Enter the rumormill: Ford Fusion hybrid coming to LA?
by Erin Mays on May 11th 2007 at 7:56AM 
Jalopnik got the skinny from a Ford Motor Company snitch they've dubbed "Electric Throat" (ahem), who says that a hybrid Fusion will be launched in concept form at either the Los Angeles Auto Show this November or North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January '08.
While we knew some kind of alternative Fusion was on the books for 2009, we weren't certain about many of the details. Ray's celebrity mole at Ford says the automaker is pushing for LA, which makes sense considering Arnold's peeps are a wee bit more eco-friendly than us Michiganders, where our lawmakers still hesitate to legislate any greener lest it hurt the bottom line of a few of the state's biggest employers.
[Source: Jalopnik]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
qwityerbitchin 11:02AM (5/11/2007)
It will easily be the best looking Hybrid...PERIOD.
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Tyo 9:21AM (5/11/2007)
when will the public, media, and car companies realize how truly awful all the batteries that will need to be dumped in a landfill every 5-10 years from these cars are for the environment? I dont understand the push for hybrids when europe has proven for years that a solid diesel in a small, well designed car can get better mpg. Its all a huge marketing scam and hype.
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Nick 9:44AM (5/11/2007)
Bring on the SVT, instead.
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roadside observer 10:37AM (5/11/2007)
Tyo, while I agree that diesel is a better alternative, it still has a rather negative stigma associated with it - thanks to the garbage GM 350-gas-converted-to-diesels foisted on us in the late 1970s and the smoky, noisy, filthy 4-cylinder diesels offered during the same timeframe. Even though the modern diesel bears little resemblance to the ones built 30 years ago, people haven't forgotten them.
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BC 10:43AM (5/11/2007)
The battery issue is valid, but those batteries probably aren't going into landfills, for the same reason that cars don't go into landfills. Cars, and steel in general, is overwhelmingly recycled in this country. Even automotive plastics are now being recycled and used stuff like shingles and other "green" architectural products.
There needs to be an effective hazardous waste disposal process for all batteries (12v car, d-cell, lithum, cell phone, etc.) not just hybrid batteries.
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the marais 10:44AM (5/11/2007)
Ford HAS to produce a hybrid version of the Fusion. It should have been out already -- essentially all of the cars with which it competes has a hybrid drivetrain version (Aura, Camry, Accord, Altima, etc.). I am a proud owner of an manual transmission I4 Fusion for the past 1.5 years. Best car I have ever owned, and it rightly deserves all of its praise.(Could use some more power and the I4 could be a wee bit quieter, though).
The only issue I have with the Fusion is that doing almost all city driving, a car that should be 24/32, gets more like 22 mpg. Hybrid cars are great for stop-and-go traffic, and, of course, become less useful at high speeds on the freeway.
Of course, as with the majority, I hope that the Mondeo and Fusion "fuse" by the time the next generation rolls around.
Is Ford producing its own hybrid, or just licensing one from another company?
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Christine 1:13PM (5/11/2007)
I'm excited about this news. It will just be in time for the end of my lease!
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lalaland 11:38AM (5/11/2007)
Electric throat? How about "Deep Discharge"?
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Brett Kelley 11:58AM (5/11/2007)
I am still perplexed as to why Ford decided to use 1992 Honda Prelude tail lights on the Fusion--they just don't look right to me.
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Daniel 12:32PM (5/11/2007)
Make it a full plug-in series drive, BioDiesel APU to move into first place in this competition. Ford needs a winner.
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Sandeep 12:35PM (5/11/2007)
@marals:
Ford already has a hybrid system developed; just look at the Escape Hybrid.
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Igor Holas 12:53PM (5/11/2007)
1) The Fusion will not just get a Hybrid version this winter - it will also get a face lift and new interior and new engines (240hp V6, 260+ turbo I4, maybe a 2.5l I4)
2) the Fusion hybrid will debut a brand new generation of Ford's Hybrid system .. it is to be way more efficient. .. I am hoping they will beat the Camry mileage ..
3) I wish Ford would pursue Diesels as well .. but I do not thing Ford will take that gamble until someone else than German boutique brands succeed in reliably selling Diesels in US .. they do not have the money to waste .. but Diesels are the better choice, and hopefully the new VW Diesel, Honda diesel and DCX Diesels will finally "reveal" this truth to the rest of the US.
Igor
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the marais 2:05PM (5/11/2007)
Igor -- Thanks for the information.
I always wondered why the base Fusion had a Mazda I4, rather using than doing something exciting like using the T5 Volvo engine. Probably had alot to do with the cost. The performance of the Mazda I4 is decent, but not terribly exciting. A turbo 5 would perhaps spice it up, while keeping good mileage numbers. A turbo option would also further distinguish the car from the Camry/Accord/Altima.
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Igor Holas 2:36PM (5/11/2007)
I just want to make sure there is no confusion - the Fusion will continue to use the Duratec (MZR) 4cylinder engines- thye are excellent engine. But there was a talk of a 2.5l version to bring the base I4 more in line with the competitors' HP numbers - the 2.3l is about the smallest in its class and it shows.
Ford NA will not use Volvo's I5 and I6 engines anytime soon.
The Turbo is also a 4cylinder, but not Mazda's DISI23 from Mazdaspeed6/3 and CX-7 .. Ford said that engine failed their durability requirements and so they developed their own.
I do not have many definitive details right now, just "wink" notes from a couple insiders, but LA is only 7 months away ... we will see soon enough.
Igor
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Yaroukh 4:04PM (5/11/2007)
Igor: THNX
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Val 4:07PM (5/11/2007)
on diesels: if I remember correctly, a few years ago ford europe and Peugeot-Citroen had a joint venture for developing diesel engines worth 1 billion euro. One of the results of this is the 2.7 V6 twin turbo diesel, used in Peugeot 607, Citroen C6, and the Jaguar S-type (not sure about the X). An excellent engine, although not as powerful as the one from BMW. All in all, PSA HDi and Ford's TDCi are among the best in the industry, and an engine like that would be nice for america, along with the I4s. Problem is that not only are diesels looked down upon, they are also illegal in some states with stringent emission controls. In france 70-80% of new cars sold are diesels, in the rest of the major european markets around 50%. I would say that here in germany the air is pretty clean but someone commented that on a trip to northern italy they were choked by the smog from diesel engines... Bluetec seems like a nice solution for the states, but it will slow down the adoption of diesels i think.
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Rick Lyon 4:31PM (5/11/2007)
Igor- I hope the Fusions gets some less use of chrome on it's face light. Those silver slits are annoying.
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Barney 5:27PM (5/11/2007)
1. when will the public, media, and car companies realize how truly awful all the batteries that will need to be dumped in a landfill every 5-10 years.
Is there something about these battery's that make them not recyclable? I have been buying recycled lead acid batteries for years and assume by your comment, that for some particular reason the ones in hybrids are not. Please explain!
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gerard Vandenberg 2:06PM (5/17/2007)
It's to anonymous designed!
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