To eliminate confusion for those who are numerically challenged, Ford’s press release defines the range in more real-world terms, mentioning that its “Fusion Energi can travel from Boston to Virginia Beach on one tank of gas and one full charge or traverse the West Coast’s scenic Highway 101 from Sacramento to San Diego.” That’s impressive, especially since we don’t know of many passengers who can handle ten hours in the seat without a pit stop.
This good news about the Fusion Energi comes just one month after the EPA announced it will be investigating the Ford C-Max and Fusion Hybrid for overstated fuel economy claims. Regardless of any automaker’s stated efficiency, we reinforce Ford’s claim that “driving styles, driving conditions and other factors can cause mileage to vary.”
• New Fusion Energi sedan is Ford’s newest plug-in hybrid – capable of making trips of up to 620 miles without having to stop for gas or to recharge the battery when starting with a fully charged battery and full gas tank
• Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid delivers up to 21 miles in electric-only mode – nearly triple the electric-only range of the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid and double the Honda Accord plug-in hybrid
• Fusion Energi is Ford’s second production plug-in hybrid – the all-new Ford C-MAX Energi has been available since November – rounding out a list of five Ford electrified vehicles that have launched since late 2011
• The vehicles in Ford’s all-new electrified lineup have been sprinting out of the gate – December marked the second consecutive month in which the company set a record for hybrid vehicle sales; nearly 20,000 Ford hybrids were sold in the fourth quarter
DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 17, 2013 – Already Ford’s most fuel-efficient sedan, the all-new Fusion Energi now has an EPA-rated total range of up to 620 miles and the ability to drive up to 21 miles in electric-only mode, nearly triple the electric-only range of plug-in hybrids from Toyota and Honda.
With its 620 mile range, the new Fusion Energi can travel from Boston to Virginia Beach on one tank of gas and one full charge or traverse the West Coast’s scenic Highway 101 from Sacramento to San Diego.
And the stellar range only adds to the benefits Fusion Energi boasts, including EPA-rated fuel economy figures of 108 MPGe city, 92 MPGe highway and 100 MPGe combined – up to 5 MPGe greater than Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid. These are numbers that the EPA anticipates could help save customers an estimated $6,850 in fuel costs compared with an average new car over the course of five years.
Similar metrics across its entire lineup have helped the Ford brand climb to No. 1 in fuel efficiency customer satisfaction – J.D. Power says Ford now beats Toyota for leading fuel efficiency in every segment where both compete.
Ford sold more hybrids in the fourth quarter of 2012 than in any other three-month period during the company’s entire history with 19,554 units sold. Fusion Energi is the Ford brand’s fifth electrified vehicle to launch in the past year.
“Fusion Energi rounds out Ford’s list of available electrified vehicles perfectly by delivering another option to those who want to drive a hybrid without sacrificing comfort and convenience,” said Raj Nair, group vice president, Global Product Development. “In fact, Fusion Energi’s ability to drive up to 620 miles without stopping for gas or to charge a battery almost epitomizes convenience.”
Fusion Energi benefits from 20 years of research and innovation behind the software and hardware technology it offers, incorporating many of the nearly 500 patents Ford holds in the area of hybrid technology.
This extensive experience with hybrid technology shows in the product now available. The car’s powersplit technology – which allows for more efficient operation of the vehicle – consists of more than 200 patents alone.
Consider the vehicle’s top electric-only speed of 85 mph – a full 23 mph faster than Toyota Prius plug-in. Further, Fusion Energi delivers total horsepower of 195 with a fully charged battery – 60 more horsepower than the Prius plug-in.
Fusion Energi also boasts standard features such as active park assist and SYNC® with MyFord Touch®.
Fusion Energi sets itself apart in other ways, too. For example, it offers the latest generation of SmartGauge® with EcoGuide. Designed to help drivers get the most from Fusion, information such as instantaneous fuel economy can be displayed on one of two 4.2-inch LCD screens, helping drivers more closely monitor how their driving behavior affects vehicle efficiency.
In the right cluster, redesigned imagery of green leaves shows overall driving efficiency. The left cluster can display numerous screens that contain information about the vehicle and how it’s being driven. Brake Coach, for example, helps drivers optimize their use of the regenerative braking system so that driving range can be maximized through proper braking techniques.
EV+ is a feature that learns frequent destinations by combining the built-in GPS of Ford SYNC with proprietary software algorithms developed by Ford engineers. As a result, vehicles deliver more drive time in electric-only mode.
The MyFord® Mobile smartphone application (available soon) allows users to monitor charging, receive alerts, find charge stations, plan trips and do more from their smartphones or computers for an effortless transition to an electrified vehicle lifestyle.
“Ford’s electrified vehicles offer a great combination of efficiency, performance, technology and affordability that we believe will help spur adoption of these advanced vehicles,” says Kevin Layden, director, Ford Electrification Programs and Engineering.
Consider other Fusion Energi features:
• Eco cruise: Saves vehicle energy by relaxing acceleration compared to standard cruise control
• EV mode button: Conveniently mounted on the console to the right of the shifter, allows a driver to switch vehicle operation between three modes: all-electric, normal hybrid operation and conserve battery power for later use
• Regenerative braking: Capable of capturing and reusing more than 95 percent of the braking energy normally lost during the braking process
• Hybrid transmission: Designed by Ford engineers in-house, this transmission is capable of operating at high speeds and in a smooth, fuel-efficient manner at the same time
• Advanced lithium-ion batteries: The batteries used in Ford’s electrified vehicle lineup – covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile component limited warranty – are smaller and lighter than previous generation nickel-metal-hydride batteries
• Charge port with LED light ring: Conveniently located on the driver’s side and near the front of the car, it features a light ring that illuminates to indicate charge status
Providing choice
Fusion Energi gives customers yet another Ford option when shopping for an electrified vehicle – already available are Focus Electric, Fusion Hybrid, C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi.
Three of the vehicles – Focus Electric, C-MAX Energi and now Fusion Energi – have received EPA ratings of 100 MPGe combined or more. Focus Electric is America’s most fuel-efficient compact car with an EPA-rated 110 MPGe city, 99 MPGe highway and 105 MPGe combined. C-MAX Energi is EPA-rated at 108 MPGe city, 92 MPGe highway and 100 MPGe combined.
Focus Electric went on sale in late 2011, followed by C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi – the two vehicles that make up Ford’s first hybrid-only line in North America – this past autumn. More about Ford’s electrified vehicles can be found here.
With Fusion Energi and Fusion Hybrid, the all-new lineup of Fusion vehicles brings the widest range of powertrain options to the U.S. midsize segment. Fusion also is available in gas-powered versions with a choice between two fuel-efficient EcoBoost® four-cylinder engines. In addition, Fusion is available with Ford’s patented Auto Start-Stop system, which automatically shuts off the engine at stationary idle to help save customers fuel in stop-and-go city driving.
For more on the new Ford Fusion, check out http://FordFusionStory.com, a special mobile site featuring articles, videos and graphics that are easily shareable directly from a smartphone, tablet or computer browser to Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and blogs.
