Ford Fusion Hybrid Coming This Spring
As soon as the new Ford Fusion hybrid hits the roads this spring it will quickly claim a spot as one of the most efficient hybrids on the market. Expectations are of 40+ mpg for the Ford Fusion hybrid. That will make it the 2nd most fuel efficient vehicle on the road, according to a ranking published on the EPA's Web site, only behind the smaller Toyota Prius and ahead of the smaller Honda Civic hybrid.
The introduction will present a huge marketing gain for Ford Motors as it attempts to green up its image and improve fuel efficiency across the board. The Fusion hybrid will cost about $27k versus. roughly $24k for the conventional Fusion model.
"Our overall strategy is to ensure that with every new vehicle we introduce, we're either the best or among the best in fuel economy," says Derrick Kuzak, VP of Global Product Development for Ford. "Clearly fuel economy...is at the top of the list of customer wants."
The Ford Fusion hybrid will get 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. Hybrids tend to be more efficient in city driving because the electric engines kick in at low speeds. One of the big fuel savers is the air conditioner. On the Ford Escape hybrid, the air conditioner is powered by the gas engine, so once it's on, fuel savings are minimal. But in the Fusion, the air conditioner is electric. The battery is also 50 pounds lighter than the Escape hybrid's battery, and there are many small tweaks that improve its aerodynamics.
Here is a quick comparison of the Toyota Prius and the Chevy Volt.
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