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Looks like this may become a reality, as Ford continues to show off the 2010 Ford Fusion & Mercury Milan Hybrids to the press.
Planned to arrive at dealerships this upcoming Spring, these hybrid sedans will offer a number of attractive features, including:
- travel as fast as 75 kilometres per hour (47 mph) or as far as 13 kilometres (8 miles) on electric-only power;
- offer city fuel economy of 6.2 litres per 100 kilometres (38 miles per US gallon).
The L.A. Auto Show this month will mark the public debut of these vehicles. For other details check out the write-up at HybridCars.com :clap:
http://www.hybridcars.com/news/ford-fus ... 25209.html
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Ford's New Smarter Hybrids
The two hybrids will officially debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November and will arrive in showrooms in Spring 2009. The engine for the Fusion and Milan hybrids is a 155-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder. With the addition of the Fusion and Milan hybrids, Ford plans to double its annual hybrid sales from 25,000 to 50,000. Currently, Ford offers hybrid versions of the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, and Mazda Tribute-all are SUVs.
The new hybrids will up the ante on Ford's hybrid technology. The cars will use a newly developed battery pack that is smaller yet more powerful than the batteries in the Escape and Mariner. And the new pack uses air from the car's interior to keep the batteries cool, rather than the vehicle's air conditioner. In addition, the AC can fully function from electric power alone-even when the gas engine is off.
Ford also gave the Fusion a cosmetic makeover, giving a more muscular look than its predecessor.
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid will be the first to use Ford's new SmartGuage technology. Inspired by the Toyota Prius's hybrid energy/consumption monitor, the SmartGauge goes further by helping the driver to learn specific techniques to achieve higher efficiency. The dashboard interface offers feedback to the driver-both visual and sound. In other words, it actually talks to you. "Unique to Ford and Mercury hybrid sedans, this instrument cluster acts as a good 'coach,' engaging drivers real-time to help them achieve maximum fuel economy," Gil Portalatin, Ford's Hybrid Applications Manager told Automobile Magazine.
The gauge cluster is comprised of dual hi-resolution LCD screens to display instantaneous mileage and fuel economy history-as well as key data including battery charge, engine output, and accessory power consumption. One animation depicts a vine of leaves that grows larger as the driver becomes more efficient over time. To prevent sensory overload, the system allows the driver to decide how much information to see, and what can be ignored.
Planned to arrive at dealerships this upcoming Spring, these hybrid sedans will offer a number of attractive features, including:
- travel as fast as 75 kilometres per hour (47 mph) or as far as 13 kilometres (8 miles) on electric-only power;
- offer city fuel economy of 6.2 litres per 100 kilometres (38 miles per US gallon).
The L.A. Auto Show this month will mark the public debut of these vehicles. For other details check out the write-up at HybridCars.com :clap:
http://www.hybridcars.com/news/ford-fus ... 25209.html
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ford's New Smarter Hybrids
The two hybrids will officially debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November and will arrive in showrooms in Spring 2009. The engine for the Fusion and Milan hybrids is a 155-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder. With the addition of the Fusion and Milan hybrids, Ford plans to double its annual hybrid sales from 25,000 to 50,000. Currently, Ford offers hybrid versions of the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, and Mazda Tribute-all are SUVs.
The new hybrids will up the ante on Ford's hybrid technology. The cars will use a newly developed battery pack that is smaller yet more powerful than the batteries in the Escape and Mariner. And the new pack uses air from the car's interior to keep the batteries cool, rather than the vehicle's air conditioner. In addition, the AC can fully function from electric power alone-even when the gas engine is off.
Ford also gave the Fusion a cosmetic makeover, giving a more muscular look than its predecessor.
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid will be the first to use Ford's new SmartGuage technology. Inspired by the Toyota Prius's hybrid energy/consumption monitor, the SmartGauge goes further by helping the driver to learn specific techniques to achieve higher efficiency. The dashboard interface offers feedback to the driver-both visual and sound. In other words, it actually talks to you. "Unique to Ford and Mercury hybrid sedans, this instrument cluster acts as a good 'coach,' engaging drivers real-time to help them achieve maximum fuel economy," Gil Portalatin, Ford's Hybrid Applications Manager told Automobile Magazine.
The gauge cluster is comprised of dual hi-resolution LCD screens to display instantaneous mileage and fuel economy history-as well as key data including battery charge, engine output, and accessory power consumption. One animation depicts a vine of leaves that grows larger as the driver becomes more efficient over time. To prevent sensory overload, the system allows the driver to decide how much information to see, and what can be ignored.
