New Ford Hybrids Showing Record MPGe Rates
January 7, 2013 Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis The escalating ‘pain at the pump’ over the last few years has proven to be just what the hybrid and electric car industries have needed to increase consumer demand for their vehicles – that, as well as improved performance technologies, and government incentives have also sweeten the deals improving sales.
These trends haven’t gone unnoticed by Ford, which has been working overtime of the last few years to ramp up its hybrid and electric fuel efficiency technologies and drive down its vehicle prices to levels the average consumer can afford – under the $50,000 range.
In the latest news, the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid – which was also recently named Green Car of the Year by the Green Car Journal – has been certified by the EPA at up to 108 MPGe city, which according to Ford bests the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid by five MPGe.
The EPA also certified the Fusion Engeri to deliver up to 92 MPGe highway and a combined 100 MPGe, which Ford estimates “could potentially help save consumers an estimated $6,850 in fuel costs compared with an average new car over the course of five years.”
Two other vehicles in Ford’s electrified lineup – the Focus Electric and the C-MAX Energi – have also received EPA ratings of 100 MPGe or more.
The Focus Electric has an EPA estimated rating of 110 MPGe city, 99 MPGe highway, and 105 MPGe combined.
Falling slightly shorter, but still impressive on performance, the C-MAX Energi has an EPA estimated rating of 108 MPGe city, 92 MPGe highway, and 100 MPGe combined.
Ford said that it has been pushing hard on developing its electrified vehicles based on industry research showing increased consumer demand with “for the first time ever, electrified vehicle sales capturing nearly four percent of the total industry in November.”
Ford has also seen its own electrified sales jump, reporting that the company “achieved its best electrified vehicle sales month ever in November with 7,157 units sold.”