Ford's 2010 Fusion Hybrid in a Challenge Marathon drive for Charity

[xcel]

1,000 miles is the goal but just how far it will go is a guess best left up to you

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – April 16, 2009

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid – Rated at 39 mpgUS combined and wrapped in concept graphics ready for the drive of its life!

Beginning on April 25th, a drive near Washington DC is set to take place. This drive is not to visit our Nations Capital for its historic nature or to view the beautiful Cherry Blossoms lining the boulevards. Both are noteworthy of course but this drive is to find out just how far the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid can be driven on a single tank of fuel while at the same time raising money for a great cause.

The Details

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid is equipped with a 17.5 gallon tank, is rated at 41/36 City/Highway and will be driven from top off to fuel starve over an approximately 2-day non-stop period. The vehicle is stock other than (2) ScanGauges attached.

The “1,000 Mile Challenge” goal is to obviously break 1,000 miles on a single tank of fuel. I do not believe 1,000 miles on a single tank of fuel has ever before been achieved from a US manufacturer’s mass-produced and domestically available, non-modded automobile. As any CleanMPG member can surmise, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is capable of a distance far beyond that of its estimated max range of 717.5 miles. 1,000 miles is the “Challenge” goal but the real question is, how far can it really go? 900 miles? 1,000 miles? 1,100 miles? Possibly more? I cannot wait to find out

Drivers scheduled to appear include:

• Carl Edwards – His day job consists of sitting behind the windscreen of the #99 Ford Fusion on the NASCAR Racing circuit. Something most do not know however is he actually has a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid on order which was bought and paid for out of his own pocket!
  
  
  
• Gil Portalatin - Hybrid Propulsion System Applications Manager. Gil is responsible for all things Hybrid with special responsibility for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid including numerous media appearances in its promotion.
  
  
  
• Sherif Marakby - Chief Engineer, Hybrid Programs. Sherif is not only a crucial part of the Hybrid program but one of Ford’s key spokesmen regarding the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.
  
  
  
• Steve Burke - Propulsion Systems Product Development Engineer. Steve is another of Ford’s top engineer with a specialty in hybrid systems going all the way back to the Ford Escape Hybrid’s initial development.
  
  
  
• Tom Rolewicz - Hybrid Propulsion Systems Integration and Development Engineer. The individual responsible for Pack, Inverter and MGSet integration and interactions is a welcome addition.
  
  
  
• Wayne Gerdes - Nobody needs to know anything about that guy

The public road route(s)

With the help of CleanMPG members, a number of routes were discussed, constructed and driven as shown in the Anyone familiar with the beltway and boulevards around Washington DC??? thread. With this help, the final Challenge routes were mapped as shown below.

Ford Fusion 1,000 mile Challenge "George Washington Parkway Southern Route"

This route will be driven for approximately 85% of the tank with a transition to a Northern Route during a 7-hour period when the Southern portion of the GWP will be closed for a 10K run on early Sunday morning.

Ford Fusion 1,000 mile Challenge "George Washington Parkway Northern Route"

On early Monday morning, the Challenge Vehicle and drivers will drive into downtown Washington DC for a few Photo Ops and then head back to finish off the tank if there is any fuel left.

CleanMPG members can participate

Not only can you participate but you can also help a charity in dire need of your generous donation.

I will be sending a brand new ScanGauge-II w/ X-Gauge including the latest 3.16 Firmware to the person or group that comes closest to guessing the actual amount of miles the Fusion Hybrid will go before running out of fuel.

To be included in the ScanGauge-II Charity giveaway, the only item I ask is that you make at least a $1.00 donation to the JDRF. Every Dollar raised will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) at the conclusion of the “1,000 mile Challenge”. Sean placed a Fusion Hybrid/JDRF Donate Button on the upper right of the Home Page earlier this evening to make it easy for everyone. I will keep an up to date list of those that donate (first name and last initial so as to keep the member somewhat anonymous), their donation amounts and the miles that they guessed the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid would achieve. You can enter as many guesses as you would like as long as you donate at least $1.00 for each entry. I hope CleanMPG can raise as much as Ford and BP employees as they are holding a similar challenge within their respective companies.

Although I am donating the ScanGauge-II and $5.00 of my own funds to the JDRF, I have disqualified myself from actually winning the ScanGauge-II so a CleanMPG member will walk away with the prize!

Another special addition for our members that live in the DC area is I have 5-slots available for those interested in a clinic in a 2010 Fusion Hybrid or 2009 Escape Hybrid on either Saturday or Sunday at various times throughout the day. I have both Kurz and Fanamingo penciled already in so leave me a PM at your earliest convenience if you want to join the team in DC on the 24th or 25th to directly participate in this “historic” event.

The only question left is just how far can the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid go?

The Challenge Mule that will be there.


The Actual Challenge Vehicle.


ScanGauge-II for you of course

JDRF Donations to date for a chance to win a ScanGauge-II

Member	Distance to Fuel Starve (miles)	Total JDRF Donations to Date
Gary L.	889.0	$1.00
Tom A.	999.0	-
Jim E.	1,005.0	-
Jeff H.	1,001.1	-
Dan B.	1,011.0	-
Dean P.	1,011.7	-
Carl D.	1,015.0	-
Jeff H.	1,024.0	-
Carl D.	1,020.0	-
Carl D.	1,035.0	-
Tom A.	1,040.0	-
Bob W.	1,041.2	-
Carl D.	1,045.0	-
Dale	1,046.0	-
Wayne G.	1,050.1	-
Wayne G.	1,050.2	-
Wayne G.	1,050.3	-
Wayne G.	1,050.4	-
Wayne G.	1,050.5	-
Dale	1,051.0	-
Tom A.	1,055.0	-
Marc P.	1,060.0	-
Dale	1,064.0	-
Jeff H.	1,065.6	-
Marc P.	1,070.0	-
Bob W.	1,076.0	-
Dean P.	1,076.3	-
Carl D.	1,085.0	-
Dale	1,086.0	-
Jim E.	1,090.0	-
Chris W.	1,092.0	-
Chris W.	1,095.0	-
Dale	1,098.0	-
Jeff H.	1,099.0	-
Jose E.	1,099.1	-
Jose E.	1,100.0	-
Jose E.	1,101.0	-
Dan B.	1,101.1	-
Jose E.	1,102.0	-
Jeff H.	1,102.2	-
Jose E.	1,103.0	-
Dean P.	1,112.1	-
Robert M.	1,114.0	-
Dale	1,115.0	-
Tom A.	1,116.0	-
Marc P.	1,120.0	-
Tom A.	1,130.0	-
Marc P.	1,140.0	-
Dale	1,150.0	-
Marc P.	1,160.0	-
Tom A.	1,170.0	-
Tom A.	1,180.0	-
Jim E.	1,182.0	-
Dale	1,184.0	-
Dean P.	1,185.1	-
Robert M.	1,199.0	-
Dale	1,200.0	-
Jim E.	1,202.0	-
Tom A.	1,205.0	-
Robert M.	1,211.0	-
Tom A.	1,220.0	-
Mike S.	1,225.0	-
Mike S.	1,230.0	-
Dan B.	1,235.7	-
Dale	1,236.0	-
Mike S.	1,240.0	-
Dale	1,245.0	-
Mike S.	1,250.0	-
Dean P.	1,255.6	-
Mike S.	1,260.0	-
Dale	1,264.0	-
Mike S.	1,270.0	-
Bob W.	1,274.7	-
Mike S.	1,280.0	-
Mike S.	1,285.0	-
Jim E.	1,286.0	-
Mike S.	1,290.0	-
Jim E.	1,295.0	-
Tom A.	1,300.0	-
Jim E.	1,305.0	-
Tom A.	1,310.0	-
Gary G.	1,312.0	-
Gary G.	1,313.0	-
Gary G.	1,314.0	-
Gary G.	1,315.0	-
Gary G.	1,316.0	-
Gary G.	1,317.0	-
Gary G.	1,318.0	-
Gary G.	1,319.0	-
Gary G.	1,320.0	-
Gary G.	1,321.0	-
Gary G.	1,322.0	-
Gary G.	1,323.0	-
Gary G.	1,324.0	-
Gary G.	1,325.0	-
Gary G.	1,326.0	-
Gary G.	1,327.0	-
Gary G.	1,328.0	-
Gary G.	1,329.0	-
Gary G.	1,330.0	-
Gary G.	1,331.0	-
Tom A.	1,350.0	-
Jim E.	1,375.0	-
Jim E.	1,400.0	-
Jim E.	1,425.0	-
Eric G.	1,440.0	$146.00

[msirach]

Outstanding Wayne! Ford is really living up to expectations of what a manufacturer should be doing. I continue to see evidence that they are pointed in the right direction. A worthy cause for a worthy cause!
I have one question. Are you riding shotgun with all the others?

[xcel]

Hi Mike:

___I will not be riding shotgun but I was fortunate to have trained 3 of the other 5-drivers so far. All of them improved by a large percentage from their previous best segment in their technologically advanced baby

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[jenriquez]

I'm hoping that Wayne gets a chance to drive this baby as I know that if anyone can break the 1,000 mile/tank goal it is him.

Ok I posted this before Wayne replied, but at least since 3 of the 5 drivers were trained by him so I still have full confidence that the goal can be met.

[msirach]

You better put a tennis ball under the throttle when Carl is behind the wheel!

[xcel]

Hi Jenriquez:

___Ford is allowing me to drive maybe 200-miles of the Challenge with about half of those miles in the colder temps in the middle of the night. Fortunately everyone will have to do some evening, night or very early morning driving to spread the pain around a little

___Mike, Carl will be an interesting case study. The NASCAR driver vs. a Hypermiler... I will try and remember to get a recording of that particular clinic so everyone can hear how it went.

___I will probably be thrown from the car and run over multiple times once he has had his fill of the Hypermiling "Drill Instructor" routine

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[MaxxMPG]

Originally Posted by xcel

___I will not be riding shotgun but I was fortunate to have trained 3 of the other 5-drivers so far. All of them improved by a large percentage from their previous best segment in their technologically advanced baby

That is a good clue as to the total mileage from topped off to starvation. I was wondering how many (if not all) drivers will get The Clinic before going for the kilo-tank. Armed with this information, we can optimize our guesses. Hopefully it's not using The Price Is Right rules where you have to guess closest to the actual distance 'without going over'...

Originally Posted by xcel

___I will probably be thrown from the car and run over multiple times once he has had his fill of the Hypermiling "Drill Instructor" routine

Ha! You will never know how nervous I was driving with you in the Drill Instructor seat. Your reputation precedes you. Either you were going easy on me or I did fairly well, as it wasn't as bad as I had feared. But if Mr. Edwards is a particularly stubborn student or he has a bad temper that we don't know about, I think you may end up with that LRR radial back massage.

[xcel]

Hi Chris:

___Carl will be at Talladega on Saturday and will not make it to DC until Sunday afternoon. After he arrives, we will have some clinic time in the “Fusion Hybrid Challenge Mule” before he gets behind the wheel of the actual “Challenge Fusion Hybrid” if that helps. Steve is the other driver that I have not been out with and he will get some clinic time on Friday the 24th before the “Challenge” begins. They will all be ready and if Gil, Sherif and Tom’s clinics are any indication, this is going to be a lot of fun

___All, if you are going to make multiple donations, can you do it in one transaction and list your guesses the proper number of times in that single one. PayPal is taking $0.33 for every $1.00 and I hate giving them anything when the JDRF deserves it all

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[SageBrush]

Wayne, it is probably too late, but you could open a non-merchant account in your name for the contributions, and then just pass on a lump sum to the foundation. I'm guessing most people here will trust you.

I don't paypal much, but if things have not changed, personal paypal to paypal transfers do not incur fees.

I am a bit dense: I clicked on the logo and was sent to paypal, but did not see a place to enter in my guess. It is 80 mpg, times 18 gallons. 1440

[Earthling]

This sounds like fun!

We're all very interested to see how it turns out, especially Wayne's results.

Good luck to all!


Harry