Energized

It's not so much the reduced although it would inactive that, it's more the impact on the abs brakes and stability control and perhaps some hybrid related sensors due to a different tire circumstance than what the computers are expecting.

These wheels are the best looking on the Fusion I think 19" Y-spoke Sparkle Silver-painted aluminum wheels with machined face and 245/40R19 But they're probably too big of a size increase from the standard 225/50R17

Thanks for the calculator. I noticed at the bottom of that web site it says: "When changing tire sizes, we recommend staying within 3% of the diameter/height of the original tire. Any more than this and you face the risk of brake failure." So going from the standard 17s to the factory 235/45R18 would theoretically be okay

Has anyone determined if the 225/50R17 standard wheel/tire combo can be upgraded to 235/45R18 without affecting the speedometer, ABS etc?

The gearing for the Energi models is also different.

Nothing has been lowered. Those are the exact same EPA figures for the C-Max Energi

Sterling Grey now shows up as available on the Titanium Energi in the newest Fusion brochure.

Congratulations. Did the dealer provide any estimate on when the dealer ordered one would show up?

Sounds more like an Electric Focus being described For the EV Focus the range gauge will adjust based on predicted energy draw, based on recent driving style/demand and will also adjust based on current demand, including use of the heater/air conditioning. There are some forums dedicated to just the EV Focus that would have more in depth answers.

Is sterling grey available on the Fusion Energi? It doesn't show up as a choice on the Ford.com website, except for the non-Energi models.

Thanks for the information. Those are good residuals and should help keep the monthly lease price down, along with the Federal and State incentives.

ETA of 2/15, that's great! I hope it comes that soon but I wouldn't be surprised if it was later. Ford usually holds the first production batch of a new model for 4-6 weeks before giving the OK to buy, and releasing to the public. Maybe it will be quicker since the C-Max Energi is already out. Has anyone been able to confirm that production started this week?

Probably because the Energi is built on the same assembly line at the regular Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, and Lincoln MKZ. To make it more complicated, that plants serves a lot of markets other than the US and Canada. Orders come in from all over. To produce cars efficiently, and to keep the supply chain working at a steady rate, they have to balance orders with production capacity, which is limited by the supply chain. The supply chain is set to deliver parts at a steady rate, it can't ramp up and down quickly, nor would you want it to from quality or cost stand point. The bottom line is there a huge number of complex factors (analyzed and decided by a computer no doubt) goes into the production sequencing.

In the case of a Lease, the Federal Tax Credit goes to the leasing company. What is happening with the incentive program you listed, Ford is applying the Tax Credit amount to the person leasing the vehicle. In California which has an additional tax credit beyond the Federal tax credit, the state money goes directly to the person leasing (provided its a 36 month lease or longer) , not to the leasing company.

Yea, I agree that some people just have an agenda against plug-ins and choose to ignore such basic things as you mentioned.

Yes, that's a very good point. The Fusion Hybrid commands a greater trade-in price today than its comparable non-hybrid model. The pay back figures need to take that into account.

Yes, it's clear you are comparing a stripped vehicle to a very well equipped one that has leather and MyFord Touch and heated seats and 3G connection, etc etc. The cost difference between comparably equipped cars is approx. $4750 after tax credits. You contend it would take more than 13 years to save $4750, which is laughable.

Thanks, those pictures are nice and clear. Looks bigger than I thought. I know the regular Fusion has a really deep trunk.

The combined EPA mileage of the base engine hardly makes a difference compared to city, changing from 22mpg to 26 mpg. The average commute in the US is traveled at a vehicle speed of 32 mph, which would fall under the EPA's definition of "City" driving. If you are going to compare prices, you should also compare equal content to be fair. The Energi SE includes as standard items that are optional or not available on the non-Energi: Leather seats MyFord Touch with Sirius ($1,000), Heated Seats, MyFord Mobile with a 3G data connection, (not available on non-Energi models) Dual Electronic Climate Control The non-Energi SE starts at $23,700, before any of the options listed above. The Energi SE $34,245, so the difference is not as great as you suggest. Comparing Titanium models, the Energi would be $34,950 vs $30,200 for the non-Energi, a difference of $4750. For the average commuter, the pay back on the $4750 is not nearly as long as you suggest, plus you get the added benefit of car pool lane access, 3G data access, etc.

They should compare vehicles with a similar level of options, otherwise its apples to oranges and gives a false impression of the true cost differential. It wouldn't make sense to compare the cost of a stripped model with no options, with a top of line model with all the options. This is especially true when you start adding high cost items like NAV, adaptive cruise control and moonroofs . It would be like complaining that a Shelby GT500 is more than twice the cost of a stripped, base V6 Mustang.

There are other benefits to the Energi that haven't been captured. The Energi is eligible for car pool lane status in states such as NY and California. That's a HUGE benefit that isn't available on the Fusion Hybrid. Time is money! The Energi is also eligible for tax credits at the state level in some states such as California. Some businesses are also offering cash to employees that buy plug-ins. For California, there is a $1500 tax credit on top of the $3750, which totals $5250. The Energi will also likely have less frequent scheduled maintenance. For example, since the engine won't be running as much, oil changes will occur less frequently. "Braking" is done primarily through the regeneration process, so the the brake pads and disc will last substantially longer than normal. An example of commuting 22 miles each way, and the worst case is your employer doesn't (yet) have anywhere to plug in. You do this for 11,400 miles/year: The base Fusion has a City EPA rating of 22. You will use 2 gallons of gas per day x 5 days/week x 52 weeks = 520 gallons X $4.00 = $2080 The Energi has a City EPA rating of 44 (after you've depleted the battery). Half of your commute is electric, half is gas powered at twice the MPG as the base model. If you can't charge at work, you will use $1040 in gas for the full year and the rest will be electricity. The electric part of the commute would be 7.1kW-h x $0.10/kW-h = $0.71 each day x 5 days/week x 52 weeks = $185/year Total gas + electric = $1,225 If you are able to recharge at work (for free!), the total for the year would be dramatically less, $185/year. So, tax credits, car pool lane access, fewer oil changes and brake jobs, plus the capability to provide power during a blackout, all added to a significant improvement in gasoline mileage and of course dramatic cost savings while in electric mode all adds up to proposition worth considering for the forward thinking, early adopters who aren't adverse to technology or afraid of new and different things.

Thanks for posting photos, these are the first that I've seen. I'm glad they kept the pass through and fold down seats, even if the pass thru is not huge, it's still good enough for items like you mentioned. If production does start next week like we've heard, I think we'll see Fusion Energis on the lots by the end of February hopefully.

Has anyone looked into leasing a Fusion Energi? I was wondering what the 3 year residuals are.