Comments on: Hybrid Drivers, and Makers, Exchange Info at Hybridfest

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:08:41 +0000

@ sean t: GM was not at Hybridfest. They were not at last year's 'fest either. In fact, last year they canceled at the very last minute sticking the Hybridfest with last-minute changes to thousands of printed materials. They never paid the down-payment for the square-footage they were going to use and Hybridfest was unable to rent that space with such short notice. I know the 'fest organizer and the whole thing is done on a shoe-string budget. He's made it very clear that if GM ever decides to participate again it'll be cash up front. In my opinion, the utter absence of the company spending so much to hype the Volt is very telling on their commitment.

@ why ford: The Fusion Hybrid is an excellent car. It's EPA rated at 41 but several of us test drove it for well over 60. I achieved 72.9 mpg. I think its curb weight is something like 3,400 pounds so it's a heavy car. It's as nice as many luxury sedans I've driven. And most importantly, the dash really does help teach the driver how to improve their driving techniques. My hopes are that people considering a standard 25 - 30 mpg vehicle would consider the Fusion Hybrid. They would realize a 30 - 70% reduction in gasoline consumption which is a great first step.

By: Tim DH

Tim DH — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:54:57 +0000

It gets 41mpg because the only way the battery gets charged is from regen braking and the engine when it is running and if the battery is low. I don't know for a fact but I don't think the Fusion can go very far on EV mode. Maybe like 5 miles if the battery is fully charged? So for all practical purpose the Fusion is still a gas car with electric assist but at least it has a bigger battery and electric motor than the others so in the near future I could see plug in hybrids that can at least go 15 to 30 miles on electric only. For some a car like this would not burn gas at all unless you took a long trip.

I would love a Fusion if it had a higher capacity battery that could be plugged in at night. For now we have a Honda Accord Hybrid and wow what a car. We bought it used for 15K and we get 35 mpg in the summer with the AC on and about 32 mpg in the winter. A 5 passenger vehicle that accelerates quickly, looks good and gets great mileage.

By: why ford

why ford — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 06:46:32 +0000

If the fusion engine shuts down at 47miles per hour why does it only get 41mgp?

By: RKRB

RKRB — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:21:22 +0000

We attended a Hybrid Owners’ Conference just a few months after we bought our Escape Hybrid, and it was an excellent opportunity. Ford brought several drivers, two engineers, a product consultant, and several people from the design bureau to meet with local owners. We learned a great deal about the basic design, special driving techniques, and product development, and were quite impressed with Ford’s knowledge and level of commitment. It was not just for “gearheads” and hybrid fanatics, and I would highly recommend attending one of these conferences (or a similar conference) to any hybrid owner.

By: Jim D

Jim D — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:17:31 +0000

GM???
WHO are GM?
If its general motors...they have a policy on hybrid cars..THEY TALK THEM DOWN!!!

By: sean t

sean t — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:47:35 +0000

Good, they are all ears.
Hope GM is there too.