Ford’s Plugin Hybrids are coming!
We are impressed with Ford. Ford is making an effort and it really shows. If you consider comfort and interior space, as well as styling, the Ford Fusion hybrid is a very nice car, easily the best choice of any hybrid. We like the Prius a lot but the Fusion is a great choice. Now Ford is about to offer Plugin hybrids. We can’t wait!
Ford’s Derrick Kuzak is the head of product development. He has been talking about the C-Max hybrid and the C-Max Energi plugin hybrid, and how they show the direction Ford is going. Both C-Max models use a liquid-cooled lithium ion battery, rathern an nickel-metal hydride batteries. This saves up to 30% of the space and are 50% lighter. Both models will have regenerative braking.
Ford C-Max Hybrid
Ford says the C-Max will have better mileage than the Fusion hybrid, so that will be impressive. The C-Max Energi should have mileage roughly comparable to the Volt Plugin hybird, and has an expected total range of at least 500 miles. It will be very interesting to compare the C-Max Energi and the Volt head to head.
Ford will be making not only a Fusion hybrid, but also a Fusion Plugin Hybrid; we cant wait to test drive that. We are a little disappointed that Ford is dropping the hybrid version of the Escape; the world needs more hybrid SUV/4wheel drive cars. Right now, Toyota’s Highlander hybridis the only mid-size SUV that offers a hybrid option.
Rumor has it that the Fusion Energi plug-in will beat the Volt in mileage. If so, then the Fusion Energi plug-in might very well be the best car in the world. Sorry Toyota.
GM is also doing very well with its Chevy Volt plugin hybrid, a car we are impressed with. But Chevy and Fords efforts are quite in contrast with Honda. The only good hybrid Honda has is the Civic, and they are having battery problems, questionable software updates, and dealing with lawsuits. The Honda Insight is a very disappointing car – a Prius clone that gets worse mileage and is not a ‘full’ hybrid. The Honda Accord Hybrid was cancelled. Overall Honda seems to be giving up on this market.
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