2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Arrives in Canada
January 7, 2009 by admin
The entire Fusion line-up is overhauled for 2010, with new styling, better-quality materials, and new and more fuel-efficient engines, six-speed automatic transmissions, and a Sport model with a 3.5-litre V6 under the hood. But the big news is the Fusion Hybrid, which company officials said will be the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan on the market when it reaches showrooms in Canada.
It uses a version of the new system found in the Escape Hybrid, and is now entirely Ford’s technology (save for a battery purchased from Sanyo), with over 100 patents pending on the Fusion’s system alone. It uses a 2.5-litre four-cylinder gasoline engine with Atkinson cycle; the cycle produces better fuel efficiency, while the resulting power loss is compensated by the hybrid system’s electric motor. The nickel metal hydride (NiMH) storage battery is 23 per cent lighter than that in Ford’s original hybrid system, while providing 28 per cent more power. The system produces 155 horsepower and 136 lb-ft of torque.
As with all currently-available factory hybrids, it’s not a plug-in; instead, it uses regenerative braking to capture up to 94 per cent of energy normally lost through brake friction to recharge the battery.
Canadian pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but south of the border, the MSRP is US$27,270, which puts it $1,442 above the next-highest Fusion Sport model, and $8,000 over the entry-level base trim line. Ford has targeted the Toyota Camry Hybrid, and so judging by that model’s 2009 pricing, I expect that the Fusion Hybrid will be somewhere around the $30,000 mark when it gets to our dealers.
It’s a “full” hybrid, meaning that it can run on its battery alone, both when cruising and from a full stop, and according to the company, it can do so at speeds of up to 75 km/h. As with all hybrids, the engine stops running when you come to a stop, although the lights, heater and stereo continue to operate. It also switches between gasoline and electricity during regular driving, depending on how much power is needed; it’s a seamless transition, and the system has been optimized for the maximize number of “engine off” situations for better fuel economy.
Certification is still ongoing, but Ford said it expects the final fuel figures to be the equivalent of about 6.0 L/100 km in the city, and 6.5 on the highway. Those are American estimates, where official testing methods are slightly different, and so you can expect those to change somewhat when the final Canadian numbers are released. Ford said that it will be the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan available, providing a 6 mpg (US) improvement in city driving over the Camry Hybrid.
The instrument cluster contains a new “SmartGauge”, with a system the company calls EcoGuide. The gauge consists of two LCD screens on either side of the speedometer that can be configured through wheel-mounted buttons to four levels, depending on how much or how little information you desire.
There are four names for the screens – Inform, Enlighten, Engage and Empower – with each building on the last and adding more graphics. The simplest, Inform, provides only the battery and gasoline levels; other graphics include electric vehicle mode indicator, engine output, accessory power draw and tachometer, among others. You can’t manually go from petrol to hydro, in the sense that there’s no button to push to do so; rather, it switches automatically, depending on engine load and acceleration. You could adjust throttle pressure and stay in electric mode longer.
The full graphic also includes a picture of vines, which “grow” leaves as the car is driven more efficiently, but drive with a heavy foot, and the leaves fall off.
There’s also a trip computer that records mileage and fuel used, and can be used to mark personal bests, or compete with a second driver. Ford officials said that the gauges are designed on the theory of positive reinforcement, with drivers trying harder to achieve fuel efficiency and the “rewards” offered by the various readouts; even small driving changes can achieve a three per cent improvement, while closely following the “Empower” gauges and driving carefully can return a reward of up to 15 per cent better mileage.
The switch from gasoline to electric is seamless, even though it happens a lot (the system has been optimized for the maximum number of gasoline engine shut-offs, which improves fuel economy). The redesigned Fusion has a great deal of sound-deadening, and it’s so quiet that, combined with the seamless operation, it might take you a while to realize you’re in a hybrid.
Steering is responsive, with none of the vagueness that can sometimes plague hybrids, and it feels firmly planted, and there’s enough power to get you around traffic on the highway.
The economic climate is going to put a damper on plans, and hybrid sales have dropped like a stone in the U.S. market, due both to an overall slump in vehicle sales, and to lower gasoline prices. It’s unfortunate that Ford is releasing the Fusion Hybrid into this, but if sales aren’t as good as expected, it won’t be the fault of the vehicle. This new model is very well done. Ford has produced a hybrid that should have a genuine and well-earned shot at its Japanese competition.
More info at Ford Motor Company of Canada
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