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Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid test drive (video)
The Ford Fusion Energi joins the C-MAX Energi and Focus Electric as the company's third vehicle with a charging connector and access to California's HOV lanes. While it's a larger car than the C-MAX Energi, it weighs about the same and features pretty much the same plug-in hybrid powertrain with 195 net horsepower and three EV driving modes. It combines a 2-liter DOHC 16V Duratec (Atkinson cycle) engine and CVT with an AC synchronous motor powered by a 7.6kWh Lithium Ion battery. This pack takes about 2.5 hours to fill up with a 240V charging station and provides a range of 21 miles (100MPGe) at up to 85MPH in all-electric mode. Both autos share the same unfortunate battery protrusion in the trunk area, and while it's less of an issue in the Fusion sedan than the wagon-like C-MAX, it detracts from the overall package. The Fusion Energi also packs the company's latest and greatest tech, including MyFord Mobile, SmartGauge with EcoGuide, Eco Cruise and SYNC with MyFord Touch. Sure, that's pretty exciting, but how does it actually drive? Find out after the break.
MyFord Mobile adds PlugShare's location data, C-Max and Fusion Energi compatibility
Driving the kids to soccer practice in one of Ford's hybrid minivans might lead you to wonder why the Focus Electric gets all of the company's smartphone app love. Fortunately, Dearborn is teaming up with PlugShare to bring the latter's EV charging maps to a version of the MyFord Mobile app that's designed for the C-Max and Fusion Energi. The new app blends location and point-of-interest data, so if the little ones crave milkshakes after the game, the software can pinpoint the nearest power station that's beside a burger joint. The update is available for iOS and Android devices, and will also tell you how fuel-efficient your driving is -- without resorting to making things competitive.
Ford Focus Electric test drive and MyFord Mobile hands-on (video)
This is the production version of Ford's Focus Electric for the US market, and we got the chance to take it for a proper test drive last week. Don't fret, though -- Engadget hasn't suddenly turned into a car site. While we'll be happy to share our driving impressions, we're mostly interested in how Ford interfaces the vehicle with our favorite mobile devices and social networks -- tech that we've covered before, known as MyFord Mobile. Hit the break for the details, including our hands-on video.
Ford Focus Electric hooks up wirelessly with AT&T, incurs jealous looks from T-Mobile
AT&T is keeping up its wheeling and dealing this week, signing an agreement with Ford to provide the built-in wireless connectivity for its upcoming Focus Electric hatchback. The deal's pretty simple, really. Ford has put together a comprehensive MyFord Mobile application to go with its EV, which will allow you to keep track of and schedule charging, while also serving up status notifications, range information, and nearby recharging stations' locations, the latter facility being provided with the help of MapQuest. All that data exchange will need a nice dumb pipe to carry it between the Focus and your smartphone and AT&T is obligingly fulfilling that role -- and don't worry if your phone doesn't support the app (works with Android, BlackBerry and iOS), Ford's got a web interface too. Full PR after the break.
Ford announces C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid cars for 2012 release
Ford indicated that CES was simply the right place to debut the Ford Focus Electric, and we'd tend to agree given the company's history of showing off cool stuff at the show. But, perhaps part of that reason is because the company wasn't done with the new car announcements. In Detroit Ford has announced two new flavors of its C-MAX, both coming to the US: hybrid and plug-in hybrid. The C-MAX is a European market compact MPV, basically a tall station wagon that'll comfortably seat five and still leave room for luggage, dogs, or '70s era mainframe systems in the back. More details on both versions, plus the full PR, after the break. %Gallery-113588%
Ford Focus Electric and MyFord Mobile hands-on (video)
Ford just made some tire marks on the stage at CES unveiling its Focus Electric, the first new major vehicle announced at the show. We of course knew it was coming, and we have all the details right here of both the car itself and the MyTouch Mobile app, but we were given an opportunity to get up and close with them both. Click on through for some impressions -- both in visual and textual formats. %Gallery-113186%
Ford unveils Focus Electric with MyFord Mobile smartphone integration
Ford just made industry history by being the first major auto manufacturer to unveil a new model at CES, the Focus Electric. But we already knew it would. What we didn't know were the details of the thing, but now we have them. And a lot of pretty pictures. Ford is saying the car will manage a range of 100 miles and that it will offer an MPGe rating (a conceptual equivalency of miles per gallon for an electric or otherwise non-traditionally powered car) higher than the Volt and comparable to the Leaf, but crucially it's saying that it can be recharged on a 240 volt outlet in four hours or less. The Leaf can take up to seven hours with the same amount of current -- though of course CHAdeMO support there handily trumps that. More details below, along with details of some pretty blue butterflies. %Gallery-113179%
Ford introduces MyFord Mobile app for smartphones
Sadly Ford isn't confirming the Focus Electric that it saw fit to tease earlier this week, but we can now tell you all about the new smartphone app that will let you monitor the charging of... certain Ford vehicles. The app is called MyFord Mobile and it offers similar features to the apps we've already seen for the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt, notably car's charging status from afar and deliver some climate settings to ensure that the car is properly hot or cold before you leave on your cold or hot commute. The car will also let you find the car by GPS and, once you do, unlock the doors with your phone. When the car and the app launches there will be versions for Android, BlackBerry, and iOS, though interestingly there will be a an HTML-5 browser interface that'll even work on featurephones. Yes, featurephones. Interestingly, the app can automatically charge... whatever mystery vehicle you connect it to at the optimal time of the night to ensure you get the lowest cost for your juice, automatically pulling down rates from your utility so that you don't have to worry about it. That is what we like to call smart. And thrifty. Again the app will be available with a certain car that has a plug whenever that certain car is available, and if you want to know when that is going to happen you're going to have to wait. Update: Yes, that's a WP7 phone up there, a Samsung Focus to be exact. No, the app is not announced for Windows Phone 7. Conclusion? Cloudy. We'll have a little more clarification for you later today and you're just going to have to wait. Plenty of time to sharpen up those conspiracy theories.