junehhan

I was more referring to how this journalist notes that the Volt will fire up it's ICE when you get heavy on the throttle pedal. Kind of like how our hybrids fire up the ICE when you move past that threshhold where it can't cut it in EV mode. I was also referring to how the Volt apparantly also tries to keep the battery pack within an optimal charge range like our hybrids do. I believe the journalist noted that it fires the ICE as necessary to keep the battery pack within 30-80% charge kind of like how i've noticed my battery pack staying between 40-100%. I am probably one of few hybrid owners that sees my battery pack charging all the way to 100% on a daily basis as I start the day by pulling out of the drive and going down a hill that forces me to use the brakes a lot. I guess from what we were being told about the early Volt prototypes, I was expecting the Volt to basically exhaust its battery pack charge first achieving the predicted 30-40 miles before firing up the ICE to charge it.

http://www.automobilemag.com/green/reviews/1001_2011_chevrolet_volt_integration_vehicle/index.html Here is an article that I think you guys might find interesting on what the future holds for these plug in hybrids that are coming out in a couple years. From the description of the automotive journalist, these new plug ins are starting to appear more like normal hybrids than ever before.

When we consider the diversity of the cars that these guys test drive on a weekly basis, it is possible that they have a hard time driving the Ford Fusion Hybrid efficiently. Getting good fuel economy from our vehicles require no hypermiling. However, there is a slight learning curve in learning how to modulate the gas pedal to get maximum acceleration while keeping the vehicle in EV mode. When I initially got my hybrid, I found myself kicking out of EV mode far too quickly because I was so used to hitting the gas pedal beyond a certain distance in all of my previous vehicles. The other thing is that our hybrids are very dependent on temperature, and length of the commute in terms of getting its best fuel economy averages. Cold weather kills our fuel economy, and short commutes also kill the average. It is entirely possible that the Ford Fusion Hybrid does not really get significantly better fuel economy than the Camry Hybrid except for when conditions are favorable. My best fuel economy comes when the outdoor temperature has been over 50 degrees with a commute that is at least 10 miles(this combo yields 44+mpg).

The current 2010 Mustang V6 and the upcoming 2011 Mustang V6 will be totally different beasts :) Here is a good article that talks about the technology that will be in the 2011 Mustang V6. It isn't just the MGT V8 that they are warming over, as they are putting in an all new V6 that is unrelated to the 40 year old current Mustang V6 that comes from Cologne, Germany. The new Mustang V6 is going to be pretty amazing as it will produce 305hp and will get upto 30mpg on the highway when equipped with the 6 speed automatic transmission. That is exactly the horsepower output of the original SVT Mustang Cobras that I believe came out in 1995 or 1996. Of course, there is no replacement for displacement, and real Mustangs come with V8's as nothing sounds as good as a nice V8 when you hammer the loud pedal. http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/09q4/2011_ford_mustang_v6-official_photos_and_info [color="#0000FF"The new, all-aluminum six-pot displaces 3.7 liters, with its signature feature being Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing), which Ford says allows for extremely precise overlap times during which both intake and exhaust valves are open. Simply stated, this allows the engine to operate optimally for hard-charging acceleration—a handy trait for pony cars—but then become more focused on fuel economy during low-load situations. Redline is now a nice, high 7000 rpm. Also helping in both performance and fuel-economy respects are newly fitted manual and automatic transmissions, both with six forward speeds. Thanks to a frugal 2.73:1 rear axle ratio and tall top gears in both transmissions, fuel economy soars to an impressive 19 mpg in the city and a whopping 30 on the highway for the automatic—besting the segment’s current mileage braggart, the 304-hp Chevrolet Camaro V-6 ][/color]

Goodness, didn't realize you were so old! My dad just recently traded in his old Crown Victoria for a brand new 2010 Fusion S, which is supposed to arrive anyday now. He has rode in my hybrid a few times and was so impressed by it that he wanted one as well. He went with the S because of fuel economy, and because it is likely one of the best automotive deals on the market when you consider all the standard features you get for that price. He too thought my hybrid rode firmer than he expected, but then again he drives a Crown Victoria. Either way, I really hope you will like the new Mustang. I am a huge Mustang fan and am so glad that Ford is stepping up the power on that new 5.0. Even that new V6 is going to be amazing as i'm finally glad that Ford is also getting serious about stepping that up as well. I suspect that if the upcoming 2011 Mustang is going to be like the way Mustangs currently are, the V6 will likely have a much more forgiving ride. I have rented a V6 current gen Mustang and was surprised by how soft the ride actually was. The difference is that this new V6 is going to be pretty badass as you will get upto 30mpg, and still have as much horsepower as the original SVT Cobra's had. Radical styling is becoming a problem unfortunately, as I am not too much of a fan of some of these new age designs that look wierd.

Out of curiosity, have you ever owned a Mustang or sporty car in general? They typically will have a very firm ride. I have owned one before, and the Fusion has a ride quality about on par. I think it is like the Lincoln MKS owners that you hear on the internet who continue to complain about their car riding too stiff. For most of us, this car has been exactly as we would have expected from a performance tuned suspension combined with low profile tires. I pulled an emergency move just a few minutes ago coming home at night as there was a bumper in the middle of the highway. The car handled exactly as I would have expected it to. I even had a blast on the sharp curve along the Ronald Reagan highway where I zinged by a Nissan Maxima along the sharp curve. He clearly felt threatened as he floored it, and pulled ahead of me. The point of my ramble is that handling seems to be one of the strongest points of this car. This car doesn't handle like every other hybrid on the market, as it really handles well. It rides about what I expected, but handles far better and more predictably than I would have ever imagined. If the newer hybrids have a softer suspension as you concluded on your test drive, it is likely going to be at the expense of handling. I suspose that if you do not like the stiff ride, an alternative would be to try looking at finding a set of 16 inch alloys from a Fusion S which will likely have a more forgiving ride. I think Ford engineers clearly realized that they will never be able to make everyone happy, and they have done a good job in trying to make most of us happy. If you are interested in a new Mustang, I hope you enjoy it as there is nothing to hate about the new 5.0 that is coming out! However, with Mustang GT's coming with 18 and 19 inch rims these days, you are likely going to encounter a ride quality that is much more unforgiving than your Hybrid.

Here is what I can summarize from my experiences so far. I've now put 4000 miles on it since taking delivery of it in October. The Fusion Hybrid like other full hybrid vehicles on the market, hates cold weather and short trips. Short trips hurt fuel economy for obvious reasons as it doesn't have much of a chance to get into EV mode. Same for really cold weather. Here is what i'm finding When the outside temperature is above 50 degrees, i'm getting 39-44mpg. When the outside temperature is between 30 - 50 degrees, I usually get 34-37mpg. When the outside temperature is below 30, I get around 31 - 33mpg. If I combine this with trips that are less than 10 miles long, I have gotten high 20's on VERY cold days.

Not to mention the hit you are going to take to ride quality. I see it all the time where people are putting these huge rims with rubber band sized tires. I just don't understand this fad, as now you got people taking old American cars and putting a lift on them just to clear huge SUV sized rims. I see a lot of old Crown Vic's, Chevy Caprices, and Camaros running around my ghetto neighborhood with a HUGE lift on them and running what looks like 30 inch aftermarket Hummer rims.

You will probably need to give things a little more time, but I would bet that you will start seeing a lot of 16 inch Fusion S rims start hitting Ebay in the next 4 months or so. The 2010's are brand new, so a little time would be needed as people start doing rim upgrades and so on. Since you already have a 2010, I just don't see what you can do by buying a 2011 unless you want a newer year version with all the revisions and software updates. My hybrid was made late September, and I have had absolutely none of the early glitches that i've seen posted on this forum. You would likely have to pay full retail, but you could also visit the parts department at your local Ford dealer and have them order a set of 16 inch Fusion S replacement rims. There is also http://www.tirerack.com where you could probably find a set of aftermarket 16's that would be cheaper. You would have to becareful though as make sure that the rims you get have the proper offset.

I've noticed that cars tend to ride stiffer in the winter, which may be due to the tires hardening under the colder temperatures. The Fusion rides exactly as I expect. It is kind of like the numerous Lincoln MKS owners that keep complaining about how their car rides way too stiff. As Dave mentioned, cars for the most part do not ride floaty anymore. An overly soft suspension is going to cause vehicle control issues, especially at speed. These tires are also low profile, which likely the largest source of the stiffer ride. I live in Cincinnati and we frequently have some of the worst roads in the US behind Detroit. I find the ride to be pleasant and confident, but you are also talking to a person who has owned a few performance vehicles in the past. I find that the ride quality of my Fusion is more comfortable than the ride i've had in some other vehicles like my SVT Lightning, Land Rover Discovery, or Land Rover Freelander. I tend to prefer a stiffer ride as I enjoy having the extra level of control. What we are finding is that more and more vehicles are going towards larger rims with lower profile tires, which means that the soft ride you are looking for may be a thing of the past.

The problem with a cold air intake is that the air filter assembly on our vehicles are actually part of the emissions control system. They were specifically designed to prevent evaporative emissions from the crankcase getting into the environment. The 2005+ Ford Focus' also had a lifetime air filter that was also part of the emissions system. Some of the guys are doing some modding and have found a way around that. You might want to check it out although I don't think there is much to gain and could cause all sorts of headaches as you may have to recalibrate the computer to run correctly. Headers would not be emissions legal, and again serious tuning issues would need to be considered. Considering how expensive headers are, it would not be cost effective and would definately not be legal.

I have to admit that it is a very nice looking car, but i'll take the Fusion anyday. That is mostly because my budget excludes the HS from my basket of goods. I am a fan of hybrids that look like normal vehicles.

We have a ton of hills in Cincinnati and they absolutely destroy my fuel economy. 100% potential energy isn't taking into account wind resistance, rolling resistance. It also is not 100% if you are forced into using your brakes to keep you out of felonious speeds as cops love setting up traps at the bottom of long hills.

I love that Roush F150. If money wasn't a concern for me to the point that I didn't care about fuel economy, I wouldn't mind that new Ford SVT Raptor with the optional 6.2litre V8. I bet that thing would be a monster in snow.

That is definately a good way to look at it as I didn't really think of it like that. Like the rest of you guys, my mileage has also tanked as we have gotten into really cold weather. However, it is nice to realize that even though many of us have dropped into the mid and low 30's, that is still incredible when compared to what a standard vehicle would be doing. My performance SUV that I sold for my Hybrid ironically didn't see any fuel economy drop in the winter. That is likely because it was rather heavily modified and had a custom tune.

LOL, I noticed that it appears to be fairly low-res, but I have to admit that it was rather impressive. I don't have an i-phone, and don't even have a blue-tooth phone yet as i'm always behind the latest tech stuff. Phones just don't seem interesting to me, so it is a low priority item for me. I was playing around with the radar though, and you do get enough details where you might be able to make some imminent predictions. If anything, you could use it to avoid potentially interesting weather with just basic knowledge. If anything, it will tell you what you are getting ready to drive into.

As SMR just replied, this should be normal. Mine is just the same way as cold mornings are very noisy until the engine warms up and it becomes very quiet again.

I believe Sirius travellink is only free for the first 6 months. It is pretty amazing and would definately be a storm-chaser's dream due to the ability to do so much. When mine expires in 4.5 months, i'm debating whether it will be worth it for me.

My old Land Rover Freelander had 12k oil change intervals using Mobil 1 0w40 and I remember having the oil changed on that thing and the repair shop I utilized at the time telling me that Land Rover was nuts. I always wondered about places pushing excessively short oil change intervals since they barely make any margin on oil changes, and studies have shown that sooner oil changes don't necessarily translate into being able to sell "other" maintenance services more frequently.

It will happen as I will almost personally garentee it. It only depends on whether the world recovers from this recession or not. Last summer, we saw what can happen as supply of oil is extremely inelastic and can be assumed to be fixed in the short to medium term time frame. Even small increases in demand therefore caused HUGE increases in prices since oil drilling projects are long term endevours, and our refineries at the time were already running at maximum capacity. I think our hybrids are going to be around for a long time to come. I am not convinced that these so called holy grail plug in extended range hybrids are going to be practical. I am also not convinced that Lithium Ion batteries will be as reliable in the long term as our proven NM-H batteries unless some drastic changes in Li-ion technology has been made. I know that they have just gotten around to dealing with the flammable nature of them so that they won't explode in an accident. I know that GM claims you can drive upto 40miles without the ICE coming on, but I wonder about what the actual range will be once you start using headlights, a/c, heaters, and other high power draw accessories. I also wonder what the real driving range will be when driven in a real winter in Michigan or in Cincinnati where all the roads are NOT flat.

I have noticed that too and would suspect that they are trying to keep interior windshield/window fogging to a minimum with this strategy. What we have to remember is that the air outside is going to be very cold, and thus your windows and windscreen are getting pounded with cold temperatures as you continue to drive. What happens is that as you heat your interior, the warmer air inside your vehicle has no more moisture when it comes into the car and is warmed by the heater core. The air has extremely low relative humidity and can take on a TON of moisture at the expense of the passengers who are exhaling and evaporating from themselves into the cabin air. If you continue to recirculate the air, the relative humidity of the air inside will continue to increase and as it hits the cold windscreen and windows, it will fog them up as it will condensate since the temperature of the windscreen/windows will be well below what the dewpoint of the increasingly moist cabin air is becoming.

Nice to see a fellow Bearcat here. I got my BA at UC in Economics. I am currently back in school and working on my masters at Miami University in Oxford. Because I live in Cincinnati, I make 92-94mile round trip commute to school and back 3 days a week(down from 5 days a week). I recently quit my job, but I was literally driving 130-150 miles per day. To be honest, Cincinnati is very quickly turning into the next Detroit. You are right that these hills are treacherous, but they are more so because of the asshats who drive and don't know their limitations. What you will see in Cincinnati now is that a good part of the city is a frickin dump with high crime rates, massive urban decay, piss poor school systems, roads that often look like offroad trails, and so on. I find it amazing that the morons in charge can't seem to understand why people don't want to live in this city. Noone wants to be in a city that is quickly becoming the next Detroit. That isn't to say that there is some nice stuff going on in the city with your nice neighborhoods and culture, but the trend isn't positive. As far as sunspots go, there is indeed significant correlation with solar activity and how it affects climate. However, I just don't think we really know enough yet of what goes on to create the changes in the weather. Everyone seems to think they know with certainty, but there are literally hundreds of variables that affect climate, and it is likely impossible to determine the various effects of each variable since filtering out the effects of the other variables is virtually impossible. We especially see some interesting correlation with regards to sunspot activity and the various shifts in climate such as during the Medieval warm period and the following little ice age.

I kind of like how our hybrids are literally in stealth mode, but whatever makes you happy! Personally, I wouldn't want to advertise that i'm driving a hybrid. I've finally been the victim of a hybrid rage incident against me, and I doubt advertising my hybrid would be a good idea in my neighborhood as I live in a really bad part of town in the ghetto. The 275 volts sounds like a good idea for a custom license plate! For those of you guys who have done some custom graphics, lets see some pics as i'd love to see what you guys are doing.

During El-nino years, storms during the winter tend to track far through the south in a relatively straight line from southern california across the gulf coast states. It is likely going to be a colder than average winter, but the track of the storms this winter will dictate precipitation. You may very well be far enough south to get some of that, although I would be worried about the possibility of getting a lot of ice. I am kind of hoping for a lot of snow, but the farmers almanac I believe is predicting that things will be drier than usual this winter. This of course being because of the typical storm track of an El-nino year winter.

You hit a very important nail on its head. Even assuming that extended range hybrids like the Volt are cheaper to operate by charging the battery at home, eventually the government is going to realize that they are going to have to find a way to tax these vehicles. Once that happens, the actual savings may not be very significant when considering the huge cost of entry to a plug in hybrid. I personally think that the government is making a HUGE mistake by trying to force electric plug in vehicles onto the market before they figure out how they are going to be taxed. That should have been done first so that when the taxation issues appear, people knew what to expect from the beginning. I also think that they better start figuring out quickly how our electrical grid is even going to be able to handle the additional load, especially in regions that are already running at maximum capacity.