Burke

THIS is what I'm thinking of. Except I look at it as the engine being most efficient at a give HP output, let's say 20 horsepower. So if it only takes 12hp to cruise at 65 (I seem to remember this from somewhere but I'm grasping) then there's 8hp left to charge the battery. Then the engine can cycle on and off in it's most efficient state while the battery fills in the gaps. Total theory here. Ha, you're right! I see now, I fell into that same pitfall... otherwise we could put wind turbines on top to generate electricity while we drive... Thanks again to everyone! All your comments have me fairly convinced that if we use this as our all-around car it's a no brainer. I oh so want to get a car with much higher mpgs, the FFH is finally affordable. We'll see how my wife likes the seats tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

No question that I'm a loyal Ford fan! So other options aren't really options ;-). The way I see it ('course I can justify anything to myself if I put my mind to it!) is that the hybrid option will break even at 12,000 / year and 3.00 / gal., IF I believe the combined mpg ratings. We always seem to get just a little under the combined figures. We're doing 12,000/yr now and I expect that to increase, as well as the cost of gas. So... The Energi on the other hand, the sticker price is a bit much right now. We're so dirt poor I don't think we can get anymore tax credits, but the leather will make my wife happy! I'll have to look over in the Energi forum to see if it's better long range/high speed performance.

Thanks for the replies everyone, the hybrid sounds promising! But I didn't mean to be comparing the FFH to the Edge, rather the Fusion stock 2.5L gas to the Fusion Hybrid. ACDII - 43mpg with a load like that at 65 mph? Sign me up! Easy Rider - Yes, that does make sense. The engine (and regen brakes) provide the energy. I'm just hoping the threshold for gas only is faster than my expected crusing speed of 65, maybe 70. That C-Max we drove... can't remember what the sales girl said the threshold was, 48, 52, 62mph maybe? Still too slow for these roads, you're almost a traffic hazzard at 60. But the difference in mpg was fairly significant once I slowed down to below that threshold. Two years later I'm hoping the technology is better. Especially since I read that thing about 85mph now being the top speed in all electric mode. That doesn't mean I'm planing on cruising at 80, rather hoping to get much better mpg at 65, or perhaps 70 (if I have a tail wind!).

New to the forum here, and STRONGLY considering a 2015 SE FFH. Our lease on a 2013 Edge runs out this month, and hopefully I'll be driving a lot more due to work. I know I'll be driving a lot more due to school soon. So mpg's is a big concern. My question relates to our test drive of a C-Max hybrid a couple years ago. We were lucky enough to get if for a hour or so. I noticed that the high mpg wasn't very high at what I call highway speeds. When I slowed down (too slow for a 65mph speed limit road) the mpg's shot up. I don't remember the specifics but there was a cutoff, above that speed it was pure gas and dissapointing mpg's. I see now that Ford has modified the programming (at least). The FFH can go 85mph on pure electric? So will that give 'hybrid' mpg's at a crusing speed of 65 to 70mph? Driving on flat roads in Florida, speed limits of 60 to 65, not much stop and go. 30 to 45 mile one way trips. A salesman mentioned a 45mph cutoff and that the 2.5L might be a better bargin, meaning the extra cost of hybrid won't be realized in mpg's. Is he not up-to-date on the 2015 hybrids or am I seeing pie-in-the-sky? By the way, we would have gotten that C-Max back in '13 except for the manual passenger seat. The driver seat was 10-way power, but the passenger side was manual! My wife drove it first and loved it. When I drove she hated the passenger side seat. She's had some back issues and NEEDS a seat that goes up and down. The Edge Limited was the cheapest thing at the time with at least a 6-way power passenger seat, so we've been paying for it... (Had an '09 Focus at the time) Megan - Real happy to see the Fusion SE comes with a 6-way power passenger seat, gas or Hybrid, yeah! Now if Ford would only make them match (lumbar in both). Anyway, trying to figure out if the extra cash is worth it with the driving I expect to do.