-
Online Harris Poll finds 40 percent of U.S. adult drivers frustrated
with their vehicle’s range
-
Ford now has a plug-in hybrid vehicle that can go further than any
other. The new 2017 Fusion Energi can travel an EPA-estimated 610
miles on a full tank of gas and full battery charge, the highest
combined range of any plug-in hybrid on the market in America
-
Harris Poll finds Americans significantly underestimate typical
plug-in hybrid vehicle range, with most respondents believing the
longest-range plug-in hybrid can travel just 261 miles
-
Ford – which now offers six electrified vehicles and is the No. 1
seller of plug-in hybrids – is investing
$4.5 billion to add 13 new ones to its product portfolio by 2020;
more than 40 percent of Ford’s nameplates globally will be electrified
by the end of this decade
Company Website:
http://corporate.ford.com/
DEARBORN, Mich. -- (Business Wire)
Forty percent of Americans are concerned about how far their vehicle can
go on a full tank of gas or battery charge, according to a new survey,
and Ford has a new car that can help alleviate that worry.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526006158/en/
Ford, America’s best-selling plug-in hybrid brand, now offers a plug-in hybrid that can go further than any other. The new 2017 Fusion Energi can travel 610 miles on a full tank of gas and battery charge – according to EPA estimates posted to fueleconomy.gov – the highest combined range of any plug-in hybrid sold in America. (Photo: Business Wire)
Ford, America’s best-selling plug-in hybrid brand, now offers a plug-in
hybrid that can go further than any other. The new 2017 Fusion Energi
can travel 610 miles on a full tank of gas and battery charge –
according to EPA estimates posted to fueleconomy.gov – the highest
combined range of any plug-in hybrid sold in America.
The March 2016 Harris Poll of more than 1,000 U.S. adults also finds
Americans believe the longest-range plug-in hybrid can go 261 miles –
less than half the Fusion Energi’s range. This significant
underestimation shows the disconnect between reality and what consumers
believe.
“Plug-in hybrids are electric vehicles until you run down the battery,”
said Wade Jackson, marketing manager for Ford Fusion, “then they work
exactly like a conventional hybrid. Fusion Energi – with a full battery
and a full tank of gas – can go from San Diego, through Los Angeles and
all the way up to San Francisco, and still have up to 110 miles of range
remaining.”
Changes to the car’s hybrid powertrain software and regenerative
braking, which recycles energy to the battery otherwise lost when
drivers hit the brakes, means the 2017 Fusion Energi can travel up to
610 miles on a full tank of gas and battery charge – up from 550 miles
for the 2016 model.
Plug-in hybrids use both electric batteries and gas-powered engines.
Normally, a vehicle owner will run on all-electric mode until the
electricity is depleted, at which point the engine turns on
automatically. The Fusion Energi’s all-electric range is an estimated 21
miles. If there is gas in the tank, the car will then operate for about
a mile using both battery and gas. After that, the gas engine kicks in
for another 588 miles of range – according to EPA estimates.
Top-selling electrified vehicle lineup
Ford – the No. 1 seller of plug-in hybrids for 2015 and year-to-date
2016 – is leading the way in raising awareness of the advantages these
vehicles offer. Through April, Fusion Energi sales are up 58 percent.
Kevin Layden, Ford director of electrified powertrain engineering, says
Fusion Energi is a great option for people who might not live, work or
play near electric-vehicle charging stations, or who take trips to
places where the electric-vehicle infrastructure is not yet established.
“Fusion Energi gives them both the freedom to go gas-free for shorter
trips and the fuel efficiency of a gas engine for longer trips,” he
says. “And it’s very affordable.”
Fusion Energi is on sale now. Its 610 mile range is nearly triple that
of the upcoming Tesla Model 3, which Tesla says has a projected total
range of 215 miles. The Model 3 doesn’t run on gas, so it also must be
recharged immediately when its battery is depleted.
Since introducing the plug-in hybrid vehicle in 2013, Ford has sold
nearly 30,000 Fusion Energi cars in the United States. Fusion Energi is
one of six Ford Motor Company electrified vehicles, including Ford
Fusion Hybrid, C-MAX Hybrid, C-MAX Energi, Focus Electric and Lincoln
MKZ Hybrid. By 2020, Ford will
invest $4.5 billion in electrified vehicles, adding 13 new ones to
its product portfolio. More than 40 percent of the company’s nameplates
globally will be electrified by the end of this decade.
Ford insights on plug-in hybrid drivers
Data Ford collected from more than 610 million miles logged by its
electrified vehicle owners show these drivers put an average of 13,500
miles annually on their vehicles – similar to what owners of
gasoline-only cars log – with about half those miles in electric mode.
That breaks down to an average daily commute of 42 miles for Ford
plug-in hybrid drivers.
So with the enhanced electric range, this means the average Fusion
Energi commuter could go the entire day using no gasoline – if the car
is fully charged before leaving for work and fully charged before
leaving for home.
Ford concludes from the data that most customers are likely charging
their vehicles only at home – leaving a wealth of opportunity for growth
in workplace charging stations.
The 2017 Ford Fusion Energi has an EPA-estimated rating of 43 city/41
hwy/42 combined MPG, a 14 gallon tank and 21 miles all-electric range.
Range calculation based on www.fueleconomy.gov.
Actual mileage and range will vary.
About the survey
This survey was conducted online in the United States by Harris Poll
on behalf of Ford Motor Company, March 22-30, 2016, among a nationally
representative sample of 1,052 people ages 18 and older. For complete
research methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample
sizes, please contact Chris Terry at cterry34@ford.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford
Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company
based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 201,000 employees and 67 plants
worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing,
manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford
cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury
vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging
opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a
leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer
experience, and data and analytics. For more information regarding Ford,
its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.
For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and
video, visit www.media.ford.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160526006158/en/
Contacts:
Ford Motor Company
Chris Terry
313.319.7398
cterry34@ford.com
Source: Ford Motor Company
© 2024 Canjex Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.