Report: 2015 Ford Focus To Get The Extended Range “Energi” Treatment

Who Is Up For A 2015 Ford Focus Energi?

Now here is a new upcoming plug-in vehicle story that not only makes sense to us, but that we can get behind.

How about a 2015 Ford Focus Energi?

Ford’s Decision To “Electrify” A Second Line In Germany Is Starting To Make A Little More Sense!

The current Ford Focus is in its third generation and is heading into a refreshed look (both inside and out) for 2015.

But according to AutoExpress, part of that updating will include transplanting the “Energi” powertrain found in the C-Max into the Focus.  The source also says the new look Focus will debut in March at the Geneva Auto Show.  (don’t worry we’ll be on location to get the 411 and take some pictures first hand)

Fundamentally this is really a “Ford only needs to decide to sell it” decision, as the Focus shares the same platform (Ford Global C) as the C-Max, and it shares many of the same components/drivetrain.

As a reminder the C-Max Energi is propelled by a 2.0 liter Atkinson cycle four cylinder engine that puts out 188 hp and 129 lb-ft of torque.  More importantly the C-Max has 7.6 kWh of lithium batteries (inconveniently placed in the trunk) that give the car a range of 21 miles.

Why would anyone want another Energi product from Ford?

Price.

The C-Max Energi is currently priced at $32,950, and quite frankly its MSRP has been ignored by Ford, as the rest of the industry have undergone big price cuts (which includes a recent $4,000 price cut to stablemate Ford Fusion Energi down to $34,700).  Why has the C-Max Energi not yet followed in step?  Because the “regular” C-Max Hybrid starts at $28,455.  To move the C-Max Energi down significantly, means moving the regular hybrid down a big step too.

Enter the Focus Energi.

A Focus Energi would not only likely yield slightly more miles of range due to the aerodynamics (perhaps 23 or 24 miles), it would likely also allow Ford to break into the holy grail of plug-in price points – sub $30k.

Imagine a $27,499 Focus Energi with 25 miles of range, or $23,491 after federal credit (it would receive $4,007 under the current program and specs).  How many of those could Ford sell in a year?  A lot more than the 1,738copies of the $35,170 Focus Electrics that’s for sure.

Source: Inside EV's

Autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrid Revealed

Depending on whom you ask, automated cars are either right around the corner, or still decades away. Elon Musk says a 90% autonomous Tesla will be on the market by 2017, while other automakers are aiming for closer to 2020. Ford thinks automated vehicles need to be introduced in steps, and the first step is this prototype Ford Fusion Hybrid fitted with Shrek-like LiDAR systems.

LiDAR is a radar-like systems that uses infrared lasers to scan the road and surrounding landscape 2.5 million times per second, painting an accurate picture for the car to basically drive itself. The system scans up to 200 front away, and can tell the difference between a paper bag and a squirrel, allowing it to make snap-second decisions that most humans couldn’t handle. Autonomous cars are coming hard and fast, and with perhaps more zeal than electric cars. Autonomous cars can also help reduce fuel consumption and emissions in ways most people just aren’t patient enough to handle.

Impressive stuff, though like most autonomous cars the vehicle still requires driver input, and this is merely a research project for now. Major advances will have to be made in hiding those hideous antlers for the LiDAR systems, though there is little doubt that automated cars will eventually be a major part of every automakers’ lineup.

Who knows, there could even come a day when driving a car yourself is outlawed. Some scary thoughts right there.

Source: Ford

Ford hit with another lawsuit over C-Max, Fusion Hybrid mpg claims

Ford  is waiting to see if it will be facing several class action lawsuits over its mileage ratings - three of which were filed in late April. Suits filed in federal courthouses in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and California claim Ford is overstating the average mileage ratings for its 2013 Ford C-Max and Fusion Hybrids.

Marianne Cibeu, a Massachusetts resident, filed for a federal class action lawsuit claiming she's only getting32 miles per gallon in her Ford C-Max hybrid despite the EPA/Ford rating of 47 mpg. As you can see in the complaint filed in a US District Court, the suit is asking for $5 million in damages for Cibeu and all Massachusetts buyers of 2013 C-Max and Fusion hybrids.

"Plaintiffs purchased a Fusion Hybrid or C-Max Hybrid, only to be stuck with under-performing, less valuable vehicles that inflict higher fuel costs on their owners."

In California, two law firms combined their cases against Ford for making "false and misleading" claims. When we first reported on the case, back in December, there were reportedly hundreds of C-Max and Fusion Hybrid owners who'd joining the lawsuit. Not much later, Consumer Reports conducted extensive tests for both hybrids and found their performance to be significantly worse than the US Environmental Protection Agency mileage ratings. A similar case has been filed in US District Court in Philadelphia. "Plaintiffs are some of the tens of thousands of consumers who purchased a Fusion Hybrid or C-Max Hybrid, only to be stuck with under-performing, less valuable vehicles that inflict higher fuel costs on their owners," according to the complaint.

So far, the wave of lawsuits hasn't hurt sales of the C-Max or Fusion Hybrid, though it's still early in the legal battle. The EPA, which determines (sort of) the mileage numbers Ford and other automakers put on window stickers, says that it's confident the ratings of both Ford vehicles are sound but will review them. Both Ford and the EPA have emphasized real-world mileage results are completely dependent on how the driver operates the vehicle. That hasn't gone over well with people filing class action lawsuits.

News Source: Universal Hub via Boston Business Journal

Ford Fusion Energi qualifies for California HOV lane access

The approval of the Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid for California carpool lanes puts the Blue Oval into the winner's circle; tied with Toyota for the most fuel-efficient models approved for use in the Golden State'sHOV lanes.

To qualify for the high occupancy program, a vehicle must be classified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as a super ultra-low emission vehicle and certified by the EPA to offer at least 45 miles per gallon fuel economy on the highway. Of course, any car can qualify when it carries enough people, but that's another issue.

The Fusion Energi meets CARB standards and well exceeds the EPA standards, with an estimated fuel economy rating of 108 MPGe city and 92 MPGe highway, or 100 MPGe combined. Those numbers mean the plug-in hybrid has a one-tank, full-charge range of up to 620 miles, including an electric-only range of up to 21 miles.

As of about a month ago, California still had around 30,000 HOV stickers left for plug-in hybrids.

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Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Supplants Ford Fusion As Government’s Green Car Of Choice

President Barack Obama pledged to modernize the government fleet, and he has done just that…though many of these new, fuel-efficient cars aren’t American. In fact, 54% of the Obama Administration’s fleet of alternatively fueled vehicles come from Asian brands.

The Asian brands that make up a bulk of U.S. government fleets are Hyundai Motor Co, Honda Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corporation, and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.

The Obama administration set a goal of purchasing only alternatively fueled vehicles for its fleet by 2015. They have been purchasing alternatively fueled vehicles since 2009 by the thousands. However, their purchases of these vehicles has been decreasing for years. Sales of these vehicles was 8139 in 2009, and dropped to 6,467 in 2010, it then dropped to 2,645 in fiscal 2011. In 2012, the government purchased just 1,801 hybrid vehicles, making up about 3.6% of the more than 50,000 vehicles purchase by the government last year.

It is certainly true that the U.S government should practice what it encourages, and use alternatively fueled vehicles as well to set an example, however, they don’t favor American cars as much as they used to. The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has replaced the Ford Fusion hybrid as the most popular green car in government fleets.

One of the reasons stated for this is that the Fusion was not available in large quantities at the time as anew Fusion hybrid was coming out. The same was said for the Ford C-Max hybrid, though there is no mention of the Chevy Volt, another popular hybrid vehicle.

It’s worth asking…is the Obama administration backtracking on its hybrid fleet pledge? Is the 2015 goal even possible anymore?

Source: Bloomberg.com

Ford Fusion wins 2013 Green Car Of The Year

After three years that saw a diesel, a plug-in and a natural gas vehicle win Green Car Journal's Green Car of the Year award, the Ford Fusion won the title this year at the start of the second day of the LA Auto Show. The Fusion was nominated in part because it has a variety of powertrain options: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and an EcoBoost gas engine.

The other 2013 finalists included the Dodge Dart Aero, Ford C-Max, Mazda CX-5 Skyactiv and Toyota Prius C. For what it's worth, the C-Max won the informal Autoblog/AutoblogGreen poll for 2013 with 31.5 percent of the vote. The official votes were tallied by a panel of judges of "the nation's top environmental leaders," car freaks like Jay Leno and the GCJ staff. GCJ's Ron Cogan said the winner was chose by majority vote.

Cogan also said that the award (and his magazine) have never been about vehicles that eke out mileage gains by stripping away the joy of driving. The method by which the five finalists are chosen is somewhat shrouded in mystery, but the Tesla Model S was left off the list due to its high price and the current unavailability of the base model. He said:

The Tesla Model S offers everything, by all reports. What it doesn't offer are things that are crucial to the Green Car Of The Year program, which are different than Motor Trend's Car of the Year or Yahoo Autos. We deal specifically in cars you can buy and buy now and vehicles that are affordable enough that you can buy them. We deal in vehicles that are available in significant enough numbers so you actually have quantifiable emissions reductions and oil displacement. It doesn't have to be a mass produced car in the sense that it's one of the best-selling cars, but it does have to be available. And, right now, the Tesla Model S, as good as it is, is the Signature Series at $95,000 to $105,000. That's not accessible. And the base model is not being delivered.

Last year, the Green Car of the Year winner was the Honda Civic Natural Gas. Previous winners include theChevrolet Volt (2011), the Audi A3 TDI (2010), the Volkswagen Jetta TDI (2009) and the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (2008).



Source: Autoblog Green

2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid

The Ford Fusion Hybrid has become a fuel-economy leader for the second-biggest domestic automaker. Now, in its second spin around the block, the Fusion Hybrid's stretching its gas-mileage envelope--and adding some plug-in, electric-only driving to the experience as well.

The 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid and the related Fusion Energi share the same sleek body with the gas-powered Fusion sedan. Those cinematic good looks carry over intact, as do most of the Fusion's confident road manners. It's in the powertrain department where these versions are radically different: the Fusion Hybrid adopts a 2.0-liter four-cylinder related to the turbocharged one in the most expensive models, but instead of adding forced induction, it grafts on an advanced hybrid pack with lithium-ion batteries and an electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) to power the front wheels.

The concept's identical to the outgoing Fusion Hybrid, which earned EPA gas mileage ratings of 41 miles per gallon city, 36 miles per gallon highway--but in its new, leaner form, with its reformulated and smaller battery pack, the 2013 Fusion Hybrid's EPA ratings soar to 47 miles per gallon, whether we're talking city, highway, or combined. That compares well not only to the outgoing model but to the latest Camry Hybrid's 43/39-mpg ratings.

The Fusion Hybrid also can run on electric power alone for a few miles at speeds of up to 62 mph, 15 mph faster than before. That's the prelude to the Fusion Energi, the plug-in hybrid version that's coming late in 2012, with a slightly larger battery pack and an estimated electric-only driving range of approximately 20 to 28 miles.

We've had a brief drive in the Fusion Hybrid to observe its road manners and very short fuel-economy runs, which we registered at 36 mpg on a mixed run of city and hilly roads. We'll reserve judgement until we can control the refueling of the vehicle, though we've noted elsewhere on Green Car Reports how hybrid vehicle drivers often find real-world gas mileage is substantially lower than EPA figures.

What's clear from our drive is that the Fusion Hybrid's powertrain is smoothly integrated, its gas engine well isolated and its noise levels low--in part, because Ford fits active noise cancellation to nix some of the not so good vibrations. The transition between electric and gas-electric power is as good as it gets in this class, and braking feel has been tuned to as close to normal as possible, while preserving the regeneration that recharges the hybrid's battery pack.

The powertrain differences do slow down outright acceleration, and soften the cornering that mark some of the real high points of the best gas-powereed Fusion sedans. But the hybrid Fusion still has the more lively electric power steering feel common with other models, and forgiving but firm suspension tuning.

And then, there's that rock-star body. The Prius looks like a hybrid; the Fusion Hybrid looks like a celebrity, with its svelte contours and its exotic-looking grille. The cockpit's an exercise in restraint, especially in the Hybrid, which demands MyFord Touch--which replaces the base car's buttons and knobs with a smooth LCD touchscreen and steering-wheel controls that run climate, navigation, phone, and radio functions. It's elegant and spare in a way that recalls the best Audi designs, and it's a striking note even in a class of cars that's gotten so much better at appealing to mainstream buyers without pandering to mass-market tastes.

The Fusion Hybrid has interior room that's about the same as the outgoing model, reorganized a bit to accommodate the sleek roofline. Without a sunroof installed, there's very good headroom, even in the back seat, and four six-foot adults can sit with ample knee room, though the front passenger's feet will be canted slightly inward, around the wheel well. The Hybrid's base seats are covered in recycled material; it's shiny in an environmentally pleasing but inexpensive-looking way, but the seats themselves are shaped very well, with thin but supportive cushions and headrests that don't push too far forward as in some recent Fords.

The Fusion Hybrid's batteries sit in a raised hump behind the rear seats, consuming 4 cubic feet of trunk space, but leaving 12 cubic feet for storage--and significantly, mounting low enough to enable engineers to retain fold-down rear seats and a useful pass-through to the cabin.

The 2013 Fusion has eight airbags standard--front, side, and knee bags for front-seat passengers, and side curtains that cover the entire window opening front and rear--for all four outboard passengers. Ford is aiming for five-star safety ratings from the NHTSA; the IIHS calls it a Top Safety Pick.

Bluetooth is standard on the Hybrid, while a rearview camera, parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, and lane-departure and lane-keeping assist are options. So is active park assist, which steers the car into a parallel parking space while the driver controls the brake and throttle.

Other features offered include a navigation system; a rear spoiler and 18-inch wheels; leather seats; a sunroof; remote start; parking sensors; and a technology package with the rearview camera and an 8-inch LCD screen for MyFord Touch.

The 2013 Fusion Hybrid arrives at dealerships this fall, priced from $27,995, and immediately positions itself as the most desirable hybrid on the market short of the Fisker Karma.

The 2013 Fusion Energi is expected to arrive by the end of the year. Along with its larger lithium-ion battery pack, it gets a 3.3-kilowatt charger and an external door for the charging port, and a base priceof about $40,000. Ford predicts its EPA figures will settle in at above 100 MPGe--above the Prius Plug-In Hybrid, and higher than the Chevrolet Volt.

Source: Green Car Reports

2013 Ford Fusion Rated At 25/37 MPG, Hybrid Lands 47 MPG Rating

The midsize 2013 Ford Fusionsedan has received a lot of love from the motoring press for its bold new look and variety of powertrain options. Yet even though it was “revealed” back in January, Ford has not officially announced the fuel economy numbers…though the government’s fueleconomy.gov website mistakenly posted them live yesterday, enabling Car & Driver to pinpoint the 2013 Fusion’s MPG ratings…and they’re pretty damn good.

All The Numbers Are All Good

Arguably the most popular model will be the 2013 Ford Fusion with the 179 horsepower 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine. This motor will give drivers an EPA-estimated 25 city and 37 highway rating, among the best for a midsize sedan. The caveat? You have to opt for the six-speed manual transmission to get these numbers. The automatic transmission will net you 23 city and 36 highway, which is still very good. Opting for the non-turbo 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine nets you just 170 horsepower and a 22/34 rating, while the 2.0 liter, 237 horsepower EcoBoost engine delivers a 22/33 rating with the automatic transmission. Add all-wheel drive, and the rating drops to 22/31. Still pretty good. These ratings also don’t reflect an optional start/stop system for the 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine.

How ‘Bout That Hybrid?

But the biggest news is the new 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid, which will reportedly get a 47 city/47 highway rating, making it the third most-fuel efficient car for sale in America (behind the Prius and Prius C). That also matches Ford’s other dedicated hybrid vehicle, the C-Max. The plan appears to be to offer a hybrid that looks like a hybrid, as well as a hybrid that is a bit less…distinct. That will certainly draw more customers into the showroom, especially the young buyers Ford needs to appeal to.

Ford needs the new Fusion to be a hit, having lost nearly a full percentage point of market share in the last year. They have certainly set themselves up for success, and there is still a lot of positive buzz around the new Fusion. But it has been a while since the debut. Can Ford keep that good karma going?

Source: Car & Driver

Ford prices Auto Start-Stop system in non-hybrid 2013 Fusion 1.6L EcoBoost model at $295

Ford is offering the Auto Start-Stop system on its new non-hybrid 2013 Fusion equipped with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine (earlier post) for $295. Auto Start-Stop saves fuel use when the car is standing and running at idle. Savings vary depending on driving patterns, but owners who spend most time in heavy urban areas and city traffic will benefit up to 10%. On average, Auto Start-Stop improves fuel efficiency by about 3.5%.

The Ford Auto Start-Stop system includes a 12V battery designed for long lasting service with no additional maintenance; a 12V enhanced starter motor to provide seamless engine starts once a driver removes his or her foot from the brake pedal; and a voltage quality module to assures vehicle accessories function normally when the engine is off.

We expect the average Fusion driver with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine and Auto Start-Stop will save about $1,100 more than other midsize sedan owners during five years of driving.

—Samantha Hoyt, Fusion marketing manager

A study by the United States Department of the Treasury estimates that congestion consumed an extra 1.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2011, approximately 5% of all the gasoline used. Studies show drivers encounter an average of 10 to 15 red lights and stop signs on a typical 20 mile commute, which can add 5 to 15 minutes of idle time and wasted gas. Some communities—such as Denver, Colo. and Ann Arbor, Mich.—are also considering ordinances banning excessive engine idling.

Ford is making Auto Start-Stop available for non-hybrids in the US with the new 1.6-liter EcoBoost-powered Fusion.

On sale this fall, the new Fusion offers a choice of two EcoBoost-powered gasoline engines, a normally aspirated four-cylinder engine, a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Fuel-economy includes:

• 2013 Fusion 1.6-liter EcoBoost: projected 37 mpg highway
• 2013 Fusion Hybrid: projected 47 mpg
• 2013 Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid: projected 100 MPGe-plus rating

Source: Green Car Congress

Lincoln MKZ may get a plug-in option like its Ford Fusion cousin

Ford may make a plug-in hybrid-electric version of its Lincoln MKZ sedan for the 2013 model year, if there's customer demand for that variant, USA Today reported, citing comments Ford executive Scott Tobin made at the Detroit Auto Show recently. As it is, the 2013 MKZ will include gas-powered and hybrid vesions.

Ford will include a gas, hybrid and plug-in hybrid option for its 2013 Fusion mid-size sedan, which is why it makes some sense to do the same for the Fusions sister Lincoln vehicle. The company didn't disclose further powertrain details for the 2013 Lincoln MKZ.

Ford started selling Lincoln's first hybrid in 2010, and the company boosted sales of the model fivefold to 5,739 vehicles in 2011. The current MKZ hybrid, which pairs a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor, gets a combined 39 miles per gallon combined. That's almost twice the 21 mpg combined that the conventional six-cylinder MKZ achieves.



Source: Autoblog Green

2012 Ford Fusion - 2012 Detroit Autoshow - VIDEO

2013 Ford Fusion debuts along with 47-MPG Fusion Hybrid, 100-MPGe Fusion Energi

Your eyes do not deceive you – the sleek, pretty, low-slung sedan you see above is indeed the 2013 Ford Fusion. But don't think that the 2013 Fusion is all beauty and no brains. Ford is preparing the new Fusion, as well as its Hybrid and Energi fuel-mizing siblings, to be the most fuel-efficient, best-driving, tech-packed range of sedans in the mid-size segment.

Thanks to vehicles like the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, we've seen that mid-size sedans don't necessarily have to be conservatively styled three-box appliances, and this new Fusion is certainly a looker. Combining elements of the Ford Evos concept, not to mention a front fascia that's decidedly Aston Martin-esque in approach, the Fusion has a wide, flat stance with strong character lines down the side that wrap around to a sleek rear end. Clearly the design builds upon the Kinetic language of the European Mondeo rather than the Fusion we've lived with in North America since 2010.

The standard Fusion – available in S, SE and Titanium trims – will be available with three engines. The base mill is a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-four with 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque, mated solely to a six-speed automatic transmission. We're sure it's a fine powerplant, but our interest is more settled on the next two: a 1.6-liter EcoBoost four with 179 hp and 172 lb-ft, and the range-topping 2.0-liter EcoBoost four with 237 hp and 250 lb-ft. Both engines can be had with the same six-speed automatic, though the smaller 1.6-liter engine can be mated to a six-speed manual box. Front-wheel drive is standard across the board, but top-of-the-line Fusions with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine can be had with all-wheel drive.

Ford is ditching a V6 for an all-four-cylinder lineup.

Like many other automakers, Ford is ditching a V6 for an all-four-cylinder lineup. That's par for the course these days, and with the Fusion weighing in at just over 3,300 pounds (loaded, AWD Fusions will likely weigh as much as 3,600 pounds), fuel economy is expected to be best-in-class. Ford hasn't released complete – or official – economy numbers, but Fusions equipped with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine (complete with start/stop technology) are expected to achieve 26/37 miles per gallon city/highway, while front-wheel-drive, 2.0-liter-equipped cars should net around 23/33 mpg.

But if fuel economy is your thing, Ford has two even more efficient examples of the 2013 Fusion. Their names? Hybrid and Energi.
The good news is, aside from some different wheel options and badging and trim changes, the Hybrid and Energi models are just as sleek and sophisticated as the rest of the 2013 Fusion lineup. The Hybrid will launch with the rest of the Fusion range in the fall of 2012, while the Energi will arrive a little later.

In the Hybrid (above), power comes from a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-four – downsized from the 2.5-liter unit in the current Fusion Hybrid. Total output is estimated at 185 hp and 130 lb-ft, running to the front wheels via an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. The Hybrid runs on 17-inch wheels wrapped in low-rolling-resistance tires, and Ford expects the car to achieve up to 47 mpg in the city and 44 mpg on the highway. That not only bests the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid, but also gets dangerously close to Prius territory. Ford says that the Fusion Hybrid will be able to operate at speeds up to 62 mph without spinning the engine (think: highway coasting).

The Fusion Energi (above) uses that same powerplant at its core, but with a plug-in hybrid system that allows for short amounts of pure electric driving. As of this writing, there's still a lot of unknown factors about the Fusion Energi – pure electric range, charging time, etc. – but Ford expects the Energi to achieve up to 100 mpge (miles per gallon equivalent), which is 8 MPGe better than the Chevrolet Volt. The Fusion Energi should have a cruising range of about 500 miles.

No matter what powertrain, the 2013 Fusion's interior is sure to impress. While not as stylish as say the Sonata or Optima, the Ford's cabin is still comfortable and elegant, combining high amounts of soft-touch materials with plenty of sound-deadening and nicely grained plastics. We had the opportunity to sit in an early pre-production Fusion, and even then, things felt spacious and comfortable, though that swooping roofline leaves a bit to be desired in the way of rear headroom.



As for technology, Ford will be packing the 2013 Fusion full of the latest gadgets. Naturally, the second-generation MyFord Touch infotainment system will be available, as will driver aids like adaptive cruise control, a lane-keeping system with drowsy driving detection, blind-spot monitoring, hill start assist and active park assist.

Pricing information for the 2013 Fusion will be revealed closer to the car's on-sale date this fall. Look for the new Fusion to show up elsewhere in the world as the Mondeo, which will be introduced later in 2012. For now, scroll down to read the full details about the 2013 Fusion in Ford's press release, and stay tuned to our Detroit Auto Show coverage for live impressions direct from Cobo Hall.




Source: Autoblog Green