Ford Fusion Hybrid – Automobiles Review

Automated Fusion Hybrid Research Vehicle By Ford

Ford in conjunction with the University of Michigan and State Farm has just revealed a new project – a Ford Fusion Hybrid automated research vehicle. The latter will be utilized in order to make progress on future automated driving and other future technologies.

Precisely, Fusion Hybrid automated vehicle will test brand’s sensing systems and driver-assist technologies in order to deliver better experience for the driver and occupants in the future models.

Nowadays, Ford offers vehicles which already have technology that enables them to park themselves, understand a driver’s voice commands, detect dangerous driving situations and assist with emergency braking. Taking this in hand and imagining how many other new advanced technologies will appear, Ford envisions that one day all this could allow a person to be driven to a destination.

For this reason, the brand now introduces the automated Fusion Hybrid which will serve as the research platform for achieving these goals. The Fusion Hybrid research vehicle builds on driver-in-control studies conducted in Ford’s VIRTTEX driving simulator.

In addition, the brand is working in terms of improving technology already used in vehicles on the road. This includes functions that alert drivers to traffic jams and accidents, and technologies for parking and for driving in slow-moving traffic.

In addition, the engineers at the brand also work on vehicle-to-vehicle communications, autopilot capabilities of the cars, and vehicles with fully autonomous navigation and parking. Ford Fusion Hybrid was chosen as the test platform for the new research effort because it is one of the cars which offer the most advanced driver-assist technologies in its class.

To go further into details, these technologies include Blind Spot Information System, active park assist, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support. And exactly these systems will be building blocks for the future of fully automated driving.

Other Ford vehicles which include these technologies are the Focus, C-MAX hybrids, Fusion, Taurus, Escape, Explorer, Flex, Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy. What is more, the research vehicle also includes four scanning infrared light sensors – named LiDAR (for Light Detection And Ranging) – that scan the road at 2.5 million times per second.

LiDAR utilizes light in the same way a bat or dolphin uses sound waves. This means that the sensors can track anything dense enough to redirect light, and can also sense the difference between a paper bag and a small animal at nearly a football field away.

Source: Ford

December 17, 2013

2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium Blends Luxury and Efficiency

2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium is categorized as the most fuel-efficient sedan in the U.S. Now, the new Titanium edition of the Fusion Hybrid model raises the bar on luxury and technology.

The new edition was designed in response to consumer demand for a higher level of luxury in a hybrid vehicle. The vehicle is available with 2.0-liter EcoBoost®Fusion with all-wheel drive.

This Ford model has a flowing silhouette conveying confidence, sophistication and a dynamic attitude. In details it comes with standard front fog lamps, chrome accents on the door handles, rear deck spoiler and polished 18-inch alloy wheels.

In terms of interior a wide range of new technologies are included. Both front seats get power adjustability, with the driver’s seat getting 10 directions from which to choose. All seats as well as the steering wheel and shift lever are wrapped in leather.

In addition, metallic finishes on the door, instrument panel and center console can be seen. Thanks to them the interior looks expensive without being ostentatious. Moreover, the models are equipped with 12-speaker Sony audio system with HD Radio™.

The award-winning SYNC® connectivity system is augmented with the enhanced voice control capability of MyFord Touch® along with SYNC Services. A rear view camera and Reverse Sensing System help the driver to see behind the Fusion while backing up.

In cases of night driving, an ambient lighting system steps in. It delivers a relaxing and pleasant cabin environment while an auto-dimming electro-chromic rearview mirror ensures that the person behind the steering wheel is never blinded by other vehicles with bright headlights coming up from behind.

Another special highlight here is Fusion’s new hybrid powertrain, which is activated by a push-button start. An advanced lithium-ion battery pack is one-third lighter than before but provides more power, enabling electric driving at speeds up to 62 mph.

2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid Titanium will be available in the beginning of the next year with a starting price of $32 995.

Source: Ford

October 3, 2012

2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid is the Most Fuel-Efficient Sedan in the U.S.

The new 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid is expected to be America’s most fuel-efficient non-rechargeable sedan. This success can be traced back to Ford’s electrified vehicle team and the nearly 500 patents Ford now holds for its hybrid technology. Innovations can be found throughout Ford’s transformed lineup, one-third of which will feature a model with 40 mpg or further by giving fuel-efficiency-minded customers the power of choice. Key components such as Ford’s innovative powersplit architecture system are included on vehicles like the new Ford Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid.

In details the all-new 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid is expected to deliver 47 mpg city and 44 mpg highway. At the same time, these expectations for the new 2013 Ford Fusion Energi, which arrives this fall in the U.S. dealerships, are more than 100 MPGe. In addition, one patent covers the display system for the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid that shows how efficiently the power of the car is being used. Fusion Energi is projected to achieve a better miles per gallon. In other words the levels of innovation are set very high for the new upcoming models.

Source: Ford

February 15, 2012

Ford Fusion Hybrid and Flex Won Best Interior Awards from Ward’s Autoworld Magazine

Two signature Ford products – the Ford Flex and the all-new Ford Fusion Hybrid – are winners in the 2009 Ward’s Interior of the Year competition, an annual contest that heralds vehicles for their interior styling, comfort, safety and value. (more…)

April 16, 2009

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Earns ‘Top Safety Pick’

The all-new 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid – the most fuel efficient midsize cars in North America – has received a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Ford is the only automotive brand to offer two hybrids that have segment-leading fuel efficiency, “Top Safety Pick” awards and exclusive safety technologies. The Fusion Hybrid offers 41 mpg city while the Escape Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient SUV on the market and also garnered a “Top Safety Pick.”

“Customers no longer have to choose between fuel economy and safety – now they can have both with the Fusion and Escape hybrids,” said Susan Cischke, group vice president, Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

The new Fusion Hybrid’s class-leading fuel economy bests the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city. It also features Ford’s innovative SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide, which coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency.

In addition, the new Fusion and Milan offer three fuel-sipping gas engine options, including the Duratec 2.5-liter I-4 and enhanced 3.0-liter V-6 and 3.5-liter V-6 Duratec engines. Fusions equipped with the 2.5-liter I-4 engine are expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry. The 3.5-liter V-6 powers the all-new Fusion Sport model.

Side impact protection
Fusion and Milan get some of their core strength from the use of lightweight high-strength steel in the body structure. The structure of the Fusion helps it withstand intrusion in a side impact. The tailor-welded B-pillars between the front and rear doorframes are stronger at the top of the vehicle –from below the beltline upward – than at the bottom. This helps to channel energy below the level of the occupants. At the torso level and above, the structure helps to prevent intrusion into the passenger compartment.

“The new Fusion and Milan continue to build on Ford’s leading safety heritage and prove yet again that a high level of safety can come in a midsize package,” said Steve Kozak, chief engineer, Ford Safety Systems.

Fusion’s side-protection elements include:

* Two energy absorbing foam blocks between the inner door panels and interior trim, aligned with the occupants’ chest and hip
* Side-intrusion beams inside the door, anchored at the hinge and latch areas
* Tailor-welded steel in the B-pillar structure with extra thickness—nearly a quarter inch of solid steel—above the beltline
* Seat-deployed thorax air bags for front occupants and side-curtain air bags for head protection in both rows

Segment-exclusive features
Among the segment-exclusive safety and driver aid technologies on the new Fusion and Milan are Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert (CTA) and 911 Assist.

BLIS with CTA uses two multiple-beam radars in the rear quarter panels (one per side) for two different – but important – purposes. BLIS checks the defined blind spot zone, which is about 10 feet from the back of the bumper to the outside mirrors. When a vehicle is detected, an amber light in the outside mirror of whichever side the vehicle is on lights up. The driver is still responsible for any lane changes, but the BLIS is there to help.

Cross Traffic Alert notifies the driver of impending traffic when backing out of a parking spot and warns the driver when a vehicle is detected within three car widths of either side of the car. As with BLIS, the driver is warned with a light in the outside mirror on the side of the traffic. A warning beep is also sounded.

For safety and security, the 2010 Fusion and Milan include 911 Assist, a new feature integrated into the award-winning Ford SYNCTM hands-free system. 911 Assist is designed to aid occupants in placing a call directly to a local 911 emergency operator if an accident that activates an air bag or the emergency fuel cutoff occurs. Unlike competitive systems that are routed through an intermediate call center, 911 Assist places the call directly to the 911 operator to speed response time. Ford Escape also features SYNC with 911 Assist.

A recent Ford study shows that SYNC’s hands-free operation significantly reduces the level of distraction when drivers select a phone number or choose a song on their MP3 player compared with the same operations with hand-held cell phones and music players.

“We know people want to stay connected in their vehicles, so we’re delivering that connectivity for them responsibly and safely,” Cischke said. “Our research backs up what most of us instinctively know – that it’s better while driving to place a call using a voice interface than dialing manually, so you can keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”

About IIHS’s Top Safety Picks
To receive IIHS’s “Top Safety Pick,” vehicles must earn the top “good” ratings in the Institute’s offset frontal and side crash tests, and a rear crash test simulation that evaluates seat and head restraints. An added requirement since 2007 is that vehicles also must offer electronic stability control. Ford Motor Company has more IIHS “Top Safety Picks” than any other automaker.

Both Fusion and Milan offer AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control as standard equipment. The safety system uses sensors to detect and measure yaw, or side-to-side skidding conditions, by monitoring the vehicle’s speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When AdvanceTrac® senses wheel slip, engine torque is reduced and braking is applied where needed to help the driver keep the car tracking on its intended path.

Safety and Security
Fusion and Milan’s standard safety features also include:

Six Standard Air Bags and Ford’s Personal Safety System®: Safety features include six air bags (dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags, chest side air bags for front-seat occupants and side-impact air curtains), safety belt pretensioners, seat weight-sensing system for the passenger seat and crash-severity sensing.

BeltMinder®: BeltMinder is a Ford technology that takes over after the initial safety belt reminder stops chiming. If the driver remains unbuckled, the system chimes and flashes a warning lamp for six seconds every 30 seconds for five minutes or until the driver buckles up, whichever comes first.

LATCH: The Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren system provides convenient mounting points for compatible child seats.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System: This system warns a driver if one or more tires are significantly underinflated. An active pressure sensor with a radio transmitter is mounted inside each tire. A receiver in the vehicle monitors each transmitter, and if tire pressure is not within specific limits, it will activate a visual warning light.

March 27, 2009

Ford Fusion Tops Toyota Camry, Honda Accord Again With Best-In-Class 34 MPG 4-Cylinder Model

2010 Ford Fusion Sport The Ford Fusion is now America’s most fuel efficient mid-size sedan for both hybrid and conventional gasoline models. (more…)

January 10, 2009

Ford Answers Customer RequestsFor Better Vehicle Visibility

Maneuvering through crowded mall traffic is a challenge on a good day. It is even less fun when it comes time to back out of the parking spot it took you so long to find. (more…)

December 27, 2008

41 Mpg! All-New Ford Fusion Hybrid Is Now America’s Most Fuel-Efficient Mid-Size Car

The all-new Ford Fusion Hybrid is now officially America’s most fuel efficient mid-size car with a certified 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway.

“The new Ford Fusion Hybrid not only significantly exceeds the competition but also embodies Ford’s 100 percent commitment to fuel efficiency leadership, quality, innovation and advanced technology,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “The Ford team set the bar high – to develop America’s most fuel efficient mid-size sedan – and that’s what they delivered.”

The 2010 Ford Fusion’s final fuel economy certification was completed this week at Ford’s testing laboratories in Allen Park, Mich., and the vehicle will carry an EPA label of 41 mpg for city driving and 36 mpg on the highway when it goes on sale this spring. The Fusion Hybrid, which beats even the much smaller Honda Civic hybrid by 1 mpg in city driving, can travel more than 700 miles on a single tank of gas.

To deliver the class leading fuel economy performance, Ford’s engineers spent the past three years developing in-house the vehicle’s next-generation hybrid propulsion system. It allows the Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrid to travel up to 47 miles per hour in pure electric mode, faster than the Toyota Camry and all other hybrids currently on the road. In addition, the system’s Advanced Intake Variable Cam Timing allows the Fusion and Milan hybrids to more seamlessly transition from gas to electric mode and vice-versa.

“The Fusion Hybrid’s ability to run at a much higher speed in electric mode allows drivers to maximize fuel efficiently in many driving situations,” said Praveen Cherian, Fusion Hybrid program leader. “For example, this would allow drivers to travel around their subdivision and parking areas in all-electric mode.”

Fusion’s advanced hybrid system features:

Smaller, lighter nickel-metal hydride battery, which produces 20 percent more power than Ford’s previous hybrid system. The battery’s improved chemistry allows it to be run at a higher temperature and cooled using cabin air.
New 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine (155 horsepower / 136 lb.-ft. of torque), which is mated to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission.
Enhanced electronic throttle control, which reduces airflow on shutdowns, reducing fueling needs on restarts.
Smart climate control system, which monitors cabin temperature and only runs the gas engine as needed to heat the cabin. It also includes an electric air conditioning compressor to further minimize engine use.
Regenerative brake system, which captures the energy normally lost through friction in braking and stores it. Nearly 94 percent energy recovery is achieved by delivering full regenerative braking, which means only 6 percent of braking is through traditional friction brakes

SmartGauge Teaches Eco-Driving

The new Fusion Hybrid literally teaches drivers how to make the most out of their vehicle, thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide. SmartGauge is a unique instrument cluster that helps coach drivers on how to optimize the performance of their hybrid.

SmartGauge with EcoGuide features two, high-resolution, full-color liquid crystal display screens on either side of the vehicle’s speedometer. The screens can be configured to show different levels of driver information, including fuel and battery power levels, and average and instant miles-per-gallon.

When set in tutorial mode, the instrument panel “grows” leaves and vines on-screen to reward fuel-efficient driving. The more leaves and vines that appear, the more efficient the driving behavior is and the more fuel is being saved. In some recent tests, automotive journalists have reported exceeding 50 mpg with the Fusion Hybrid.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid also is distinct on the outside with Ford’s “road and leaf” badges on both sides and the rear, unique 17-inch, eight-spoke wheels, and a unique engine cover. On the inside, Fusion Hybrid features eco-friendly seat fabric made from post-industrial 100 percent recycled materials and a standard 110-volt power outlet.

Fusion Gasoline Model Also a Fuel Leader

In addition to the hybrid, Fusion will be offered with three fuel-efficient gasoline engines – the Duratec 2.5-liter I-4 and enhanced 3.0-liter flex-fuel V-6 and 3.5-liter V-6 Duratec engines. Fusions equipped with the 2.5-liter I-4 engine are expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry. The new Fusion will be building off the strong quality reputation of the current model, which has gained important third-party accolades, and will offer class-exclusive features, including Ford SYNC™, SIRIUS® TravelLink™, BLIS™ (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert and Sony-branded audio.

In addition to the Fusion, several other Ford vehicles are fuel-economy standouts on the road today. They include:

The Ford Focus with 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and manual transmission delivers 35 mpg on the highway, 5 mpg better than the Toyota Corolla’s 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine and 2 mpg better than the Honda Fit’s 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, both also with manual transmissions.
The all-new 2009 Ford F-150 – which just recently was named Motor Trend magazine’s Truck of the Year – achieves 3 mpg more than the Toyota Tundra pickup on the highway and 1 mpg better in the city with its 4.6-liter V-8 engine, compared to Toyota’s 4.7-liter V-8. The F-150’s larger 5.4-liter V-8 achieves 2 mpg better on the highway than the Tundra’s larger engine.
The 2009 Ford Escape with new 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine achieves 28 mpg on the highway, the same as Toyota’s RAV4 and 1 mpg better than the Honda CR-V, both with 4-cylinder engines, too.
The Ford Expedition achieves 20 mpg on the highway, beating Toyota Sequoia’s 4.7-liter V-8 engine by 3 mpg and its 5.7-liter V-8 by 1 mpg.

December 24, 2008

2010 Ford Fusion, fusion Hybrid Offer Leading Fuel Efficiency, Smart New Technologies

Ford Motor Company announced today that the new 2010 Ford Fusion will offer consumers a more fuel-efficient powertrain lineup, including an all-new hybrid model that is expected to achieve class-leading fuel economy. (more…)

October 30, 2008

Ford’s Smartgauge With Ecoguide Coaches Drivers To Maximize Fuel Efficiency On New Fusion Hybrid

Pushing a vehicle to the limit takes on a new meaning in the new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide – an innovative new instrument cluster that provides real-time information to help drivers maximum fuel efficiency. (more…)

October 29, 2008

Tag: Ford Fusion Hybrid

SmartGauge Teaches Eco-Driving

Fusion Gasoline Model Also a Fuel Leader