The recent rise in gas prices forced Ford, GM, and Chrysler to do heavy research in the Hybrid realm. Even though gas prices have come down a lot since July and August, the “Big 3” know that they must have hybrids as an option for consumers in case that happens again. Hybrids are nothing new however. Toyota’s Prius has been arguably the most successful hybrid ever made. Everywhere you go you are bound to see a Prius on the road. All walks of life drive it from the very wealthy to the middle class. It’s easy to drive and affordable as far as hybrids go. Ford and GM have their own hybrids as well, although not as successful as the Prius. Ford has the Escape Hybrid, which has done very well, and GM has the Malibu Hybrid, which has yet to prove itself. While GM also has a few trucks and SUV hybrids, they aren’t as valuable to consumers as a hybrid sedan. Ford is now getting into the game with it’s new for 2009 Fusion Hybrid.
The Fusion Hybrid is actually a 2010 model, but will appear in showrooms in 2009. As with most Ford vehicles the Fusion Hybrid will have a sibling in the Mercury lineup – the Mercury Milan Hybrid. Ford is directly competing with the Toyota Camry Hybrid for share of the hybrid sedan market. Ford claims the Fusion Hybrid will be more fuel efficient by 6 mpg than the Camry Hybrid which gets 33/34 mpg. What’s more is that Ford says the Fusion Hybrid can reach a cruising speed of 47 miles per hour on electric power alone. Now that is impressive!
Ford is definitely trying hard this time to make a hybrid for the average person, as they did with the Escape Hybrid. They have taken many steps to make it easy for someone with no real automotive knowledge to be able to understand all of the information that is displayed on the onboard info screens. The technology is very intuitive and tells the driver everything that’s going on without distracting from normal driving activities. Ford had this to say about its new Fusion Hybrid: “innovative new SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency”. It seems as though Ford has hit the nail on the head with this one, at least in my opinion. Did I mention the car looks good as well!? Ford refreshed the design of the Fusion for the new model year, and the Hybrid benefits from this. The refresh includes a new front and rear fascia, new headlights, and a bolder 3 bar grille up front. All in all I think the Fusion Hybrid will do well and help boost slow sales. I can’t wait to see it on the road.
Just wanted to say HI. I found your blog a few days ago on Technorati and have been reading it over the past few days.
The high cost of fuel this past year did serious damage to our economy and society. After a brief reprieve gas prices are inching back up again. Our nation should not allow other nations to have such power over us and our economy . We have so much available to us in the way of technology and free sources of energy. WE seriously need to get on with becoming an energy independent nation. We are spending billions upon billions in bail out dollars. Why not spend some of those billions in getting alternative energy projects set up. We could create clean cheap energy, millions of badly needed new green jobs and lessen our dependence on foreign oil all in one fell swoop. I just read an eye opening book by Jeff Wilson called The Manhattan Project of 2009. It would cost the equivalent of 60 cents per gallon to drive and charge an electric car.If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV’s instead had plug-in electric drive trains, the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota. Why don’t we use some of the billions in bail out money to bail us out of our dependence on foreign oil? This past year the high cost of fuel so seriously damaged our economy and society that the ripple effects will be felt for years to come.