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| Image by M 93 via Flickr |
Ford’s two new hybrid vehicles, the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi
plug-in hybrid, are projected to set a new benchmark for fuel economy
when they go on sale next year.
The C-MAX Energi is expected to deliver a better fuel economy
equivalent in electric mode than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid with a
500-mile overall driving range, more than Chevrolet Volt. The new C-MAX
Hybrid is targeted to achieve better fuel economy than Toyota Prius v.
Both vehicles feature the next generation of Ford’s acclaimed
powersplit technology that will allow operation in electric mode at
higher speeds than any other hybrid.
“C-MAX is the right car for the time as it combines the dynamics
and quality of a traditional car with the versatility of a MAV and
leading fuel efficiency that you cannot even get from Toyota,” said
Sherif Marakby, director of Ford’s Electrification Programs and
Engineering.
The C-MAX hybrids headline Ford’s transformed lineup, one-third of
which will feature a model with 40 mpg or more in 2012, building on the
company’s commitment to give fuel-efficiency-minded customers the Power
of Choice.
Ford’s near-term electrification plan calls for the company to
triple production capacity of its electrified vehicle range by 2013. The
C-MAX vehicles will be built on the company’s global C-segment platform
and are two of five electrified vehicles Ford plans to launch in North
America in 2012.
Scheduled to start hitting showroom floors in the second half of
2012, the C-MAX hybrids will be built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant
in Wayne, Mich., with production powered in part by one of the largest
solar energy generator systems in the state.
More hybrid innovations
Ford holds approximately 500 patents that cover technologies in its
electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles like C-MAX Energi in
addition to several hundred patent-pending applications.
With 20 years of Ford research and innovation behind the software
and hardware technology driving them, the C-MAX vehicles also offer a
proven design and nameplate with more than 100,000 sold in Europe since
it launched in late 2010.
The C-MAX hybrids will be the company’s first dedicated hybrid
vehicle line and the first MAV (multi-activity vehicle) line in North
America.
“The C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi are designed to meet the needs
of customers looking to ‘plus-up’ and optimize their hybrid car
experience,” said Amy Machesney, C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi Marketing
manager. “These customers are living more environmentally responsible
lives and may have bought a hybrid in the past. They are now ready for
more hybrid choice, combined with style, better performance and
additional versatility.”
Fuel efficiency, range and power
C-MAX Hybrid is projected to deliver class-leading fuel economy and
beat the Toyota Prius v in both city and highway equivalent miles per
gallon.
C-MAX Energi is projected to deliver better fuel economy in
electric mode than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid and is projected to
achieve more than 500 miles of overall driving range.
The C-MAX line hits impressive fuel efficiency and range figures without sacrificing driving performance.
“With C-MAX, you get road-holding capability, sportiness and
performance in addition to leading fuel economy, great versatility,
great features and great technology in a package designed to exceed
customer expectations,” said John Davis, C-MAX chief nameplate engineer.
Technology
The C-MAX line features the company’s innovative hands-free
liftgate that allows quick and easy access to the cargo area without
ever needing to fumble for keys. A gentle kicking motion under the rear
bumper opens the liftgate when used in combination with a key fob the
user keeps in his or her pocket or purse that tells the car it’s OK to
engage. The same motion can be used to close the liftgate.
The vehicles also feature the newest version of SYNC® with MyFord Touch® to help inform, enlighten, engage and empower drivers – with an emphasis on increasing fuel economy.
This feature offers multiple ways for customers to manage and
control their phone, navigation, entertainment and climate functions
through voice commands, menus accessed through controls on the steering
wheel, touch screens, buttons or knobs. In C-MAX Energi, the system
offers additional information such as battery state of charge and
distance to the next charge point.
The C-MAX also offers the next generation of SmartGauge®
with EcoGuide. Designed to help drivers get the most from the C-MAX,
information such as instantaneous fuel economy can be displayed on the
left cluster to help drivers more closely monitor how their driving
behavior affects the vehicle’s efficiency.
In the right cluster, redesigned imagery of green leaves shows
overall driving efficiency. The left cluster shows Brake Coach, a
feature that helps drivers optimize their use of the regenerative
braking system so that driving range can be enhanced through proper
braking techniques.
Available for C-MAX Energi is the MyFord® Mobile
smartphone application that allows users to monitor charging, receive
alerts, find charge stations, plan trips and do more from their
smartphones or computers for an effortless transition to an electrified
vehicle lifestyle.
Other available technology features on C-MAX include active park assist, push-button start, AM/FM/CD/MP3 Sony® Audio, HD Radio™ and voice-activated Navigation System.
Versatility
As Ford’s first North American MAVs, C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi
provide customers with plenty of interior versatility and flexibility
along with the urban maneuverability of a smaller vehicle.
The C-MAX line features a high roof design that gives each vehicle
an overall height of 64 inches along with a higher command-style seat
position instead of a cockpit-type. It also features five-passenger
seating that includes a split, fold-flat second-row seat.
C-MAX Hybrid provides 54.3 cubic feet of space behind the first row
and 24.9 cubic feet behind the second row. In C-MAX Energi, there is
43.3 cubic feet behind the first row and 19.1 cubic feet behind the
second row.
Quality and ingenuity
Although Ford’s C-MAX vehicles are new, the software and hardware
technology going in them has been evolving for nearly two decades.
The C-MAX line also benefits from analysis of more than 500,000
miles of data collected from Ford’s Escape plug-in hybrid test fleet,
which helped engineers understand how plug-in hybrid vehicles are driven
and charged and how parts perform under certain conditions.
“The result is a stunningly efficient system that has been entirely
developed by Ford in-house,” said Marakby. “That’s crucial because it
allows for development of one highly efficient system as opposed to
integrating pieces of software and hardware made by different parties
with hope that it will not only function properly but also efficiently.”
C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi get their power through the
combination of a gasoline engine and a battery-driven electric motor.
When powered by gasoline, the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi use the
all-new 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine – a powerful and
fuel-efficient engine and among the most advanced non-turbocharged
four-cylinder powertrains Ford has ever offered.
The electric motors of the C-MAX hybrids are powered by advanced
lithium-ion (li-ion) battery systems designed to maximize use of common,
high-quality components, such as control board hardware that has proven
field performance in Ford’s critically acclaimed hybrid vehicles.
Li-ion battery packs are more efficient than nickel-metal-hydride
(NiMH) batteries. They also are 25 to 30 percent smaller and 50 percent
lighter than NiMH batteries used in today’s first-generation hybrid
vehicles.
C-MAX hybrids offer Ford’s next-generation powersplit architecture
that allows the electric motor and gasoline-powered engine to work
together or separately to maximize efficiency. The engine also can
operate independently of vehicle speed, charging the batteries or
providing power to the wheels as needed. The motor alone can provide
sufficient power to the wheels in low-speed, low-load conditions and
work with the engine at higher speeds.
In the C-MAX Hybrid, the li-ion battery pack is recharged when the
gasoline engine is in operation. Further, the regenerative braking
system recaptures more than 95 percent of the braking energy that would
otherwise be lost, and is able to use that power to help charge the
battery. C-MAX Hybrid requires no plug-in charging.
C-MAX Energi is charged by connecting the vehicle’s external charge
port to either a standard 120-volt outlet or available 240-volt
charging station.
Safety
The C-MAX hybrids offer standard safety technologies such as the MyKey® teen safety feature, SYNC 911 Assist™ and seven airbags. SYNC 911 Assist
uses hands-free phone capabilities to connect the driver directly with a
local 911 operator through the paired phone should an accident occur in
which an airbag deploys.
The next-generation MyKey features now allow parents to choose from
multiple top speed limits and blocking of explicit satellite radio
programming. MyKey also provides a persistent audible warning if front
occupants are not wearing seat belts.
The C-MAX hybrids also feature standard safety and driver-assist
technologies, including Curve Control that is designed to slow the
vehicle when it’s cornering too fast and Torque Vectoring Control to
help accelerate through a turn when necessary. AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™ (RSC) and electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) also are standard.
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