Ford has a winner with the new plugin ford fusion hybrid. The car is well build, quick, fun to drive, and economic. The only problem for the consumer is the price premium over the 2.5 liter gas powered only Fusion.
The Fusion Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, 156 hp gasoline engine matched to an electric motor that increases power output up to 191 hp. Performance of the two motor Ford is 0-60 mph in 8.8 seconds. Fuel economy is estimated at 41 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.
The Fusion battery pack is a Delphi model, the same company that produced batteries for the old EV1. The 1.3 kWh pack is not going to take the Fusion far or fast. The car is rated at around 2 miles at 40 plus mph on battery power alone. The battery pack is basically used to store energy from braking. The electric motor then re-uses this energy for power assist when needed.
For safety gear, the Fusion is on par with most modern vehicles. The car comes standard with antilock brakes, traction control, front and side curtain air bags, and rear parking sensors. Rearview camera and warning systems are optional.
The Fusion starts at $19,820, and the average model might go for around $25,870.
In terms of sales, the Fusion Hybrid is one of a handful of successful cars on the market. 2010 sales in the USA hit 20,816 units, just behind the Honda Insight Hybrid at 20,572 cars. These sales however pale in comparison to those of the Toyota Prius at 917,000 hybrids.
