THE 2010 FORD FUSION HYBRID TOPS 1,445.7 MILES ON ONE TANK OF GAS
Mileage-maximizing techniques and the fuel-efficient 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid enabled drivers to get an astounding 1,445.7 miles from a single tank of gas.
Averaging 81.5 miles per gallon in a, non-modified 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, a team of drivers drove the vehicle around Washington.
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid 1,000 Mile Challenge team, which included NASCAR star Carl Edwards, high mileage trailblazer Wayne Gerdes and several Ford Motor Company engineers, maximized their mileage by using a few simple techniques that can be used in any vehicle to improve fuel economy.
Mileage-maximizing techniques include:
- Accelerating smoothly up to the posted speed limit
- Applying the “Pulse and Glide” technique while maintaining the flow of traffic
- Anticipating traffic signal timing and traffic patterns, and slowing down to minimize stops
- Coasting up to red lights and stop signs to avoid fuel waste and brake wear
- Minimizing the use of vehicle systems such as heated seats and air conditioning
- Keeping windows closed whenever possible to reduce drag
- Minimizing excessive engine workload by using the vehicle’s kinetic forward motion to climb hills, and use downhill momentum to build speed
- Avoiding bumps and potholes that can reduce momentum
The Fusion Hybrid 1,000 Mile Challenge called upon the team to drive several routes in and around the national capital over the course of approximately 48 continuous hours. The drivers took turns during the round-the-clock event. The route involved elevation changes, and ranged from the relatively open George Washington Parkway to a 3-mile stretch in the heart of the city that is clogged with approximately 30 traffic signals.
Carl Edwards Drives Past 1000 Miles:
Quotes
“It was very exciting to be an active part in this challenge. The fact that it will help spread the word about the Fusion Hybrid’s great mileage, and help out a great charity like JDRF, makes it even more special. There’s no question that the Fusion Hybrid will help consumers save fuel when they drive it. Having driven the car, I feel strongly about how great it is – so strong that I’ve purchased one myself.”
- Carl Edwards, Ford NASCAR racer
“The Fusion Hybrid works brilliantly. When you don’t need acceleration power while driving around town the gas engine shuts down just the way it is supposed to. There is not another hybrid drivetrain in the world that does that as effectively. The Fusion engineering team really knocked it out of the park.”
- Wayne Gerdes, CleanMPG.com founder
FORD ADDS COMMUNITY, CHARITY ‘ADVANTAGE’ TO PLAN
Ford to Donate $20 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® for Every Customer Test Drive
Ford Motor Company is committed to the fight against breast cancer, and is a proud supporter of breast cancer research and critical breast cancer services. Over the years Ford has dedicated more than $100 million to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure fight against breast cancer.
To further show their support, Ford will donate $20, up to $1 million, to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® in the name of each prospective customer that test drives a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle through June 1. This charitable initiative will run alongside the Ford Advantage Plan, designed to boost consumer confidence by offering valued Ford customers a guaranteed 12 months of vehicle payments on any new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle up to $700 a month, if the customer loses his/her job.
Customers interested in a test drive can join in and participate by logging on to www.fordcares.com and getting a registration form and number to provide to their dealer. Customers participating in any upcoming Komen Race for the Cure event through June 1st will receive a registration form and can also follow the same steps to have a $20 donation made on their behalf as well.
Twitter users can follow this story @Ford. Please help by getting the word out by sending a tweet. Here’s a sample: For test drives until 6/1, Ford donates $20 to Komen for the Cure. RT and @ at least ONE woman you love! http://is.gd/unhl
Quotes:
“Our goal with the Ford Advantage Plan is to rebuild consumer confidence and assist local charitable organizations that also are struggling in this economy.” - Ken Czubay, vice president of Sales and Marketing, Ford Motor Company
“This program will go a long way in helping Komen directly serve women and men in hundreds of communities across the country with education, screening and treatment programs that address breast cancer issues close to home.” - Hala Moddelmog, President and CEO, Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
THE 2010 FORD FUSION HYBRID 1,000 MILE CHALLENGE
Ford team aim to drive 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid over 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas.
Putting the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid to the ultimate fuel-efficiency test, a team of drivers will be attempting to drive over 1000 miles on a single tank of gas, raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the process. Currently the most fuel-efficient, mid-sized sedan in America, the Fusion Hybrid will have to best its EPA rating of 41 mpg in the city by attaining an average of at least 57 mpg.
Demonstrating its message “Ford is Different”, Ford has invested in creating vehicles with strong fuel-economy numbers and is working with all drivers to encourage more fuel-efficient driving in any vehicle. Throughout the challenge, driver Wayne Gerdes, who is the World Record Breaking Hypermiling champion and founder of cleanmpg.com, will be providing fuel-saving driving tips.
Other than a fresh change of oil before the drive commences and having the tire pressures checked, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid used in the challenge will not be altered in any way. It will run on regular 87 octane gas.
The 1,000 mile challenge starts at around 8:00 a.m. on Saturday April 25th from Mount Vernon, Virginia, and ends the morning of Monday April 27th in Washington, DC. Using The George Washington Boulevard as the main drive route, the Fusion Hybrid will be driven with driver change-over stops only throughout the day and night of Saturday April 25th as well as the day and night of Sunday April 26th.
The team comprises:
- Wayne Gerdes – World Record Breaking Hypermiling champion and founder of cleanmpg.com
- Sherif Maraky – Graduate of Maryland University, Sherif is the Chief Engineer in the Hybrid Team
- Gil Portalatin – Gil is the Hybrid Applications Manager and the man responsible for leading the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid team
- Tom Rolewiszc – Tom is one of Ford’s top calibration experts and has all the key information about how the hybrid system works
- Steve Burke – Steve is another product expert on hybrid applications.
- Carl Edwards – Carl is a NASCAR race legend. He will be joining the team on Sunday night and Monday morning and will be doing a significant part of the driving. Carl has recently bought his own 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and loves the car.
FORD’S ACCELERATED BATTERY RESEARCH AND VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION PLANS
FORD’S ACCELERATED BATTERY RESEARCH DRIVES DEVELOPMENT OF VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION PLANS
One of the hurdles in the race to develop automotive Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery systems for high volume hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicle programs is improving the technology’s durability.
Ford’s advanced battery researchers are working with battery suppliers, utility companies and top-tier academic researchers to develop, test and validate high-powered battery systems that are durable enough to last the lifetime of a vehicle.
More Efficient, Less Costly
According to Ford’s advanced battery researchers’ recent findings, which were presented at SAE International’s 2009 World Congress this week, Li-ion battery systems:
- Will be 5 percent more energy efficient than the nickel-metal hydride batteries used in today’s hybrid electric vehicles, and;
- Would be less costly than NiMH in large volumes – approximately 30 percent less expensive at an annual volume of 3 million hybrids
Adaptable Technology
The Li-ion battery packs that Ford will use in its hybrids and electric vehicles, are 25 to 30 percent smaller and 50 percent lighter than NiMH batteries. That makes them easier to package in a vehicle. Unlike NiMH batteries, Li-ion can be tuned to increase power to boost acceleration, or to increase energy to extend driving distance.
Ford will use Li-ion battery systems to power:
- a pure battery electric (BEV) Transit Connect commercial van in 2010
- a BEV passenger car developed jointly with Magna International by 2011
- a Plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) and next-generation hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) by 2012
Unique Li-ion systems are in development for each type of vehicle, because the drive cycles of BEVs, HEVs and PHEVs have different types of battery storage and usage requirements.
Challenges Remain
The Li-ion battery needed for automotive use is expected to handle a multitude of vehicle operations under extremely hot and cold conditions, making thermal and safety management much more complex than that needed for batteries in consumer electronics, such as laptops.
Testing Underway
Ford is accelerating its research, development and testing of advanced Li-ion battery technology, thanks, in part, to a $55 million tax credit incentive from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Ford has engaged researchers at the University of Michigan and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to conduct digital simulation tests, collecting degradation data that Ford and its battery suppliers have used to improve Li-ion performance.
In addition, Ford has entered into research partnerships with eight regional electrical utility companies to conduct real-world tests on Li-ion-powered Ford Escape PHEVs.
These vehicles:
- Use a common household current (120 volts) for charging, with a full charge of the battery completed within six to eight hours
- Can achieve up to 120 mpg when driven on surface streets for the first 30 miles following a full charge
- Operate in two modes, electric drive and blended electric-engine drive
- Run as a fuel-efficient standard Ford Escape Hybrid one the charge in the battery as been depleted
QUOTES
“Ford is strongly positioned to accelerate its electric vehicle strategy this year thanks to the significant research we’ve already completed. Our collaborative work with suppliers and partners will help us be one of the first automakers to bring the next generation of personal transportation to market.” – Susan Cischke, Group Vice President, Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering
“Our PHEV fleet is a direct result of our Li-ion research, and the data mined from these field tests will provide crucial information as we make advances in battery technology.” – Ted Miller, Manager, Ford Energy Storage Strategy and Research
“The efforts of Ted Miller’s team to reduce the cost and mass of Li-ion systems have been important to the research community at large. Their efforts are yielding improved Li-ion systems, and more knowledgeable workers.” – Ann Marie Sastry, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and
Director of the University of Michigan’s Energy Systems Engineering Program
FORD PLUG-IN HYBRID ENERGIZES MEDIA AT ALABAMA EVENT
The scene at Barber Motorsports Park and Museum in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday, wasn’t the sort of engine-revving, tire-smoking event one normally sees in NASCAR country. But it was arguably more “electrifying.”
The media turned out in force at the venue to test drive the Ford Escape plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), which Alabama Power and its parent Southern Company is road testing in partnership with Ford. Representatives from the Electric Power Research Institute and the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition also participated in the event, which was followed on Tuesday by a “Green Fleet” event for Alabama Power and Southern Company employees.
Electric Companies Get Plugged in with Ford
Alabama Power is one of Ford’s several utility and research partners conducting real world road testing with the Escape PHEV. The other partners include:
- Southern California Edison
- New York Power Authority
- Consolidated Edison of New York
- American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio
- Progress Energy of Raleigh, N.C.
- DTE Energy of Detroit
- National Grid of Waltham, Mass.
- New York State Energy and Research Development Authority, a state agency
Ford was the first automotive manufacturer to partner with the utility industry in a shared effort to understand all of the issues related to PHEV technology and its interconnectivity with the electric grid.
The research into PHEVs focuses on four primary areas: battery technology, vehicle systems, customer usage, and grid infrastructure. The utility companies also will explore the potential for stationary battery application and the value of energy storage.
The partnerships will help Ford accelerate its electrification strategy, including bringing a full battery electric vehicle (BEV) van to market in 2010 for commercial use, a small BEV sedan developed jointly with Magna International by 2011 and a PHEV by 2012.
Charging up tomorrow’s technology today
Drivers of the demonstration Ford Escape PHEV will make far fewer trips to the gas station. It uses common household current (120 volts) for charging, with a full charge of the battery completed within six to eight hours. When driven on surface streets for the first 30 miles following a full charge, the Ford Escape PHEV can achieve up to 120 mpg – roughly 4.5 times its traditional gas internal combustion engine-powered counterpart.
A fully charged Ford Escape PHEV operates in two modes, electric drive and blended electric/engine drive. It is not range-limited by the amount of charge available in the high-voltage lithium-ion battery. Once the charge in the battery has been depleted, the vehicle continues to operate as a fuel-efficient, standard Ford Escape Hybrid.
Li-ion Battery Plant Boosts Ford’s Plans
Li-ion Battery Plant Investment Boosts Ford’s Electrification Plans
Ford Motor Company is another step closer to putting plug-in hybrid electric vehicles into production with supplier Johnson Controls-Saft’s announcement Tuesday that the battery maker plans to build its first U.S. cell manufacturing facility for Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery systems in Holland, Mich.
Ford recently entered into a partnership with Johnson Controls-Saft to develop an advanced Li-ion battery system to power Ford’s first commercial plug-in hybrid (PHEV) as part of its electrification strategy.
Ford will use Li-ion battery systems to power:
- a pure battery electric (BEV) Transit Connect commercial van in 2010
- a BEV passenger car developed jointly with Magna International by 2011
- a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) and next-generation hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) by 2012
Unique Li-ion systems are needed for each type of vehicle, because the drive cycles of BEVs, HEVs and PHEVs have different types of battery storage and usage requirements.
Michigan’s Bid for Battery Dominance
Johnson Controls-Saft, a leading global provider of hybrid battery systems, announced that it will receive a combination of tax credits and incentives from the state of Michigan totaling $148.5 million.
The estimated cost to renovate Johnson Controls-Saft’s Holland, Mich., facility for Li-ion automotive battery production is approximately $220 million. Initial capacity is expected to be 15 million Li-ion cells.
Johnson Controls-Saft is one of four companies investing a total $1.7 billion to launch advanced battery manufacturing facilities in Michigan as part of the state’s strategy to become what Governor Jennifer M. Granholm calls the “advanced battery capital of the world.”
LG Chem-Compact Power Inc., KD Advanced Battery Group LLC and A123Systems Inc. also have announced projects that are expected to contribute to the creation of more than 6,600 new jobs in the Michigan.
Quotes:
“These incentives are an important step to building a domestic advanced battery industry. Johnson Controls-Saft is well positioned to become a key manufacturer of advanced lithium-ion batteries for electrified vehicles and we have partnered with them to supply our plug-in electric vehicle coming in 2012, as part of our overall electrification strategy.”
– Susan Cischke, group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering
Ford Motor Company
“Battery technology is strategically important to the future of the U.S. automotive industry and the economy at large. Our first U.S. plant will bring about 500 jobs to Michigan, and many additional jobs through suppliers and the businesses these employees will support. It is a key element of our broader strategy and commitment to the hybrid vehicle industry in North America.”
– Alex Molinaroli, president of Power Solutions for Johnson Controls
JOIN FORD’S CEO, ALAN MULALLY ON TWITTER!
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY, ALAN MULALLY TAKES YOUR QUESTIONS ON TWITTER WITH THE @FORD TEAM
Progressive and innovative thinking is an essential component of Ford’s culture. With an already active social media presence, Ford continues to join, participate and contribute to the online conversation.
Ford Motor Company is excited to announce that Alan Mulally, President and Chief Executive Officer, will be taking questions live on Twitter on April 15th from 1:00-1:30pm EDT. During this time Ford invites you to join Alan at @Ford - http://twitter.com/Ford - (and to use the hashtag #FordCEO) on Twitter for an exciting and unique Q&A forum. Feel free to tweet your questions, concerns and suggestions, we’d love to hear what you think!
Links:
Biography for Alan Mulally, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company
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A discussion with Ford’s Advantage Plan Experts Kim Cape and Andrew Ashman, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury Marketing Managers
Live Interactive Streaming Video Event
Tuesday April 7th, 2009 - 12:00 Noon ET
Join in and ask your questions live:
In our episode on April 7th at 12:00 noon ET, Michael Collins takes a look at the newly-released Ford Advantage Plan and discovers how Ford is committed to offering peace of mind to Americans who are considering the purchase of a new vehicle.
Join in and ask your questions as Michael takes an in-depth look at the Ford Advantage Plan and how it compares with similar plans currently offered in the marketplace. The discussion includes Kim Cape and Andrew Ashman, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury Marketing Managers.
The Ford Advantage Plan offers payment protection of up to $700 per month for up to 12 months on any new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle if customers lose their jobs. Also, customers can take advantage of 0 percent financing on select Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles through Ford’s financing partner, Ford Motor Credit. The program runs from March 31 through June 1.
About Ford DigiKnows
Now you can talk to the people at Ford about what matters to you. Join us every week for Ford DigiKnows – a series of live interactive streaming video events. Each week our intrepid host, Michael Collins, takes you the behind the scenes for the scoop on all things Ford. The DigiKnow live streaming events let you talk with the experts from Ford, as they take you under the hood for a look at new and innovative Ford technologies. DigiKnows helps you uncover another side of Ford.
Links:
Learn more about the Ford Advantage Plan
Ford Introduces Best-in Industry Plan to Improve Consumer Confidence, Jump-Start Vehicle Sales
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