural as these are relatively new technologies in the more than 100-year-old history of the automobile. But Ford has some interesting data that shows that you may be twice as likely to win the lottery than owners of Ford hybrid vehicle are to have a durability issue their vehicle.

Join the live chat with Chuck Gray, Ford Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Chief Engineer and Bob Taenaka, Ford Battery Technical Lead here on Thursday, July 21, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. EST to discuss what Ford engineers have found with more than 170,000 hybrid vehicles on the road, some which have been in the field for 10 years.

Bob previously helped engineer the longest-distance batteries ever for the Galileo spacecraft’s 450-million-mile mission to Jupiter.

Ford hybrids are extremely fuel efficient, with the Fusion Hybrid achieving an EPA estimated 41 mpg city, Escape Hybrid returning an EPA estimated 34 mpg city and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid earning the title of most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America with an EPA estimated 41 mpg city.

The durability and longevity of batteries is essential as Ford expands its lineup of electrified vehicles, including five new electrified vehicles in North America by 2012 and in Europe by 2013.