Other plug-in hybrids may be able to travel greater distances in electric mode, but Ford says its updated 2017 Fusion Energi tops them all when it comes to combined driving range offering 610 miles (981 km) on a full tank of gas and battery charge, according to EPA estimates.
The 2017 Fusion Energi is capable of delivering the 610-mile (981 km) range, up from 550 miles (884 km) for the 2016MY, thanks to changes brought to the car’s hybrid powertrain software and regenerative braking, which recycles energy to the battery otherwise lost when drivers hit the brakes.
Plug-in hybrids use both electric batteries and gas-powered engines, so when the vehicle’s (estimated) 21-mile all-electric range is depleted, the conventional engine kicks in automatically offering another 588 miles of range – according to EPA estimates. The car’s top speed on electric power remains 85 mph (136 km/h).
So, did Ford “cure” the range anxiety experienced by some 40 percent of American adult drivers? Probably not. According to a March 2016 Harris Poll of more than 1,000 US adults, many Americans believe that the longest-range plug-in hybrid can go 261 miles (420 km) – that’s less than half of the Fusion’s abilities – but with a PHEV you can always pull over to the nearest petrol station and refuel.
“Plug-in hybrids are electric vehicles until you run down the battery,” said Wade Jackson, marketing manager for Ford Fusion, “then they work exactly like a conventional hybrid. Fusion Energi – with a full battery and a full tank of gas – can go from San Diego, through Los Angeles and all the way up to San Francisco, and still have up to 110 miles of range remaining.”
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