Ford Grows Hybrid Segment Market Share to New Record

While achieving an all-time monthly sales record in December with 3,244 Fusion Hybrids sold, Ford is expected to shatter that number in January with a projected 5,500 units sold.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid’s success has helped Ford capture more of the hybrid market share, with it jumping nearly nine percentage points from December 2011 to December 2012. Toyota on the other hand, saw its share of the hybrid vehicle segment drop eight points. Also with the help of the C-Max Hybrid, Ford automaker currently has a 16-percent share of the hybrid market.

In the fourth quarter of 2012, Ford sold 19,554 hybrid vehicles and according to the American automaker, Ford Fusion Hybrid buyers are five years younger than buyers of the previous Fusion Hybrid model. The average age for new Fusion Hybrid buyers is 48 years old while Toyota Camry Hybrid buyers have an average age of 54. Plus, 22 percent of Fusion Hybrid buyers are under the age of 35 – surely a testament to its contemporary styling. On average, the Fusion Hybrid is turning over in just 10 days on the dealership lot.

Courtesy of Auto Guide

Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid Earn Top Vehicle Safety Rating from NHTSA

The 2013 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid received a top vehicle safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Fusion and Fusion Hybrid received a five-star Overall Vehicle Score in NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) testing, which combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and resistance to rollover.

“The Fusion and Fusion Hybrid exemplify the new face of Ford vehicles and demonstrate Ford’s commitment to safety in all its vehicles across the globe,” said Steve Kenner, Global Director of the Ford Automotive Safety Office (ASO).

The new five-star safety award from NHTSA is in addition to the 2013 Fusion being named a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) last month. The Top Safety Pick + designation is the highest rating the organization has for vehicle safety.

The all-new Fusion features the Personal Safety System^TM with new safety belt technologies and front impact airbags.

The Personal Safety System^TM is a network of components that work together to tailor the deployment of the front airbags during frontal collisions. The restraint control module (RCM) translates information collected by the front crash sensors, front outboard safety belt buckle switches, driver-seat track position and passenger seat weight sensor. Using this information, the RCM activates the safety belt pretensioners and determines how the dual-stage front airbags will deploy. This tailored airbag deployment is based upon system inputs received about the size, seat track position and safety belt usage of the front seat occupants.

The redesigned seat-mounted side airbags deploy lower in the pelvis area and incorporate new venting technology. The side airbag’s venting technology takes into account the size of the occupant, and varies the pressure so smaller occupants receive a lower pressure.

The tunnel vent is lined up with the shoulder area of the occupant. On larger passengers, the shoulder engages the vent and keeps it from venting so the gas stays inside the airbag. On smaller passengers, the effect is just the opposite: Because the occupant’s shoulder is below the vent, the gas vents out of the airbag.

The driver’s airbag uses a reconfigured curve-shaped tether system that pulls in the lower section to create a pocket that help to lessen the impact of the airbag on the driver’s chest and ribs in frontal crashes. Deploying at the same time is a driver’s knee airbag.

Top fuel economy, driver assist technology

The Fusion and Fusion Hybrid boast leading fuel economy and numerous technologies that help enhance the driving experience, reduce stress and assist the driver.

Fusion brings the broadest selection of fuel-efficient powertrains in the midsize car segment. Consumers have the choice of a pair of EcoBoostfour-cylinder engines, a normally aspirated four-cylinder engine, an automatic start stop system to shut off the engine at stationary idle, front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive applications, and a choice between automatic and manually shifted six-speed transmissions.

Maneuvering parking lots and traveling open roadways becomes less stressful with Fusion’s available sensor-based BLIS^® (Blind Spot Information System) with cross-traffic alert. The system uses radar to identify and alert the driver if a vehicle is detected in the vehicle’s blind spot. Cross-traffic alert provides audible and visual alerts if traffic is detected approaching from the sides, such as when backing out of a parking space.

Available Active Park Assist makes parallel parking virtually stress-free. With the press of a button, the system detects an available parallel parking space and automatically steers the vehicle into the space. Drivers control only the gas and brake pedals and transmission gear position.

Other driver assist technologies available on the Fusion include:

• Lane Keeping Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Rearview Camera
• Hill Start Assist
• Electronic Parking Break

Courtesy of Ford

Ford, Eaton, SunPower and Whirlpool Team Up for Electric Energy Initiative

Ford Motor Company today announces a strategic collaboration that will demonstrate how a typical American family can significantly reduce their electricity bills and CO₂ footprint by integrating home appliance technology with a plug-in vehicle to achieve an energy-efficient lifestyle.

 

The Ford-led MyEnergi Lifestyle^® collaboration – comprised of leaders in the home appliance, renewable energy and power management industries – includes Eaton (NYSE: ETN), SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR) and Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR). Additional featured companies include semiconductor provider Infineon (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) and Nest Labs, with its latest learning thermostat represented in the research and implementation phase of the collaboration.

 

Specifically, MyEnergi Lifestyle showcases how combining renewable energy generation with “time-flexible” loads optimizes energy consumption across a plug-in vehicle and home appliances.

 

Ford and its business associates worked with researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology to create a computer model that calculates the electricity usage of a typical single family in their home for one year and the associated savings with moving to an energy-efficient lifestyle. The cumulative results predict a 60 percent reduction in energy costs and more than 9,000 kg of CO₂ (55 percent reduction) saved from a single home. If every home in the U.S. were to implement these energy-saving technologies, it would be the equivalent of taking all the homes in California, New York and Texas off the power grid (32 million homes).

 

Additional results from the Georgia Tech computer model, including in-depth associate product savings, will be revealed at Ford’s display during the 2013 International CES in Las Vegas, Jan. 8-12.

 

To create a real-world example of how attainable, affordable and convenient a sustainable lifestyle can be, MyEnergi Lifestyle collaborators also announce plans to award a typical American family with delivery and installation of energy-saving products from each company, along with other leading energy-efficient products. All contest and promotion details will be included in a separate announcement soon.

 

“More than ever, cars are sharing the same energy source as the home,” says Mike Tinskey, global director of Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure, Ford Motor Company. “The time is right for the home appliance and transportation sectors to converge if we are going to tackle a myriad of sustainability challenges in a rapidly changing world.”

 

The average American home uses more than 11,000 kWh of electricity a year, says Warwick Stirling, global director for Energy and Sustainability, Whirlpool Corporation. “But with recent technology advancements in our appliances, a family can use energy smarter and more efficiently,” he adds.

 

“SunPower is offering Ford plug-in vehicle owners the world’s most efficient solar power systems to ensure they maximize emission-free power generation for use at home and for their vehicles,” says Ken Fong, SunPower general manager, Americas. “SunPower systems offer the industry’s best warranty, so homeowners can count on 25 years or more of clean power to support their sustainability goals and generate significant annual savings on their electricity bills.”

 

“As innovation in home electrical technology advances, so does the need for safe, reliable and efficient power distribution,” says Joanne Edwards, vice president and general manager, Residential Division, Eaton. “At the same time, giving homeowners the tools to tap into the details of distributed power for their homes allows them to modify their behavior and further reduce energy consumption.”

 

Driving change: Technology trends

A plug-in vehicle is the largest electrified product most people will ever buy, and it serves as a catalyst for adoption of products that reduce CO₂ and save money. Recent advancements in several technologies make this an ideal time to demonstrate the benefits that can be achieved by optimizing a home energy footprint.

 

Key factors driving MyEnergi Lifestyle include:

• Electric vehicles, like the all-new Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, are more efficient and can charge during the low-cost electricity hours
• Appliance efficiency has improved dramatically over the past decade
• Hot water heaters are more efficient and use nighttime electricity
• Connected appliances can use less energy during peak periods
• The Nest Learning Thermostat programs itself and automatically saves energy when a homeowner is away
• Efficient, reliable and affordable rooftop solar systems enable families to generate renewable energy and save money on utility bills
• Connected devices enable smarter use of energy

In addition to the energy benefits directly received from the latest product offerings of Ford, Eaton, SunPower and Whirlpool, the widespread deployment of smart meters (now in more than 40 million homes across the U.S.) enables households to take advantage of off-peak rates.

 

Utilities turning to off-peak rates

Most of today’s residential electrical load on the grid occurs in the daytime hours. Electrical utilities need to ensure this daytime peak demand load does not exceed their supply capacity. Consequently, utilities in many parts of the country offer reduced energy rates for off-peak usage as a way to incentivize customers to shift their usage patterns to nighttime or early-morning hours. Discounted off-peak hours are typically between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. Off-peak pricing is normally around half as much as on-peak, but peak pricing can be as much as 10 times higher than off-peak in some parts of the country.

 

Examples of household electrical loads that could be shifted to off-peak hours via an automated or controlled mobile app include charging a plug-in vehicle, running a dishwasher, running a hot water heater, running the refrigerator’s defrost cycle and ice-making.

 

Additionally, data from electric utilities indicate their power generation mix is based on a higher percentage of clean/renewable energy sources during off-peak hours. Therefore, a family can reduce their CO₂ footprint even further by off-peak electricity usage.

 

Value charging in MyEnergi Lifestyle
Ford’s own off-peak electric usage technology – value charging – is available on all Ford plug-in vehicles, including C-MAX Energi, Fusion Energi and Focus Electric, via the MyFord^® Mobile app. Value charging is a unique feature that harnesses the power of cloud computing to automatically charge the vehicle when utility rates are lowest, thus helping to minimize the cost to charge the vehicle and the potential ownership costs of an electric vehicle.

 

Drivers just need to enable a single setting in the app and then plug their cars in without worrying about what time the rates change in their area. The network monitors utility rate schedules and automatically transmits a signal to the vehicle through embedded cellular connectivity to start charging at the lowest cost.

 

Ford is the only automaker to offer the value charging feature and is working with other companies to allow access to its proprietary database of utility rates – thus enabling similar value charging functionality to all representative associate products.

 

The power of choice

Value charging is just one example of the efficiency Ford’s new electrified vehicles can provide owners. The all-new Ford C-MAX Energi is highlighted in MyEnergi Lifestyle and is America’s most fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid with an EPA-estimated 108 MPGe city and 100 MPGe combined rating – 5 MPGe better than Toyota Prius plug-in. C-MAX Energi is America’s most affordable plug-in hybrid with a starting price of $29,995, after a federal tax credit and including destination and delivery costs.

 

C-MAX Energi is part of Ford’s overall strategy to give customers the power of choice for leading fuel economy across the lineup. Ford will offer eight vehicles that deliver 40 mpg or better in 2013 – more than any other automaker. This includes six all-new electrified vehicles – three hybrids and three plug-in vehicles.

 

Ford’s new electrified vehicles are equipped with innovative technologies that are designed to help win over both novice and experienced hybrid owners while giving them coaching tools to be more efficient drivers.

 

SmartGauge^® with EcoGuide, for example, provides in-vehicle customizable displays, including instantaneous fuel economy readings and coaching functions to help drivers understand and optimize their fuel efficiency.

 

EV+ combines the built-in GPS of Ford SYNC^® with proprietary software algorithms developed by Ford engineers to learn frequent destinations. As a result, vehicles give drivers more drive time in electric-only mode.

 

EV mode allows a driver to switch vehicle operation between three modes: all-electric, normal hybrid operation and conserve battery power for later use mode. This new feature debuted on the C-MAX Energi and will be featured on Fusion Energi.

 

Courtesy of Ford

Ford Fusion Tales: Killer Bod

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