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All-new midsized Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrids are said to achieve at least 36_mpg combined and will become the third most fuel efficient automobile available in the US! (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=161658)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_Ford_Fusion.jpgWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) – Oct. 29, 2008

Ford’s 2010 Fusion Hybrid was reported to be at least 5 mpg better in the city than the Toyota Camry Hybrid.

Dearborn, MI – Ford introduced its next-generation hybrid system that will propel the upcoming all-new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids.

The Ford Hybrid team developed a powertrain that combines the best attributes of the gasoline engine and electric battery-driven motors to deliver an unprecedented level of customer driving experience and fuel economy. Additionally, the hybrid propulsion system in the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids was designed to transition between gas and electric power and back even more efficiently and seamlessly.

"The challenge is to harness the power sources to make it transparent to the customer and operate each in their most-efficient power bands," said Praveen Cherian, Hybrid program management team leader. "We’ve taken these two power sources and harmoniously blended them where the system will run the engine at its most-efficient points more often and maximize battery usage over a customer drive cycle. The end result is optimum fuel economy without compromising performance."

The overall system upgrade allows the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids to operate longer at higher speeds in electric mode. The hybrid vehicles can operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode plus a city driving range that is expected to surpass 700 miles on a single tank of fuel.

“With the new Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, we are now able to offer even better range of travel on battery power at a greater speed, thanks to a more efficient, seamless transition between the battery-powered motor and gasoline-driven engine,” Kuzak said. “These new hybrids will exceed expectations on all fronts – fuel efficiency, comfort, convenience and overall drivability.”

Ford’s next-generation hybrid system features the following:
2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine (155 horsepower/136 lb.-ft. of torque) running the proven Atkinson cycle mated to an electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission or e-CVT.

Intake Variable Cam Timing (iVCT), which allows the vehicle to more seamlessly transition from gas to electric mode and vice-versa. The spark and cam timing are varied according to the engine load to optimize efficiency and emissions.

Enhanced electronic throttle control reduces airflow on shutdowns, reducing fueling needs on restarts.

Wide-band lambda sensor analyzes the air-fuel ratio and adjusts the lean/rich mixture accordingly to keep the system in balance and to minimize emissions.

A smaller, lighter nickel-metal hydride battery has been optimized to produce 20 percent more power. Improved chemistry allows the battery to be run at a higher temperature and it is cooled using cabin air.

An added variable voltage converter boosts the voltage to the traction battery to operate the motor and generator more efficiently.

A new high-efficiency converter provides 14 percent increased output to accommodate a wider array of vehicle features.

Smarter climate control system 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.

The regenerative brake system captures the energy normally lost through friction in braking and stores it. Nearly 94 percent energy recovery is achieved by first delivering full regenerative braking followed by friction brakes during city driving.

A simulator brake actuation system dictates brake actuation and delivers improved brake pedal feel compared to the previous generation braking system.
Smart Gauge and EcoGuide

The new Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrid models also offer owners a more connected driving experience, thanks to SmartGauge with EcoGuide (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17072), a unique new instrument cluster execution that helps coach drivers to improve fuel efficiency. All levels can show instant fuel economy, fuel economy history, odometer, engine coolant temperature, what gear the car is in and trip data, including trip fuel economy, time-elapsed fuel economy and miles to empty.

The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids will debut at the 2009 LA Auto Show next month and arrive in dealer showrooms during the first quarter of 2009. FFH price rumors indicate an MSRP of $27,995.

I wonder what the possibilty of a plug in fusion is down the road. It appears that ford has done their homework this time.

go ford go!

Hopefully they survive long enough for these things to be produced

Nice!!! Full on P&G at up to 47mph sounds great to me! :thumbs_up:

One thing the article doesn't mention is the New Ford fusion Hybrid can travel up to eight miles in electric:

"The sedans, Ford says, will reach a top speed of 47 mph on electric power alone -- twice as fast the current Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrid crossovers -- and can travel as far as eight miles on battery power before the gasoline engine engages, which is really not something to crow about for a second-generation hybrid."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-parker/gmchrysler-merger-chrysle_b_139147.html

It's time for a plug-in Ford! My wife can drive with the electric A/C for 5 miles to work and plug-in for the 5 miles back. It's over for Big Oil and the "Drill Baby Drill" bunch!

GaryG

8 miles? I hate to say it but that simply isn't believeable for a non-PHEV hybrid. That would require a much larger, much more expensive battery than the car needs to run efficiently.

Hi Gary:

___The Ford presentation I watched yesterday did not mention anything of the sort. The pack is smaller, lighter and they use a VVC. There was a mention of an ~ 20% increase in power density and along with a smaller pack, that does not get you 8-miles let alone there is no use for 8-miles range in a charge sustaining hybrid. The power has to come from gasoline at some point so why waste the $’s with a 3 + kWh pack? That would the 2/3 the capacity of the HyMotion L5 and since it still uses NiMH cells, it would weigh three times as much. Ford was not mentioning anything like this other than lighter weight, lower voltage and higher energy density.

___The pack is cabin cooled this time around vs. any secondary coolant solution which is a plus.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi Gary:

___The Ford presentation I watched yesterday did not mention anything of the sort. The pack is smaller, lighter and they use a VVC. There was a mention of an ~ 20% increase in power density and along with a smaller pack, that does not get you 8-miles let alone there is no use for 8-miles range in a charge sustaining hybrid. The power has to come from gasoline at some point so why waste the $’s with a 3 + kWh pack? That would the 2/3 the capacity of the HyMotion L5 and since it still uses NiMH cells, it would weigh three times as much. Ford was not mentioning anything like this other than lighter weight, lower voltage and higher energy density.

___The pack is cabin cooled this time around vs. any secondary coolant solution which is a plus.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Eight miles does sound to good to be true and that's why I said we need a plug-in with that kind of distance. I wonder where Steve Parker got his information?

GaryG

Man, that's looking like an attractive package. If that TCH+5 in the city turns out to be true, that'd be a midsize sedan at roughly 38-40 mpg out of the box. That's a game-changer for Ford, and might be worth a look for me.

Plus that instrumentation is gorgeous AND useful. It's about time someone rethought the standard instrument cluster.

I'm really hoping Ford delivers on this one. I really want my next car purchase to be a difficult one.

I'm really hoping Ford delivers on this one. I really want my next car purchase to be a difficult one.

I second that sentiment.

This sounds great. About time Ford stepped up with a hybrid car, and it looks like they've upped the ante to boot.

Now if only they'd make a wagon/hatch version so I could consider it.

Nice!!! Full on P&G at up to 47mph sounds great to me! :thumbs_up:

it does, but how many "regular" drivers ever go that slow?

Hi Gary:

___The Ford presentation I watched yesterday did not mention anything of the sort. The pack is smaller, lighter and they use a VVC. There was a mention of an ~ 20% increase in power density and along with a smaller pack, that does not get you 8-miles let alone there is no use for 8-miles range in a charge sustaining hybrid. The power has to come from gasoline at some point so why waste the $’s with a 3 + kWh pack? That would the 2/3 the capacity of the HyMotion L5 and since it still uses NiMH cells, it would weigh three times as much. Ford was not mentioning anything like this other than lighter weight, lower voltage and higher energy density.

___The pack is cabin cooled this time around vs. any secondary coolant solution which is a plus.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi Wayne

Hybridcars.com e-mailed me their New Letter today and they are reporting the 8 mile distance in EV also:

"The Fusion Hybrid and Milan Hybrid can travel as a fast as 47 miles per hour, and as far as eight miles, solely on electric power."
http://www.hybridcars.com/news/ford-fusion-hybrid-mercury-milan-25209.html

GaryG

Hi Gary:

___All I can say is we will have to see as placing that expensive of a pack in a charge sustaining hybrid is a total waste let alone the smaller pack Ford mentioned in its Fusion presentation last week.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi Gary:

___All I can say is we will have to see as placing that expensive of a pack in a charge sustaining hybrid is a total waste let alone the smaller pack Ford mentioned in its Fusion presentation last week.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

The 2010 Fusion ordering guide is also stating the HV battery is the 330V we have in our FEH also. I thought it was a misprint, but I'm wondering if Ford doesn't have the new smaller packs ready. Of course Ford also has a disclaimer to change anything they want at anytime. There is also a matter of the cabin cooled change vs Aux A/C.

I'll continue to believe this is all misprints and Hybridcars.com has it wrong also.

GaryG

Found what may be a deeper version. 2010 Fusion Tech Analysis (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/10/30/tech-analysis-2010-ford-fusion-mercury-milan-powertrains-38-mp/)

The current base Fusion weighing about 100 lbs less (hopefully, the new will be lighter) than an Esc and having a lighter battery and better aero and very good CVT, it should have some good numbers.

I still can't get over that price. <shakes head>

I still can't get over that price. <shakes head>

?

FFH price rumors indicate an MSRP of $27,995.

That's a 'wait-and-see' ("...rumors..").

With the TCH at $25,500, they'd have a hard time asking that much.

Does anyone else have trouble believing "Nearly 94 percent energy recovery is achieved".

I might believe the car captures 94% of moment into electricty, but they looses more when stored, retrieved, and a little bit in the motor. Usually you hear numbers in the 25 to 35% range for electric hybrids and 40/80% mechanical hybrids, so this seems unlikely to me.

Hi Shiba...,

I don't. The Prius is doing in the 80's %. This is accomplished by having the battery at 1/2 the MG1 and MG2 nominal voltage. So, even at low speeds the regeenrated voltage is large enough that the eletronics can cause current to flow into the battery. The cost for this is you need a voltage doubler from the battery to MG2 for powered motion, however.

Energy recovery is not the whole story though. Its the efficiency of reuse, which for the sake of this post is the regeneration efficiency times the accelleration efficiency times the storage system efficiency. A Hybrid car just does not have the electrical components big enough to be efficient for reaccelleration - the battery is too small, and thus has high internal resistance, as are the motors and inverter pack. And so the efficiency from battery to wheels is down around 50 % (versus 80 plus for an electric car). So, the efficiency of reuse for the Prius is in the low 40's for the complete regeneration-reacclleration cycle. And that is what is being quoted in some technical information. If you use the electrical energy for speed maintaining once up to speed, the efficiency of reuse would be allot better. But, nobody I know of has done that experiment. Attilla Vass did the reaccelleration efficiency of reuse experiment, and while he did not differentiate, one can take his data and figure it out - like I did.

Many electric cars use motor and batteries at near the same voltage. This limits the regeneration energy recovery. But as the batteries are large, and the motor large, they do not have much loss for typical accellerations.

Hydraulic hybrids have good reuse accelleration efficiencies because even small hydraulic motors have lots or power, even at low speeds. But, the issue with hydraulic systems is the energy storage is lossy over time. You wake up with 1/2 the pressure you had at night, because the acumulator has cooled. A Prius driver would freak if he put the car to bed with 60% SOC and woke up with 30%! But, if the time between storage and reuse is small (like driving around a long delivery route) the experienced hydraulic hybrid efficiencies are good.