Quincy

The specs listed by the Ford Dealers all say the Ford Fusion Hybrid's transmission is the Aisin PowerSplit eCVT automatic transmission. The name should be pretty descriptive of what kind of transmission that is. :) The Power Split Device in the Ford Escape Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid are both manufactured by Aisin Seiki in Japan. I don't have the particular Aisin model number for the Fusion Hybrid's Power Split Device yet, but the ones used in the Escape Hybrid are the Aisin T-030 and T-031. Aisin does have a Power Split Device transmission listed in their current catalog with an "HD-10" model number, with a 65kw (which is 86hp) MG2 electric motor. Sounds awfully like the specs for the FFH MG2. Check out the attachment. That is the Ford Power Split Device. And check out the Prius Power Split Device: http://www.eahart.com/prius/psd They are the same kind of animal. B)

Oy, the hybrid electronics are already covered by warranty for 8 years / 100,000 miles standard, 10 years / 150,000 miles in the eight states with California emissions laws. That Premium care package is rather expensively redundant if you are worried about the hybrid electronics!

They share the same kind of Power Split Device drivetrain, though the various components are different. The 2nd-Gen Prius has a 1.5L engine and a 60hp MG2 traction motor, while the Fusion Hybrid has a 2.5L engine and a 90hp MG2 traction motor. Plus the battery pack (their control electronics and software, how they charge, and their capacity) is different between the Prius and Fusion Hybrid. How the power split device system works is pretty universal among Toyota, Lexus, Ford and Nissan hybrids though (these are the four carmakers that uses the PSD drive system in their hybrids). These all use the Planetary gearset with the MG2 turning the outside ring gear (which directly drives the car's wheels), the gasoline engine turning the middle planetary gears (through the planetary carrier assembly), and the MG1 countertorque motor connected to the sun gear at the center of the PSD gearset. This webpage can explain how the three mesh together much better than I can: http://www.eahart.com/prius/psd\ Hope this helps!

Just an update! One month later, we see that Lexus is doing exactly what Ford did with the Fusion Hybrid drivetrain-- Going more aggressive on the electrical side. Check it out: http://www.leftlanenews.com/lexus-hs-250h-...ive-review.html The new Lexus HS250h will sport a 120hp MG2 electric motor. The Fusion Hybrid has a 90hp MG2. All the previous PSD hybrid sedans like the Camry Hybrid and Nissan Altima Hybrids had just 50hp MG2s. I guess with such a big MG2, the Lexus HS250h will be able to cruise on electric alone at even higher speeds, if that's the case!

Engine wear is not an issue.. Here in New York City we got Ford Escape Hybrids working as taxi cabs since 2004. Many have exceeded 200,000 miles with no problems. Ditto in Vancouver where they got plenty of Priuses as taxi cabs (same kind of drivetrain as the Escape Hybrid and Fusion hybrid.)

I wouldn't do it. Maintenance for the Fusion Hybrid is nothing like the regular Fusion. We don't need brake servicing until after 100,000 miles because of regenerative braking, there are no timing belts to change, and no need to replace alternators or starter motors or solenoids. If you have the things in the Fusion Hybrid maintenance schedule done on your own at the prescribed intervals, you will find that it will cost you MUCH LESS than $1400!

If the performance of the Ford Fusion and Toyota Prius are of any indication, I think the odds are in our favor that they will last past 200,000 miles with very little problems. :) In Vancouver, they have been using Toyota Priuses as taxi cabs for years. Those have regularly exceeded 200,000 miles with zero battery issues, and only those that have been badly abused (involved in accidents) have subsequent problems (not a surprise). Where I am here in New York City, they have been using Ford Escape Hybrids as taxis since 2005 and many have also exceeded 200,000 miles no problems, and nobody abuses the cars like the notorious NYC cabbies. Since the Fusion Hybrid uses the same hybrid system as the Escape Hybrid, I think it gives us a pretty good indication how long the FFH will last. I'm keeping a very close eye on how the rest of NYC's hybrid fleet will do-- We also got plenty of Camry Hybrids, Altima Hybrids, Highlander Hybrids and Priuses as taxi cabs here. I'll be watching with interest to see when the Ford Fusion Hybrid will start showing up on the streets of NYC as medallion cabs!

Just want to make you guys aware that the Premium Maintenance Service Package is TOTALLY UNNECESSARY. It's a complete waste of money. The Fusion Hybrid uses regenerative braking and needs no brake pad change until well after 100,000 miles. (Not a typo!) And it has no timing belt, no alternators, no starter motor or solenoid that needs replacement. The hybrid drivetrain is already covered for up to 10 years / 150,000 miles depending on where you bought and registered the car. The 30,000 and 60,000 mile service are simply multi-point inspections. Nor worth the $1,900 at all!

Well, I own a Prius too, but I do like the Fusion Hybrid very much because it's like a Prius on steroids. :lol: Fusion Hybrid owners can learn a lot from Prius owners. All of the driving techniques they developed on the Prius like Pulse and Glide is entirely applicable to the Fusion Hybrid since they share such similar drivetrains, and we can also learn a thing or two like winter operations (where the Prius owners often partially block grills or have engine block heaters installed to improve fuel economy). Any PSD-equipped car is fine by me! And that includes hybrids from Ford, Nissan (they licensed the PSD system for their Nissan Altima Hybrid too), Lexus and Toyota. B) They are all birds of the same feather, so to speak.

Congratulations! The Fusion Hybrid is indeed a fine choice. Now you will be going through the 5 stages of your ownership experience: 1 - Fascination with your new car, the honeymoon period. 2 - Discovering all the neat things about the Fusion Hybrid, like how you don't need to change the brake pads until after 100,000 miles. 3 - Learning and fine-tuning your driving techniques to get the most out of your Fusion Hybrid. 4 - Nirvana-- As you mastered everything your Fusion Hybrid has to offer. 5 - and the realization that it can be SO MUCH BETTER... And hoping Ford will keep improving the Fusion Hybrid in the future with new technologies like smaller, lighter Lithium-powered battery packs and Plug-In options so we can drastically decrease our need to visit a gas station to fill up. B)

The Power Split Device system has two electrical motors, MG1 and MG2. The MG1 is the smaller countertorque motor (about 20hp), and is used to crank the gasoline engine into motion, which is why the Power Split Device-equipped cars do not need a separate starter motor and solenoid like a regular car does (which is what cranks the engine in a regular car when you turn the key in the ignition). MG2 is the 90hp main traction motor geared directly to the drivewheels, both to provide direct electrical motor torque to the wheels and to electrically brake the car by spinning it as an electrical generator. The PSD does not need an alternator because both MG1 and MG2 can be run as electrical generators (MG2 by recovering kinetic energy into electricity through regenerative braking, MG1 as the countertorque motor spun by the gasoline engine when the gas engine is turning.) The hybrid system includes a solid-state inverter and the hybrid computer system to manage the electrical system and monitor the battery charge states. As far as engine wear goes, the gas engine in a PSD car experiences LESS engine wear because 1) it's an Atkinson Cycle engine that always operates at lower RPMs compared to regular Otto-cycle engines, and 2) it's in operation only when it's needed, so it experiences less heat stress and less mechanical friction wear. The cons of the PSD system are : - the motors do weigh a lot-- 200 pounds of copper windings, magnets and armature. The battery pack is a bit heavy too, so the hybrids do pay a penalty in weight. On average, a PSD hybrid car will weigh around 200-300 pounds heavier than its conventional counterpart. - In cars that are not designed from the ground up as hybrids such as the Fusion, the battery does take up trunk space. The cars designed from the ground up as hybrids like the Prius don't pay that penalty though. - The computer-controlled traction system is not particularly good at managing high-slip conditions, which is why the PSD system is not good for off-road 4-wheel-drive vehicles. During excessive slip, the traction-control will override your throttle input to prevent an MG2 electrical overload (so as not to burn out the MG2 traction motor). - You do have to take care not to drain the main traction battery. The hybrid system computer always tries to keep it in a charge state between 60-80%, where the battery will last almost indefinitely. It is not designed to be deep-discharged. If you do anything stupid like run out of gas so you are running on just electric alone, which drains the battery, it will decrease its lifespan (and that kind of damage is NOT covered by warranty.) This is easy to avoid of course--- Just don't ever run out of gas! And no, battery life is NOT an issue, in contrast to all the crap you hear from hybrid-haters. Ford warranties that battery for up to 10 years / 150,000 miles if you are in one of the eight states with California-standard emissions laws. They'd be nuts to back it for that long if they don't have confidence in the pack. And plenty of Prius and Escape Hybrids used as taxi cabs in places like Vancouver and New York City have routinely exceeded 200,000 miles with ZERO battery issues. Personally, I think for a passenger car (that is not used for off-roading), the PSD system's advantages far outweigh its more-than-manageable disadvantages. Hope this helps.

The Fusion Hybrid should cost LESS to maintain than a regular Fusion. Here's why: - The Fusion Hybrid uses a Power Split Device transmission. It has just one planetary gearset with about 30 moving parts. No gear-shifting wear-and-tear. It has no clutch, no hot-running torque converter, no CVT belts. That is why it is lower-maintenance and more durable than regular-car multiple-gear transmissions with 100+ moving parts. It is the same kind of transmission used by Toyota hybrids like the Prius. How the PSD Transmission works: http://www.eahart.com/prius/psd - A big side benefit of the PSD transmission is that the big 90hp MG2 electrical traction motor in the Fusion Hybrid can be used to electrically brake the car to slow it down. This electrical regenerative braking converts the car's forward momentum into storable electricity (which goes into the battery pack), and saves brake pad wear tremendously. The Fusion Hybrid won't need a brake pad change until after 100,000 miles. (Not a typo.). Try that in a regular Fusion and see what happens. B) - The Fusion Hybrid also does not have a timing belt. It does not have an alternator. Nor does it have a starter motor or solenoid. Less things to wear out and need replacement. Regular cars have those. - The Fusion Hybrid uses 87-octane regular gas. You don't use higher octanes because the Atkinson-cycle engine leaves their valves open longer, so you DO NOT want the delayed combustion characteristics of the higher-octane fuel. And 87-octane is cheaper. The fuel economy is nice, but I think the best thing about the Power Split Device-equipped hybrid cars are their decreased maintenance requirements. After driving a Power Split Device car, regular cars feel downright primitive. I am NEVER going back to a regular car. :)

I don't think we have to worry about Honda.. The last time they tried selling a midsize hybrid sedan, it was a total disaster. The Honda Accord Hybrid was on the market for all of 3 years (2005, 2006, 2007) before they decided to pull the plug. :P The HAH was beset with transmission problems and the fuel economy was abysmal. I think it'll be a while before Honda tries to market a midsided hybrid sedan again. Toyota is a different story though. The Camry Hybrid is due for a redesign in another 2 years. Remember it uses the same Power Split Device drivetrain as the Ford Fusion Hybrid, so Toyota can easily modify it to match the Fusion Hybrid's performance by enlarging the MG2 traction motor and using a more powerful battery pack (Lithium Ion battery packs are expected to be available by then). Meanwhile, Ford should enjoy its day in the sun with the Fusion Hybrid, which is definitely the best midsized hybrid sedan to own right now. Definitely need to keep improving the technology though, because Toyota ain't sitting idly by.

Heya Newnole, Yep, Ford has indeed went more aggressive on the electric side of the PSD system, by enlarging the size of MG2, which is the main AC traction motor directly geared to the wheels (90hp if I remember right), and increasing the capacity of the HV battery. In contrast, the MG2 motor in the Camry Hybrid is only 50hp. The elegant simplicity of the PSD system used by Ford and Toyota continues to amaze me. The complexity of Honda and GM's hybrid drivetrains are nightmarish in comparison!

Oh, forgot to add what I was going to say about cold weather.. In the winter, it's harder for hybrids like the Prius and the Ford Fusion Hybrid to keep their engines warmed up since they are not running all the time the car is in operation. That is why in the winter you will notice the gasoline engine turning on more often to keep the coolant heated so you can get heat in your cabin. Also, a car engine runs most efficiently when it has been warmed up, so if the engine is always running cold, it won't be as efficient. Those are the reasons why in the winter you will see your MPGs decrease by quite a bit. That's also why an Engine Block Heater is standard equipment for Toyota Priuses sold in cold areas like Canada and Alaska. You plug that into a 110VAC outlet in your garage so your engine is already warmed up when you drive out the door. Hopefully Ford will offer something like that for the Fusion Hybrid if it turns out to be necessary.