2017 Ford Fusion Energi PHEV
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 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 136 km/h.
According to a March 2016 Harris Poll of more than 1,0000 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.
