Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid test drive (video)

The Ford Fusion Energi joins the C-MAX Energi and Focus Electric as the company's third vehicle with a charging connector and access to California's HOV lanes. While it's a larger car than the C-MAX Energi, it weighs about the same and features pretty much the same plug-in hybrid powertrain with 195 net horsepower and three EV driving modes. It combines a 2-liter DOHC 16V Duratec (Atkinson cycle) engine and CVT with an AC synchronous motor powered by a 7.6kWh Lithium Ion battery. This pack takes about 2.5 hours to fill up with a 240V charging station and provides a range of 21 miles (100MPGe) at up to 85mph in all-electric mode. Both autos share the same unfortunate battery protrusion in the trunk area, and while it's less of an issue in the Fusion sedan than the wagon-like C-MAX, it detracts from the overall package. The Fusion Energi also packs the company's latest and greatest tech, including MyFord Mobile, SmartGauge with EcoGuide, Eco Cruise and SYNC with MyFord Touch. Sure, that's pretty exciting, but how does it actually drive? Find out after the break. Ford Fusion Energi test driveSee all photoswhen.eng("eng.galleries.init")

We took the Fusion Energi for a spin on the rainy streets of San Francisco, and it was a pleasant experience despite the downtown traffic and sub-par weather. While we were impressed with the Focus Electric's excellent driving dynamics, we were disappointed with the C-MAX Energi's vague steering and soft handling (this despite sharing the same chassis as the Focus). The Fusion Energi splits the difference: it's not as playful as the Focus Electric, but it's far more engaging than the appliance-like C-MAX Energi. Handling is confident, with a compliant ride even on San Francisco's famously rutted streets -- it's clearly a vehicle that would be comfortable on longer trips. The steering feels precise and the brakes are drama-free.

We were less enamored with the powertrain. In the all-electric EV Now mode, the accelerator only responds to the first 1/3 of pedal travel. Beyond the initial surge of torque, the car slowly builds up momentum regardless of any further throttle input. Mash the pedal in Auto EV mode and, after the electric motor pulls you off the line, there's a brief delay before the gasoline engine comes to life and the CVT raises the RPMs to maximize efficiency. The resulting soundtrack is loud and buzzy and betrays the vehicle's overall refinement. EV Later mode provides less electric assistance as it attempts to conserve battery power.

Ford's outfitted the Fusion Energi with a dizzying array of driver-assist tech, including a lane-keeping system, adaptive cruise control, driver alert system, active park assist, rear camera, blind-spot indicator system with cross-traffic alert and pull-drift compensation (phew). It also features a Sony and Microsoft-branded SYNC with MyFord Touch infotainment system and an AT&T-powered wireless data connection for telematics. Speaking of which, the MyFord Mobile app's recently been updated to benefit from the company's partnership with PlugShare for real-time charging station location information. The Fusion Energi is availabe now starting at $38,700.

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By: Unknown On 8:18 PM

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MyFord Mobile adds PlugShare's location data, C-Max and Fusion Energi compatibility

Ford and PlugShare Team Up to Help Ford C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi Drivers Find Plugs with MyFord Mobile

Ford is teaming up with PlugShare, an industry-leading aggregator of public charge stations, to provide real-time charge station information to drivers of Ford's all-new plug-in hybrid vehicles – C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi

Ford is the only manufacturer to offer real-time charging station location information through its smartphone app, MyFord® Mobile

The collaboration will provide Ford customers comprehensive access to the quickly growing number of public charge stations in the U.S. and Canada; Ford also announced its commitment to the Workplace Charging Challenge with the Department of Energy, which aims to increase the number of U.S. employers offering workplace charging by tenfold in the next five years

PlugShare.com offers a unique advantage by aggregating publicly available and crowd-sourced information on charging station locations along with photos, reviews and check-ins

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 7, 2013 – The award-winning MyFord Mobile smartphone app and Web portal now features a charging station finder powered by PlugShare.com and will be compatible with the new Ford Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid vehicles.

PlugShare® brings a powerful new component to MyFord® Mobile with its live database of charging stations across North America. In addition to aggregating publicly available lists of stations from a variety of sources, PlugShare incorporates crowd-sourced information from users to provide the most comprehensive dataset available.

"When we launched the MyFord Mobile app and portal for the Focus Electric last year, it was the most advanced remote management app of its kind in the industry," said Bill Frykman, Business and Product Development manager. "We're now expanding availability of the system to drivers of our new plug-in hybrids and offering some unique features specifically tailored to these long-range vehicles."

"It is a little known fact that the majority of charging stations are currently free to use. By giving drivers a clear view of the reality of charging, PlugShare and Ford are showing more and more drivers that now is a great time to start driving on electricity," said Forrest North, CEO of Xatori, the makers of PlugShare. "With our real-time, crowd-sourcing features that include photos, reviews and check-ins, PlugShare has quickly become one of the largest and most popular charging station locators in North America. We are thrilled an established industry leader such as Ford has chosen PlugShare for MyFord Mobile."

In addition to an EPA-estimated rating of 21 miles of pure electric driving range per charge, both C-MAX and Fusion Energi has an EPA-estimated range of 620 miles on one tank of gas and one charge.

Owners of the first-ever Ford plug-in hybrid vehicles can now use their smartphones from almost anywhere to monitor and manage the battery charging process, find charging stations, check energy efficiency and earn achievements for efficient driving.

The station finder component of the MyFord Mobile app now blends point-of-interest search with charging station information from PlugShare.com to let drivers take advantage of opportunistic charging wherever their destination might be. Users can search for terms such as "pizza" or "Mexican food" near a location and MyFord Mobile will display the results along with the nearest available charge for each entry. Drivers can select a destination based on proximity to a plug.

"Access to public charging allows our C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi customers to drive more electric miles – helping improve our environmental footprint, and reduce our reliance on foreign oil, said Mike Tinskey, director, vehicle electrification & infrastructure. "We've seen impressive growth in the number of installed public charge stations – growing from under 3,000 units in 2010 to over 11,500 installed units in the US today.

"This partnership allows for Ford customers to access all the currently installed stations, as well as gain immediate access to new charge stations as they are installed."

MyFord Mobile's trip and charge log has also been updated to provide drivers with information about how efficiently they are using their plug-in hybrid vehicle in both electric and hybrid mode. By taking advantage of available data on electricity use, hybrid gas mileage and regenerative braking, the app coaches drivers to adjust their driving style to be more efficient.

MyFord Mobile still lets plug-in hybrid owners check the state of charge of the battery, get alerts if they forgot to plug the car in or if charging stops, and take advantage of value charging for the lowest electricity rates during off-peak hours. Drivers can also precondition the cabin temperature while the car is plugged in to reduce the load on the drivetrain for enhanced efficiency.

"We designed MyFord Mobile to provide owners of Ford plug-in vehicles with a convenient way to monitor and manage their total energy usage, and we're continually working to make the experience better," added Frykman.

MyFord Mobile is available in the Apple iOS App Store for iPhones and the Google Play Store for Android phones. The MyFord Mobile Web portal is at http://www.myfordmobile.com. Some features of the MyFord Mobile app including point-of-interest search, trip and charge log, and achievements will become available after the initial launch.

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By: Unknown On 11:10 PM

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