Ford EV Sales Rose 38% In 2016 Led By Fusion Energi

Ford EV sales rose 38% in 2016, helping Ford claim 18% of the US market for electrified cars. Sales growth was led by the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, which recorded a 63% increase in sales compared to 2015. The growth in Ford EV performance comes even though all of the company’s EV offerings are sedans, a segment of the market that is shrinking in this era of low gas prices and surging demand for crossovers, SUVs, and light trucks.

Ford has big plans to expand the number of EV models it offers its customers over the course of the next several years. It says it will bring an all electric SUV with at least 300 miles of range in the near future. It’s current lineup includes the Fusion Hybrid, C-MAX Hybrid, C-MAX Energi, Focus Electric, and Fusion Energi. Ford sold a total of 23,895 EVs last year.

Compared to its total sales for the year, the number of EVs in the mix may look small, but the uptick in sales belies CEO Mark Fields’ assertions that nobody wants to buy electrified cars. Fields is on record as saying high fuel economy standards will rob America of 1,000,000 manufacturing jobs, a rather odd statement for the head of one of the world’s largest car companies to make. No wonder many people think the biggest obstacle to an electric car future is the negative attitudes of car company executives.

On a percentage basis, the spurt in sales proves otherwise. Recent studies indicate that Americans really are interested in more efficient vehicles that pollute less and use precious resources more wisely. The Consumer Federation of America finds strong support for such cars despite historically low prices at the pump.

Yesterday, a group of senior Republican leaders proposed a carbon tax that would do away with all such burdensome regulations but add 38 cents to the price of a gallon of gas. If that happened, the frenzy for large, thirsty vehicles would likely cool down and demand for EVs increase. Will the proposal get traction with members of Congress? Don’t bet on it. Americans are perfectly willing to see the EPA gutted and public education turned into a mockery, but pay extra for gas? Them’s fightin’ words, cousin.

Source: TechCrunch

Ford Fusion Energi Is Bright Spot In Green Car Sales

Green car sales have been disappointing this year. President Obama suggested there could be more than one million cars with plugs on American roads by the end of this year. In fact, the actual figure will be less than half that amount. With historically low gas prices the norm, sales of larger vehicles are way up while efficiency and environmental concerns have taken a back seat.

We are not always kind to Ford Motor Company here at Gas2. It survives mostly on sales of monstrous pickup trucks with testosterone laden styling. When it comes to green car sales, it seems to be more of a follower than a leader. So it may surprise you to learn that the Ford Fusion sedan is its second best selling vehicle at a time when sales of traditional passenger cars have shrunk to their lowest levels in decades.

Two of the stars of the Fusion lineup are the Fusion Energi, a plug-in hybrid, and the Fusion Hybrid, which has no plug. Both are especially hot in the Los Angeles market, where they are favorites of millenials looking for relatively affordable transportation up to 5 passengers that is also environmentally friendly. Both cars are rated 41 mpg highway, 43 city, and 42 combined. The Fusion Energi with its 14 gallon fuel tank has a total range of 610 miles, even though electric only range is a mere 21 miles.

The Fusion Energi is now the second best selling plug-in hybrid in America. When combined with sales of it sibling, the C-Max Energi, the pair outsells the Chevy Volt. That may be due in part to the Volt’s rather snug interior dimensions compared to the those of the Fusion and C-Max. Wade Jackson, Ford Fusion marketing manager, said: “The spike in Fusion Hybrid and Energi sales is a testament to Ford’s advanced engineering team developing fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive electric vehicles offering customers the widest range of choice in the segment.”

In LA, Fusion sales are up nearly 40% compared to June 2015. During the same period, Fusion Hybrid sales are also up 35%. In fact, sales in southern California are so strong, there are few if any of the cars available on dealer lots elsewhere in the country. By comparison, the total midsize sedan segment is down nearly 5% in LA through May, according to IHS Automotive data.

If you are looking for an affordable green car with room for 5, the Fusion Energi and C-Max Energi may be worth a test drive — if you can find one at a Ford dealer near you.

Source: Cleantechnica  Photo credit: Ford Motor Company

New Foed Focus With Super Fuel Economy (SFE) Boasting 40 MPG Highway

2012 Ford Focus ST

The new Ford Focus with the SFE (Super Fuel Economy) package is EPA-certified at 40 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg city. Focus becomes the fourth vehicle in the Ford Motor Company vehicle lineup with an EPA-certified rating of 40 mpg (on either city or highway cycles) or more.

The Focus is fitted with a completely new 2.0-liter gasoline direct-injection DOHC four-cylinder engine that combines high-pressure direct injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) for enhanced performance and fuel efficiency. This engine delivers more power than the current 2.0-liter Duratec unit featured in the North American Focus, while contributing to fuel economy gains of more than 10%.

To maximize its performance and economy advantage, the engine is mated with the latest dry-clutch six-speed Ford PowerShift automatic transmission. A high-efficiency dual dry-clutch design, the transmission alone can help to reduce fuel consumption by up to 9% compared to a traditional four-speed automatic.

The SFE package also includes 16-inch steel wheels with aero wheel covers, active grille shutters, high-efficiency tires, four-wheel disc brakes, rear spoiler and a special SFE badge.

The Ford Focus employs full active grille shutters to help optimize aerodynamics by using vents to control airflow through the grille to the cooling system and engine compartment. If air is required to cool the engine, the vents are opened. If no airflow is needed the vents are shut, contributing to significantly reduced aerodynamic drag.

Mounted in the grille aperture ahead of the radiator, the active grille shutters feature motorized horizontal vanes that can rotate through 90 degrees to block the airflow. Automatically controlled by the car’s electronic control unit, the vanes can be rotated into 15 different positions—from fully closed to fully open—depending on the amount of cooling air required. When fully closed, the reduction in drag means the active grille shutters can reduce CO₂ emissions by 2%.

As an additional benefit, the system keeps the vanes closed as long as possible when starting from cold, so the engine reaches its most efficient operating temperature more quickly. This also helps reduce fuel consumption.

The three other 2011 models achieving at least 40 mpg are the Ford Fiesta SE with SFE package (40 mpg highway) and the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid (41 mpg city).

Source: Green Car Congress