NHTSA tests measured vehicle performance and safety in frontal and side-impact crash test, along with resistance to rollovers. The plug-in hybrid follows the Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid, which already received five-star safety ratings. Ford highlighted another safety perk in its press release (see below) – the Personal Safety System with safety belt technologies and advanced front impact airbags.
So far, the Ford Fusion Hybrid has sold ten times more units than the Fusion Energi. The April sales total for the Fusion Hybrid was 3,625 units sold versus 364 for the Fusion Energi. But it’s still very early in the game, and the Fusion Hybrid has a potentially huge problem to deal with that could hurt sales.
DEARBORN, Mich., May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ —
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awards the all-new 2013 Ford Fusion Energi a five-star Overall Vehicle Score in its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)
- 2013 Ford Fusion was also named Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the highest recommendation the organization has for vehicle safety
- In addition to top safety marks, Fusion Energi also achieves EPA-rated fuel economy of 100 MPGe combined, including 108 MPGe city/92 MPGe highway
The 2013 Ford Fusion Energi has earned the highest possible “five-star” Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The five-star rating is the U.S. Government’s highest-possible safety rating and is determined only after severe testing procedures as part of NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and resistance to rollover.
The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid joins the Ford Fusion and the Ford Fusion Hybrid which already received five-star safety ratings. NHTSA has elected to test plug-in vehicles separately from vehicles powered by gasoline internal combustion engines as the market share of electrified vehicles is increasing. April marked Ford’s best hybrid sales month ever with Ford’s EV market share hitting an all-time high of 18 percent, up from 3 percent last April.
“The Fusion Energi combines the highest possible safety ratings from NHTSA and great fuel economy, two things we know customers are looking for in their vehicles,” said Steve Kenner, Global Director of the Ford Automotive Safety Office. “Our strategy is to provide our customers with a range of powertrain options in our vehicles, while still leading in fuel economy in every segment that we compete.”
The Fusion Energi gets an EPA fuel economy rating of 108 MPGe, which is five MPGe better than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid.
The NHTSA five-star rating for the Fusion Energi comes in addition to the 2013 Fusion being named a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in December. The Top Safety Pick + designation is the highest rating the organization has for vehicle safety.
The Fusion Energi also features the Personal Safety System™ with safety belt technologies and front impact airbags. The Personal Safety System™ is a network of components that work together to tailor the deployment of the front airbags during frontal collisions. Other driver assist technologies available on the Fusion Energi include:
Lane Keeping Assist
Adaptive Cruise Control
Rearview Camera
Hill Start Assist
Electronic Parking Break
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 175,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com .
