Ford says its 2017 Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid has more range than any plug-in hybrid offered in North America. Citing United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates, the automaker says the mid-size sedan will cover 610 miles on a full tank of gas and with a fully charged battery, an increase from the 550-mile range of the 2016 model. Ford credits improved powertrain software and better regenerative braking that charges the battery pack. Based on data collected from its electric vehicles, reports emerging technologies Web magazine Gizmag, Ford says drivers of its plug-in hybrids have an average daily commute of 42 miles, meaning the average plug-in driver could drive a Fusion Energi to and from work daily without burning any gas at all.
The plug-in hybrid Fusion Hybrid Energi features a 7.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery for an expected range of 19 miles using electric power only. Fusion Energi automatically switches to a 2.0-liter I-4 Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine when the battery is depleted, allowing customers to drive extended distances of more than 500 miles using the combination of electric and gas power.
The Fusion plug-in hybrid has an increased range of about 60 miles due to better regenerative braking and a software upgrade. (PHOTO: FORD)