UPDATE: Ford Fusion Hybrid travels 1,000 miles with 1/3 tank left, team still going

[wickedstangs]

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hybrids/" rel="tag">Hybrids/Alternative</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sedans/" rel="tag">Sedans/Saloons</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/green/" rel="tag">Green</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-fusion-hybrid-challenge/1521288/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/10fushybrid8218-580.jpg" /></a><br />
<div align="center"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><small>2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid</small></span> - <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><small>Click above for high-res image gallery</small></span><br /></div>
<br />The team that set out this past weekend to cover 1,000 miles on a single tank of gasoline succeeded and then some. When the team of race drivers, engineers and hyper-milers crossed the 1,000-mile mark a little after 9:00 am on Monday morning, there was still more than a third of a tank left. Over 47 hours of running the team led by NASCAR driver Carl Edwards and including record braking hyper-miler Wayne Gerdes averaged over 80 mpg. <br /><br />The plan is to drive the bone stock Fusion until the tank runs dry. Along the way team members are running public clinics to help teach people how to drive more efficiently, even if they can't necessarily match the antics of Gerdes, while simultaneously raising money for the Juvenile diabetes Foundation. While it's obviously possible to achieve these kinds of lofty mileage numbers in the Fusion, it isn't something most people will do on a regular basis, but Ford set out to prove it could be done and the team succeeded. Kudos.<br /><br /><br /><div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-fusion-hybrid-challenge/">Ford Fusion Hybrid Challenge</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-fusion-hybrid-challenge/1521305/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/fusion2010_6371-1280_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-fusion-hybrid-challenge/1521304/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/fusion2010_6325-1280_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-fusion-hybrid-challenge/1521303/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/fusion2010_6955-1280_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-fusion-hybrid-challenge/1521302/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/fusion2010_6424-1280_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-fusion-hybrid-challenge/1521301/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/fusioncompecar4-1280_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br /><div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/first-drive-2010-ford-fusion-hybrid-4/">First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/first-drive-2010-ford-fusion-hybrid-4/1210992/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/12/fusionhybridabfd_01_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/first-drive-2010-ford-fusion-hybrid-4/1218256/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/12/fusionhybridabfd_02_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/first-drive-2010-ford-fusion-hybrid-4/1218259/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/12/fusionhybridabfd_03_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/first-drive-2010-ford-fusion-hybrid-4/1218264/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/12/fusionhybridabfd_04_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/first-drive-2010-ford-fusion-hybrid-4/1218265/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/12/fusionhybridabfd_05_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/28/update-ford-fusion-hybrid-travels-1-000-miles-with-1-3-tank-lef/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>UPDATE: Ford Fusion Hybrid travels 1,000 miles with 1/3 tank left, team still going</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/28/update-ford-fusion-hybrid-travels-1-000-miles-with-1-3-tank-lef/">UPDATE: Ford Fusion Hybrid travels 1,000 miles with 1/3 tank left, team still going</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/28/update-ford-fusion-hybrid-travels-1-000-miles-with-1-3-tank-lef/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1529594/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/28/update-ford-fusion-hybrid-travels-1-000-miles-with-1-3-tank-lef/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>


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[StarAngel]

Very nice - glad to see the technology is finally coming around!

 

[Gibs]

Great job to the Ford team for showing toyota and honda what is really up!!!!!!!


BUY AMERICAN ****ERS!!!!!!


If you read the commetns, someone states that they finished with 1480 on the tank.


Gib

 

[VP_07SRT8]

that is so damn cool hell yeah FORD!

 

[Feared]

holy crap!! Definatly wouldnt mind getting that car.

 

[VP_07SRT8]

its pretty cheap too! ford is def turning it around

 

[StarAngel]

Ok, I know that they are doing good things but to "obey" these rules are freaking tough. I could not do all these every second of everyday that I drive.:hmpf:

Mileage-maximizing techniques that the Ford team used and recommend to consumers include:
* Slowing down and maintaining even throttle pressure;
* Gradually accelerating and smoothly braking;
* Maintaining a safe distance between vehicles and anticipating traffic conditions;
* Coasting up to red lights and stop signs to avoid fuel waste and brake wear;
* Minimize use of heater and air conditioning to reduce the load on the engine;
* Close windows at high speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag;
* Applying the "Pulse and Glide" technique while maintaining the flow of traffic;
* Minimize excessive engine workload by using the vehicle's kinetic forward motion to climb hills, and use downhill momentum to build speed; and
* Avoiding bumps and potholes that can reduce momentum

 

[VP_07SRT8]

yeah thats pretty tough