Ford officially launched its 2010 Fusion Hybrid yesterday, promoting the new hybrid midsize sedan’s mileage as far better than the Toyota Camry Hybrid’s. The company’s top hybrid executive, Director of Sustainability Nancy Gioia, also revealed that all new Fords will be developed to allow a hybrid drive option.

Calling Ford “the Number One producer of hybrids in North America,” marketing head Jim Farley said at the Los Angeles Auto Show that the Fusion Hybrid would be the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan on sale. The car will return 39 miles per gallon on the EPA city cycle, said chief engineer J.D. Shanahan, and highway mileage “at least 6 miles a gallon better than Camry Hybrid”—which would be 40 mpg or higher. This beats the mileage for the 2008 Camry Hybrid, at 33/34 (city/highway). Other impressive statistics for the Fusion Hybrid include pure electric speeds as high as 47 miles per hour, up to 2 miles of continuous electric-only driving, and a range of 700 city miles on one tank of gasoline.

Reaffirming Ford’s commitment to hybrid-electric vehicles, the executive responsible for electrified vehicles said all its new products globally will permit hybrid versions. Gioia, a 26-year Ford veteran, told HybridCars.com that design standards have been changed to ensure future Ford “vehicle architectures” can accommodate gasoline, diesel, and hybrid powertrains. Not all vehicles will be offered as hybrids in all markets, she said, but Ford wants the option to add hybrid-electric drive with as little change as possible.

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid will enter production at the same time as other versions; the first cars are expected to reach dealers early in the spring of 2009. Pricing has not yet been announced.

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Tags: toyota, ford

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Bio: My fascination for hybrid cars came about long ago. I've been living green before gas hit $1/gallon. It's really a way of life and I hope I can share with you all I know about Hybrid Cars.
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