Jay Leno Drives the Focus Electric and Fusion Plug-in Hybrid

The online series Jay Leno’s Garage usually plays host to exotic supercars and brawny muscle cars but in the latest episode two of Ford’s greenest models, the 2012 Focus Electric and upcoming 2013 Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, are featured.

The television host and comedian the series takes its name from, Jay Leno, comes away quite impressed with the cars.

In particular, it’s quite entertaining to see him driving around in the Focus Electric, especially when he adjusts his driving style to be more efficient and in the process gain more ‘butterflies’ on the dash.

He also gets a quick lesson on how the Focus Electric’s brake-energy regeneration system and learns some of the differences between it and its closest rival, the Nissan Leaf.

While the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid isn’t due on the market until next year, the 2012 Ford Focus Electric is available now. The EPA rates the car at 76 miles of range and 105 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). The comparable numbers for a Leaf are 73 miles and 99 MPGe.

The Fusion Energi, meanwhile, is expected to return more than 100 MPGe and a combined output of 185 horsepower. It combines a newly-developed 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine with an electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries and should be on sale by the end of next year.


Source: Green Car Reports