Ford Fusion's returning low mpg in cold weather test drives
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
It's no surprise that cold weather does a number on a hybrid's fuel economy, but we now have a second major reviewer who's having trouble getting the Ford Fusion hybrid to reach the hybrid's EPA rating of 41 mpg city/36 highway result. USAToday reviewer Jim Healey likes the Fusion over the Prius, but when he tested the car for a week, he got an average of 27.2 mpg. Now, Ward's auto reviewer Byron Pope managed just 33 mpg, but this was during a recent spell of cold weather. The folks over at CleanMPG forums aren't exactly pleased with Pope's performance, and it is true that personal driving style has a huge impact in fuel economy. When we tested the Fusion hybrid out in California two months ago, we managed 43 mpg. But, when we tested the Fusion's sibling, the Mercury Milan, recently (and in the cold) we got 29.4 mpg. As they say, and is very worth repeating, your mileage may vary.
[Source: Ward's Auto via All Cars Electric]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
asus 6:03PM (3/21/2009)
Cold weather is a buzz kill on mpg. My prius drops by 10mpg when the temps get down around 10-15F. Above freezing I get around 48mpg. I'm lucky to get 40 when its cold.
Reply
Andrew 6:38PM (3/21/2009)
the act like this is new news... i don't know any car that has mileage that doesn't drop off in cold weather... that's true of all hybrids.... have these people ever tested hybrids in cold weather before???
Chris M 6:49PM (3/21/2009)
The fuel economy of all cars tends to drop in cold weather, the difference with the hybrids is that they display the fuel economy and people buying hybrids are interested in fuel economy, so it is more likely to be noticed in a hybrid. But hybrids still get better fuel economy, even in the cold.
Reply
Joseph 11:51PM (3/21/2009)
There shouldn't be an apostrophe in the title.
Reply
slk23 1:38AM (3/22/2009)
It's a contraction of "Ford Fusion is returning" and is correct. Perhaps you'd prefer "Ford Fusions are returning", which would need the both apostrophe removed and the word "are" added.
polo 9:58PM (3/21/2009)
Why don't they simply INSULATE the batteries? NASA has already developed and marketed insulation that keeps whatever is insulated at a constant 72-degrees in hot or cold. The material is extremely thin, so it shouldn't be too hard to wrap the entire battery enclosure with it.
http://www.spacemart.com/reports/NASA_Finds_Cure_For_Cold_Or_Hot_Feet_In_Space_Or_On_Earth_999.html
Reply
zoomev 10:38PM (3/21/2009)
I don't think it is solely a batt temp issue. My Altmia won't go into EV mode until the engine is warmed up. With my 2-3 mile commute in central NY I go weeks without driving in EV mode during the coldest months. I'm seeing 24-27mpg winter, 32-42mpg summer.
Chris M 2:52PM (3/22/2009)
It's an engine issue, IC engines aren't as efficient when cold for several reasons, including lubricating oil that thickens up and too much heat of combustion goes to warming the cylinders rather than pushing the pistons.
The batteries are insulated, and are usually located somewhere in the passenger compartment or trunk. The battery compartment is also ventilated and may be fan cooled to prevent overheating.
Brn 5:54PM (3/22/2009)
While I'm sure the material has significant merits, I question the validity of the article. How does something keep your 98 degree feet at 72 degrees when the surrounding is 80 degrees? It's not possible without some kind of thermal transfer and that requires power.
The same applies for cold environments. A car sitting in a -20F environment is -20F. Insulation might increase the time it takes to get to -20F, but it won't magically keep it at 72 degrees without a heat source.
If such a magic material did exist (inexpensively), I'd wrap my house in it.
tankd0g 3:55AM (3/24/2009)
This is one of the more moronic things I've seen posted here. Did oyu even read the article you linked to? The 72F comes from body heat. Planing to hire a homeless person to sleep on top of your batteries?
polo 1:46PM (3/24/2009)
@tankdog, because we all know that cars produce no heat, right? STFU.
usbseawolf2000 11:09PM (3/21/2009)
Ford hybrid system is one generation behind the Toyota HSD.
Fusion hybrid contains the advancements introduced in the 2004 Prius. For example, more powerful MG2, Inverter/voltage booster, electric A/C, etc... Prius had the thermo bottle to store hot anti-freeze to reheat during a cold start. I am not sure if the Fusion has it.
The 3rd gen 2010 Prius and the upcoming RX450h will have the Exhaust Heat Recovery system to replace the thermo bottle system. EHR provides cabin heat one min faster and allow gas engine to shut down for a total of 15 mins at -5 deg C.
http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/lexus/LEX-14-08.aspx?ncid=12493
http://priuschat.com/forums/members/ken1784-albums-2010-prius-picture1282-heater.jpg
Prius also has the next gen tech to combat real-world MPG in the hot weather. Solar powered vent lowers 41 deg F and the remote control activated A/C lowers another 41 deg F. A total of 82 deg F brings the interior temp to 117 deg F before starting the car.
http://priuschat.com/forums/attachments/2010-toyota-prius/12773d1232285413-2010-prius-solar-panel-vent2.jpg
EHR, EGR, solar powered vent should boost the real-world MPG, especially in the cold/hot weather.
Reply
Gary 12:07AM (3/23/2009)
Oh yes, the Prius is the best car ever built.
In every way.
Really.
(Not)
usbseawolf2000 5:07PM (3/23/2009)
I am just providing the info of what I know. Judgment is up to the reader. I don't believe I passed on my judgment in my previous post.
gorr 10:57AM (3/22/2009)
I told you before that battery don't worth nothing in car use. It's an innadapted technology and almost all car manufacturer managers have said before that batteries just don't work for cars. Batteries are a mandate of big-oil and goverments and chris m to keep polluting and destroying the biosphere. If it don't work for cars, just imagine how they will never help big trucks, industrial machineries, airplanes, big ships, agricol machineries, vtt's, ski-doos, personnal watercrafts, personnal luxury boats, luxury liners. Just the nasa spaceships actually use hydrooxy because it's the only technology able to propel upward for tousands of miles a big multi-tons shuttle. Then imagine what it can do to your personnal car. Just .01% of that stuff can propel your car forward from new-york to los-angeles without fuel cost nor pollution and better engine life because it's clean and the car cost less because all the silly stuff like catalytic converters with platinum are not necessary.
We have been rob and ruin by silly brand name products like ford, gm, chrysler, toyota, nissan, honda, aston martin, lamborgnini, ferraries, porsche, audi, yamaha, lawnbor, caterpillar, general electric, prath and whitney, bic lighters, coleman camping equipements, brigg and stratton, vespa, kawasaki, tony karts, nascar, formula one, etc. They are working to kill their consumers and accompaying stuffs like fishs and grass and air.
Reply
Chris M 2:46PM (3/22/2009)
Gorr, we don't listen to your rants because they are poorly written, with bad grammar and spelling errors, and they don't make any sense. Making long lists of unrelated items doesn't help, either.
I see you've got me listed again. Sorry, I don't make "mandates" and I don't like pollution or the oil companies. What I like are facts, and the facts show that plug-ins are the best option for getting our transportation off of petroleum based fuels, cleanly and efficiently and affordably.
gorr 10:15AM (3/23/2009)
Yes you listen carrefully to each of my post.
Im driving the market because one guy, me, is ordering one ( 1 ) car to buy through this site.
I have reversed the tendency of the market because it's not anymore the compagnies that propose cars and then consumers buy them. now it's consumers that propose what they want to buy through free blogs car sites. But i have noticed that there is big confusion abouth what consumers want because there is as many opinions as there is consumers and bloggers. So finnally it's me only that drive the market because i was first and it's my idea. The rest of the peoples including car manufacturers and their associated staffs( employees, share holders, family, dealerships, repair shops, big-oil, banks, goverments, car thiefs, scientists, journalists, state employees, army, cia) are just suffering a temporary lack of personnal identity.
Ben 11:43AM (3/23/2009)
Seriously, who can take you seriously? I normally don't comment on people's spelling and grammar, but when you start giving us "facts" like you know what you are talking about then you are automatically discredited. Seriously, putting Bic lighters in with Lamborghini and other car companies? Stop the presses, Bic lighters have conspired with big oil to develop those nasty little hybrid thingies that are sure to be the ruin of us! Or how about they are a very nice transition and are available now with lower emissions and better gas mileage than anything else currently mass produced.
Chris M 12:42PM (3/25/2009)
Jeez, Gorr, you really have an over-inflated ego trip going there!
Sorry to burst your bubble, but you are not the first to order a car, you certainly aren't the only one, and you don't drive the market. Auto makers get millions of car orders each year, your one little order hardly matters in that massive flood. But to make matters worse, you've posted that order in the wrong place, not to a car dealer or to a manufacturer, but to an obscure blog discussing clean transportation. (sorry ABG, but a majority of the populace doesn't even know this site exists.)
So, Gorr, how well did your misplaced "order" do? It's been several years and you still don't have that dream car, and the auto makers still have no idea who you are or what you really want.
Joseph 11:51AM (3/22/2009)
And who says "Ford Fusion is..."? To each his own.
Reply