Ford’s ads have especially targeted the spacious 42 mpg Prius v highlighting any perceived advantage. The C-Max Hybrid has been promoted as more fun to drive with 54 more horsepower than the Prius Liftback and Prius v while delivering mileage and interior capacity between the two. Further, drivers won’t have to suffer with unexciting styling, says Ford which has played a strategy of knocking Toyota’s icons while hoping to establish a similar one of its own.

Half a year into it, the five-seater C-Max Hybrid has climbed within top-six sales territory trailing the established number-one Prius Liftback, which outsells any other hybrid by no less than three to one.

The C-Max has achieved this despite an outcry among some buyers who, along with several car reviewers, say they cannot get within five to nine mpg of its 47 mpg EPA rating for city, highway and combined driving.

Several class action suits against Ford are now in process, and we’ll note we have not crested past 42 mpg ourselves, but do not say it’s impossible. Ford has cited many satisfied customers who do get the stated mileage, some even beating it by a few mpg.

The C-Max Hybrid also offers several other unique benefits besides.

(Not) Hybrid Synergy Drive

The architecture underlying Toyota’s “Hybrid Synergy Drive” is shared in several key points by Ford’s “Powersplit” system but there’s no infringement because they both cross-licensed each others’ patents in the 1990s after first suing each other for potential violations perceived.

Actually, TRW originated the hybrid system’s basic principles in the 1960s, and Toyota and Ford had independently recognized a good thing.

At the heart of Ford’s marriage between gas and electric power is a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle engine assembled in Chihuahua, Mexico with aluminum block and head and four valves per cylinder. To save parasitic drag, the car has electrically powered water pumps, power steering, and vacuum pump. Also, the air conditioning system draws from the high-voltage 1.4-kwh Li-ion hybrid system battery in the trunk.

The engine displaces 12-percent more volume than the 1.8-liter in both the Prius Liftback and v. It is rated at 141 horsepower, 129 pounds-feet of torque and this exceeds the 134-horsepower gas-plus-electric total output in the powertrain shared by both Prii.

The C-Max’s electric motor contributes 114 horsepower and 177 pounds-feet torque at 6,000 rpm. This output is mated via a planetary gearset that can decouple or combine the two independent power sources for seamless propulsion.

Because the electric motor and gas engine peak at different times, total C-Max hybrid system output routed through the front wheels via an Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (eCVT) is 188 horsepower. Torque is unspecified, but it feels like around 200 pounds-feet or so.

Dimensions

While positioned as a competitor to the Prius v, its 173.6-inch overall length is actually shorter than the 181.7-inch-long v and the 176.4-inch-long Prius Liftback. However, the C-Max is 1.9-inches taller than the v, and 5.2 inches taller than the Liftback while also 2.1-inches wider than the v, and 3.3-inches wider than the Liftback.

Interior cargo volume is therefore larger than the Liftback’s, but smaller than the v’s.

The C-Max is also the heaviest of the bunch at 3,640 pounds, compared to the Liftback’s 3,042 pounds, and Prius v’s 3,274 pounds.

Styling

Riding on a global Focus platform, the C-Max is appropriately named. It’s like a Focus that wanted to be a minivan when it grows up.

Up front is Ford’s signature Aston-Martinesque grille, so maybe it also wants to be a Rapide when it grows up.

Actually, it is its own unique creation, and Ford took pains to avoid some of the iconic design cues established by Toyota and mimicked by Honda’s Insight and to an extent, Chevy’s Volt.

Its fuel-saving coefficient of drag is a respectable 0.30 but this trails the Liftback’s 0.25 and v’s 0.29.

Machined alloy 17-inch wheels shod with wide 225/50 series Michelin low rolling resistance tires provide a big footprint and add to a purposeful stance. The Prii come standard with 195 series tires, with 215s optional.

The hood is positioned low and the acoustic laminated windshield provides excellent forward visibility.

The C-Max was styled by Ford’s European design group and follows the company’s “kinetic” styling themes. Ford calls its edgy look “energy in motion.”

Out back is an electrically operated tailgate that opens with a kicking motion under the rear bumper assuming you have the remote key with you.

Overall, it’s a tall box shaped as sveltely as possible for a vehicle with the mission of extremely practical fuel sipper. We find it handsome enough from most angles.

Interior

From the driver’s seat, the C-Max Hybrid is modern automotive. Here too, Ford avoided designs too evocative of the green car persona.

The floor is cut low, so the seating position approaches that of a minivan. I’m six-feet-tall, and in the video, you can see the car swallows me up, and I look like maybe I’m 5-foot-6 under the high ceiling.

Knee room is excellent even for long legs, and the car has knee protection airbags among its seven total.

Seats are comfortable front and rear, and our SEL had electrically controlled driver’s seat.

Front and rear HVAC controls are a plus the Ford enjoys over the Toyotas.

Instruments, centerstack and 8-inch touch screen in our SEL model are all well laid out within a sculpted, multi-plane surfaces as contemporary as they come in this segment. They add up to an aesthetically pleasing quasi cockpit-like feel behind a long dash area reaching to the base of the windshield.

Both the SE and SEL trim packages come at least with the useful and effective dual-LCD next-generation SmartGauge with EcoGuide. This has customizable screens to show energy usage, source, and features including Efficiency Coach and Brake Coach.

The SEL is upgraded with SYNC with MyFord Touch, an agnostic interface that allows you to plug in your device of choice to operate on the 8-inch touch screen which, like the main instruments, is nicely hooded to minimize sun glare.

Among optionally available features on our SEL were navigation and voice commands, and connectivity is replete with 12-volt sockets, dual USB plugs, SD card slot for navigation, and coaxial plugs for a video game to be played on the screen if desired.

All controls are within easy reach, and the steering wheel has multi-function buttons that can be learned intuitively by someone only half tech-savvy along with controls for cruise control and phone.

Quality of materials is good in all, with soft-touch vinyl strategically placed on front door panels, dash, with matching harder plastic in back. Some may find the quality of some of the materials to hold an edge over the Toyotas.

Fit and finish for the car put together at the cavernous Michigan Assembly Plant are very good inside as it is also for the rest of the car.

Our SEL included thoughtfully placed ambient lighting in places like the foot wells and door handles. As a whole, the car is quite functional offering many features that only a decade or so ago would have been broaching on luxurious, if not outright not available.

On The Road

Our SEL had pushbutton start, and quietly defaults to EV mode unless accessories demand gas-engine power.

It will drive up to 62 mph in EV mode, maybe a bit faster, but putting your foot down will kick on the gas engine. That said, it’s more likely to stay in EV than the Prii.

The C-Max is quick for being such a heavy car. Various 0-60 mph runs have been made with results ranging from 7.05 seconds to mid 8s with quarter mile time of as low as 15.5 seconds at 92 mph.

This shows how cars have come a long way. Want some perspective? Ford’s new eco car might run with a 1991 Mustang GT with 5.0-liter engine, which records show was good for 7.2 seconds to 60 mph and 15.6 in the quarter.

Comfort-wise, the electronically controlled driver’s seat is sufficiently supportive with decent, non-adjustable lumbar support. Legroom front and rear is sufficient if not ample for an average span of body sizes.

The middle back row may crunch some with longer legs depending on how far back the front seats are adjusted.

Cornering manners are respectable for the four-wheel independent suspension, and combined with the wider tires, brisk back country driving can be more rewarding than with the Toyotas.

The eCVT – as is typical for CVTs – does not produce music to the ears of driving enthusiasts accustomed to the up and down melody of a standard car’s exhaust note.

Braking action feels controlled and the Brake Coach encourages best behaviors, but hard stops are no cause for more than the usual level of concern.

Bumps in the road are taken up pretty well. On rough highways, the car did pogo the driver in the seat a few times, but compliance is on par with other cars in this class overall.

Mileage

As for that all-important mpg, we did a few tests, and averaged 36.8 mpg on one, 40.3 on another and 41.13 on another, and never did we measure higher than 42 mpg.

Want a possible explanation?

If you noticed, in this review we mentioned: 1) the engine is bigger than the Toyotas’, 2) the tires which create rolling resistance are wider, 3) aerodynamics for the wider, taller car are less efficient by a notch, 4) curb weight is the heaviest of all.

On paper, it is very difficult to see how the C-Max would usurp the Prius v with all driving conditions being equal. Engineering efficiencies in the powertrain must overcome an inherent set of disadvantages working against fuel economy.

That said, we’ve pushed the Prii on various occasions only to see them not meet their advertised mpg targets either.

Overall, it is easier for a careful driver to make the grade in the Toyotas, but it’s probably not impossible in the Ford.

Ford also says mileage should get better once it’s fully broken in. Our car had around 6,200 miles (10,000 km) on the odometer when received from Ford’s media pool, which means it is pretty well broken in, but might have further to go.

Ford vs. Toyota

If you’re wondering, we could have considered other competitors, but the two Toyotas we’ve been comparing are most like the C-Max, and Ford knows this having spent millions on ads pointing out the differences.

The Ford C-Max SE starts at a base price of $25,200 and the SEL starts at $28,365.

The Prius Liftback Grade Two is the base level among five trim packages available, and starts at $24,200. The Prius v Grade Two is the base among three possible trim levels and starts at $26,650.

Next to a Prius Liftback.

Specifying options above this will naturally shift the variables, but what about those operational costs?

Hypothetically if you only managed to get 39 mpg in a C-Max, and assuming the Prii did make their EPA numbers, that would mean at 15,000 miles per year you’d burn roughly 384 gallons in the Ford, 357 gallons in the Prius v, and 300 gallons in the Prius Liftback.

Now, take the difference and multiply it by your price of gas. Assuming an average of $3.50 per gallon, driving the Ford would cost $94.50 more annually than for the Prius v, and $294 more than the Prius Liftback. At $4 per gallon, it rises to $108 more than the Prius v, and $336 more than the Liftback.

Further, if the C-Max only got 39 mpg, but is advertised at 47 mpg, the extra cost per year would be $227 at $3.50 per gallon, and $260 per year for $4.

If you liked the Ford equally to the Prius v, and the Toyota cost $1,450 more, it would take several years to burn $1,450 in excess fuel consumption in the Ford even if it only got 39 mpg, and assuming fuel prices will rise.

Of course, as Ford has pointed out, you may meet the 47 mpg number, in which case our above scenarios are void, but we’re just putting these out there to get the mental wheels rolling.

Beyond mpg questions, the U.S.-built Ford is nicely appointed inside and avoids the uber-greencar look inside and out if that’s of value to you. It is more sporty, faster, more solidly handling, with more usable space than the Liftback, but less than the v.

The Ford is loaded also with technology – especially if you upgrade to the SEL – and these must be compared and contrasted as well.

Thanks to Baldwin’s Book Barn, West Chester, Pa., for letting us shoot the video with this backdrop.

Unknown is the C-Max Hybrid’s long-term reliability record, and here Toyotas’ head start is worth considering.

In sum, assuming the C-Max Hybrid proves durable, even if it does have a tougher time meeting EPA numbers, it may still be worth it depending on one’s preferences, but this may not be a black-and-white decision.

The C-Max Hybrid we drove is a bright Candy Blue. It pops in the photos, but Ford’s new hybrid offers pros and cons that – when compared to the competition – blur the value presentation picture with shades of gray.

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In a move to chip away at Toyota’s market dominance of hybrid cars, Ford will roll out two new hybrid models in 2012. The no-plug C-Max Hybrid and plug-in C-Max Energi are based on the five-passenger C-Max sold in Europe. In an announcement in June to expand production of the two C-Max hybrids, Ford said it had changed its mind about the seven-passenger gasoline-only version of the Grand C-Max in the U.S and the C-Max will be a dedicated hybrid vehicle. The C-Max Hybrid will arrive in the first half of 2012 followed by the C-Max Energi.

“This is our Prius fighter,” said Ford’s head of global marketing, Jim Farley, during a recent press announcement. “We did a lot of research that suggested having a distinctive shape that is easily recognizable not only helps Toyota sell more Prius hybrids but gives an image benefit to the rest of its lineup.”

Of note, the C-Max Hybrid and plug-in C-Max Energi will both be built on the same assembly lines as the 2012 Ford Focus and Focus Electric at a Ford plant in Wayne, Mich. Also, Ford recently announced that the electric drive transaxles would be produced at another Michigan facility instead of using the current supplier in Japan. Additionally, the lithium-ion batteries for both hybrids will be assembled in a third Michigan plant rather than the existing supplier in Mexico.

About The C-Max

The 2012 Ford C-Max is an American version of the European five-passenger C-Max that shares its underlying global C platform and many key components with the 2012 Ford Focus. “C” refers to an international size class, which in the U.S. falls into the compact class. In Europe, the C-Max is called a multipurpose vehicle (MPV), while most Americans will dub it a hatchback.

Like virtually every car in the category, the 2012 C-Max has front-wheel drive. Front drive positions the weight of the engine and transmission over the wheels that propel the car. That benefits traction on slippery road surfaces and, by placing the powertrain components in the front of the car, provides maximum space for passengers and cargo.

A critical dimension is wheelbase, which is the distance between the front and rear axles and a key factor in cabin space, particularly rear-seat legroom. At 104.2 inches, the 2012 C-Max’s wheelbase is just one-tenth of an inch less than the 2012 Focus, indicating adult rear-seat passengers will have adequate leg room.

In other dimension comparisons, the C-Max is two-inches longer than the Focus hatchback, a fraction wider and, at 63.7-inches in height, is six-inches taller. Space behind the rear seats is 25 cubic feet, and cargo space expands to a generous 60.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

Hopefully the U.S. C-Max will have the clever rear seat arrangement as its European counterpart. The three individual 40/20/40 seats can slide, fold or be removed completely. An optional Comfort feature allows the two outer seats to slide backwards and towards each other to give huge leg and shoulder room while the narrow center seat is folded out of the way.

Styling of the C-Max was created by Ford’s European design group and follows the company’s new “kinetic” styling themes. Ford calls this edgy look “energy in motion.”

Up front, a large, lower, inverted trapezoid grille and small upper grille are becoming signature design elements of Ford cars. Long flowing headlights establish an athletic look and the sculpted hood kicks up at the rear edges adding a touch of sportiness. The outer corners of the bumper boast eye-catching fog lights that direct the eye to prominent front wheel arches. The business end features an upright tailgate and taillight shapes that mimic the headlights.

The profile of the steeply raked windshield continues with a sweeping, coupe-like roofline that ends with a strong-rising C-pillar, similar to the smaller Fiesta. The shape is not only striking, but plays a major role in the C-Max’s aerodynamic drag coefficient of just .30.

Although not confirmed, a look inside the Euro C-Max is an indicator of what to expect when the U.S. C-Max arrives. Like the Fiesta, the same Ford kinetic design language shapes the distinctive features and surfaces of the dashboard, reflecting the dynamic and modern character of the exterior. Center console controls are inspired by modern mobile phones. It’s clear the design is targeted at a generation that’s grown up with all manner of mobile infotainment devices.

C-Max Hybrid

The less-electrified C-Max Hybrid will be the first Ford model to employ the third-generation version of Ford’s hybrid system. It also marks Ford’s first integration of lithium-ion battery technology in a hybrid. According to Ford, lithium-ion designs are 25 to 30 percent smaller and 50 percent lighter, which makes them easier to package in a vehicle, and can be tuned to either increase power to boost acceleration, or to increase energy to extend driving distance.

Ford is light on details, but technically speaking, the C-Max Hybrid is similar to the Fusion Hybrid. Both drivetrains have a high-voltage electric traction motor generator that drives the front wheels and recharges the battery. And both feature an Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine. (C-Max engine size has not been released.) Without delving into details, an Atkinson-cycle engine gives up a little power output in exchange for improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.

Ford’s hybrid system is a powersplit architecture design. In a powersplit hybrid, the gasoline engine and electric motor can work together in blended mode or individually to maximize efficiency. The engine also can operate independently of vehicle speed, providing power to the wheels or charging the batteries as needed. The motor alone can deliver enough power to the wheels in low-speed, low-load conditions, and can work with the engine at higher speeds. A planetary gear set transmits the blended output to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT) that directs the power to the front wheels.

With updates to the hybrid system, including the new lithium-ion battery pack, Ford says the C-Max Hybrid will deliver better fuel economy than the Fusion Hybrid, which has an EPA-estimated 41 mpg city/36 highway/39 combined. The company is also hinting that the top electric-only speed will be higher than the Fusion’s 47 mph.

C-Max’s direct competitor will be the new 2012 Prius V. While both are four-door, five passenger hatchbacks, the Prius V has a five-inch longer wheelbase that yields eight additional inches in vehicle length. The results are more interior cabin space than the C-Max.

As for fuel economy, to be competitive, the C-Max will have to at least match the Prius V’s EPA-estimated 44 mpg city/40 highway/42 combined. But don’t be surprised if Ford pulls a little fuel mileage one-upsmanship.

Pricing for the C-Max Hybrid has not been announced. But again, to be competitive it needs to be close to the estimated $26,000-$27,000 price of the Prius V.

C-Max Energi

The Ford C-Max Energi applies the technology found in the less-electrified C-Max Hybrid and the Focus Electric and will be the automaker’s first-ever production plug-in hybrid.

Ford says the C-Max Energi’s battery pack will reach a full charge overnight on a 120-volt outlet. The company doesn’t mention the availability of a faster charging 240-volt system, but it is likely the Energi can use the same charger as the Focus Electric which has a four-hour fill-up time. The charge port is the same as on the Focus Electric, with lights surrounding the charge port that light up in sequence to visually indicate state of charge.

The Energi’s lithium-ion batteries are engineered for recharging and extended discharge during all-electric mode, whereas the C-Max Hybrid batteries are designed for shorter surges of electrons. Another difference between the two vehicles is the hybrid batteries are air cooled while the plug-in has a temperature-control circuit for its battery pack.

When the Energi is started, it operates as an electric vehicle until the battery reaches a level that requires charging. It then switches to a charge-sustaining mode and operates in regular hybrid mode.

As with the C-Max Hybrid, Ford is sketchy on details about the Energi and has only provided limited information about the electric drive operation. We recently tested the Prius Plug-In and, with a full charge and using a fairly light foot, we consistently traveled close to 15 miles before the gas engine took over. Top electric-only speed was slightly more than 60 mph. Expect the Energi to closely parallel those numbers.

One number that Ford has thrown out is 500, as in 500 miles of overall driving range using the battery and engine. That’s the most range of any current plug-in vehicle, including the Chevrolet Volt.

Not surprising is a MyFord Touch telematics system tailored for electrified vehicles with specific electric and hybrid information. A novel feature is Brake Coach that helps drivers optimize the regenerative brake system. At the end of each trip it will show information including miles gained from regenerative braking, miles driven and total fuel consumption.

MyFord Mobile app can keep owners connected to their Energi. Free for five years, the app can locate charging systems, show the battery pack’s state of charge, preset charging times for off-peak utility hours and a host of other functions. These can all be done via a smart phone or laptop.

Like the C-Max Hybrid, Ford is mum about the Energi’s price. Best guess is $30,000-$33,000.

Ford’s Electrification Future

Against a backdrop of increased fuel economy standards in the U.S. and tougher European emission mandates, hybrid-electric and pure-electric vehicles will play a significant role in complying with these regulations. The Toyota Prius is king-of-the-hill when it comes to hybrids and Nissan is hoping the Leaf will have that position when it comes to EVs. General Motors has made a splash with the Chevy Volt and Ford; while Ford appeared to be asleep, or at least drowsy, behind the wheel—until now.

Ford says it is tripling production capacity of electrified vehicles through 2013, from a current volume of around 35,000 today. That starts with five advanced battery-powered vehicles planed by 2012: Transit Connect Electric, on sale now; Focus Electric before the end of this year; The C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and C-MAX Hybrid will be followed by an additional next-generation hybrid in 2012. Our guess for that model is either an all-new Escape Hybrid or the European Kuga small crossover.

Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s director of global product development, says the automaker is predicting that electric propulsion—conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles—will make up anywhere from 10 to 25% of its global fleet by 2025.

Kuzak notes that the electrification technologies have been developed in a manner that will allow them to be adapted for other global platforms. That indicates the likelihood of additional battery-based models from Ford in the not to distant future. We vote for a Grand C-Max Hybrid, and perhaps a plug-in version as well. That would keep the C-Max as a dedicated hybrid vehicle.

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Ford announced yesterday it would raise its annual U.S. production capacity for “electrified” vehicles – hybrids and plug-in hybrids – from 35,000 to over 100,000 by 2013.

While the Focus EV is due later this year, the spotlight was also on four other hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Central among these will be Ford’s five-passenger C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid which for the first time were announced that they would be offered in North America. A seven-passenger ICE version slated for the U.S. however will not be offered.

The car has proven a hot seller overseas, and in a separate statement, Ford said it will increase C-Max production in Valencia, Spain to continue to fill strong European demand. Since its late 2010 launch, Ford said it has sold 70,000 units in Europe, and taken orders for 30,000 more.

The company said it is now convinced the U.S. market is ready for American-made versions which will complement a broadened selection of electrified vehicles.

“This is a big deal for us because we are seeing a huge growing appetite for fuel efficient green vehicles,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s group vice president of marketing, sales and service. “The number of people indicating fuel economy is the main reason continues to rise.”

The C-Max line is expected to compete with the Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF.

In all, Ford has committed $135 million to build its five electrified vehicles which include also a version of its Transit Connect van and another model not yet announced (possibly a hybridized 2013 Ford Escape crossover).

The initiative is said to be responsible for 220 new green technology jobs at three Michigan plants. These will include 170 positions at the Rawsonville and Van Dyke Transmission plants, and more than 50 new “electrified-vehicle engineers” which have come on board in Dearborn during the past year.

Ford however said it canceled plans for a North American seven-passenger C-Max “multi-activity vehicle” with a four-cylinder gasoline engine, meaning the C-Max will be one type or another of five-passenger hybrid only.

Estimated mileage for the new vehicles was not announced, but the C-Max Hybrid’s efficiency will reportedly exceed that of the Ford Fusion which is rated at 41 mpg.

Both the C-Max Hybrid and C-Max plug-in hybrid will utilize lithium-ion batteries. The latter will use a larger battery pack, but Ford did not specify capacity for either.

Ford did say the C-Max Hybrid will be able to travel at a higher all-electric speed than the Ford Fusion Hybrid’s 47 mph, although it did not say how much higher.

Another critical detail lacking in Ford’s press announcement was pricing, but it did say it will reduce projected MSRP thanks to an estimated 30-percent cut in production costs next year.
Part of the cost savings is because Ford has designed the hybrids’ components in-house, and will assemble their systems itself.

In contrast, the transmission in the 2011 Ford Fusion, 2011 Escape and 2011 Lincoln MKZ are supplied by Aisin Seiki Co., of Japan.

Ford likewise developed its own battery systems that will be manufactured in Rawsonville in the suburbs of Detroit for the C-Max Hybrid, and plug-in version. Previously Ford’s hybrid batteries were made in Mexico.

“Both the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi models will be built alongside the all-new 2012 Ford Focus and Focus Electric at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich.,” Ford said, “the first plant in the world to produce gasoline-powered vehicles, full-electric vehicles, hybrid and plug-in hybrids under one roof.”

The post Ford to triple US 'electrified' vehicle production appeared first on HybridCars.com.

Ford announced yesterday it would raise its annual U.S. production capacity for “electrified” vehicles from 35,000 to over 100,000 by 2013.

While the Focus EV is due later this year, the spotlight was also on four other hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Central among these will be Ford’s five-passenger C-Max Hybrid (pictured) and C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid which for the first time were announced that they would be offered in North America. A seven-passenger internal-combustion engine version slated for the U.S. however will not be offered.

The car has proven a hot seller overseas, and in a separate statement, Ford said it will increase C-Max production in Valencia, Spain to continue to fill strong European demand. Since its late 2010 launch, Ford said it has sold 70,000 units in Europe, and taken orders for 30,000 more.

The company said it is now convinced the U.S. market is ready for American-made versions which will complement a broadened selection of electrified vehicles.

“This is a big deal for us because we are seeing a huge growing appetite for fuel efficient green vehicles,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s group vice president of marketing, sales and service. “The number of people indicating fuel economy is the main reason continues to rise.”

The C-Max line is expected to compete with the Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF.

In all, Ford has committed $135 million to build its five electrified vehicles which include also a version of its Transit Connect van and another model not yet announced (possibly a hybridized 2013 Ford Escape crossover).

The initiative is said to be responsible for 220 new green technology jobs at three Michigan plants. These will include 170 positions at the Rawsonville and Van Dyke Transmission plants, and more than 50 new “electrified-vehicle engineers” which have come on board in Dearborn during the past year.

Ford however said it canceled plans for a North American seven-passenger C-Max “multi-activity vehicle” with a four-cylinder gasoline engine, meaning the C-Max will be one type or another of five-passenger hybrid only.

Estimated mileage for the new vehicles was not announced, but the C-Max Hybrid’s efficiency will reportedly exceed that of the Ford Fusion which is rated at 41 mpg.

Both the C-Max Hybrid and C-Max plug-in hybrid will utilize lithium-ion batteries. The latter will use a larger battery pack, but Ford did not specify capacity for either.

Ford did say the C-Max Hybrid will be able to travel at a higher all-electric speed than the Ford Fusion Hybrid’s 47 mph, although it did not say how much higher.

Another critical detail lacking in Ford’s press announcement was pricing, but it did say it will reduce projected MSRP thanks to an estimated 30-percent cut in production costs next year.
Part of the cost savings is because Ford has designed the hybrids’ components in-house, and will assemble their systems itself.

In contrast, the transmission in the 2011 Ford Fusion, 2011 Escape and 2011 Lincoln MKZ are supplied by Aisin Seiki Co., of Japan.

Ford likewise developed its own battery systems that will be manufactured in Rawsonville in the suburbs of Detroit for the C-Max Hybrid, and plug-in version. Previously Ford’s hybrid batteries were made in Mexico.

“Both the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi models will be built alongside the all-new 2012 Ford Focus and Focus Electric at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich.,” Ford said, “the first plant in the world to produce gasoline-powered vehicles, full-electric vehicles, hybrid and plug-in hybrids under one roof.”

Source: GM-Volt.com

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