Topic: CD Article: 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

[Autos_Editor]

         
Test Drive:


The all-new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid combines the roominess and comfort of a mid-size sedan with fuel economy of a subcompact car, but like other hybrids on the market, there's a price premium to be paid, says Editor-in-chief, Greg Wilson.
 More: View the photos | All the Test Drives

[msantos]

Excellent review !!

Judging from the reader feedback, perhaps it would be best to refer to the transmission as being an eCVT type instead of a CVT.  The two transmission types could not be any more different and it is bound to create confusion.

Cheers;

MSantos

[Wolverine]

Is the Prius considered as a mid size sedan???

[Shnak]

What about driving during the winter (heater) or in the summer with the A/C on? Does the gas engine have to run for these to work?

(the answer might be in the review, but it's just way too long to read it all!)

[msantos]

Hi Wolverine:

Yes.  The EPA rates the Prius II and Prius III as a mid size vehicle.


Shnak:

During the summer the battery packs powers the electric AC scroll compressor.
During the winter the cabin heat is supplied by the gas engine.

[Shnak]

During the summer the battery packs powers the electric AC scoll compressor.
During the winter the cabin heat is supplied by the gas engine.

Same thing for the Prius? For some reason, I thought the engine was required for A/C in the Prius?

[msantos]

During the summer the battery packs powers the electric AC scoll compressor.
During the winter the cabin heat is supplied by the gas engine.

Same thing for the Prius? For some reason, I thought the engine was required for A/C in the Prius?

The Prius is totally electric.

[Shnak]

During the summer the battery packs powers the electric AC scoll compressor.
During the winter the cabin heat is supplied by the gas engine.

Same thing for the Prius? For some reason, I thought the engine was required for A/C in the Prius?

The Prius is totally electric.

Apparently that's not true...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081014185335AAGucIl
The gasoline engine is the producer of the heat. This car does have a heat storage tank designed to store hot water for use when the electric motors take over. When your calling for more heat the gas engine will run more.

[Wolverine]

Hi Wolverine:

Yes.  The EPA rates the Prius II and Prius III as a mid size vehicle.


Shnak:

During the summer the battery packs powers the electric AC scoll compressor.
During the winter the cabin heat is supplied by the gas engine.

Thx MSantos.

Ok, is a mid size vehicle, but not a mid size sedan as stated on the review. Mid size sedan would be the Camry. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[msantos]

You are not wrong at all my friend

[msantos]

During the summer the battery packs powers the electric AC scoll compressor.
During the winter the cabin heat is supplied by the gas engine.

Same thing for the Prius? For some reason, I thought the engine was required for A/C in the Prius?

The Prius is totally electric.

Apparently that's not true...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081014185335AAGucIl
The gasoline engine is the producer of the heat. This car does have a heat storage tank designed to store hot water for use when the electric motors take over. When your calling for more heat the gas engine will run more.

The AC cooling in the Prius is totally electric and does not need the gas engine to run unless the battery SoC is too low.

On the Prius, the heat comes straight from the gas engine.  The thermos canister on the Gen 2 Prius simply helps preserve some of the heat produced by the gas engine to help lower emissions and improve fuel efficiency.

To be even more specific, the source of heat for the passenger cabin in the winter comes strictly from the gas engine via its engine coolant.

[Shnak]

Right... so that pretty much means that the gas engine will be running most of the time when driving in cold weather...

Those hybrid makers really need to figure out this problem... I'm sure they could put electric heaters in those vehicles to complement the existing system... it would surely limit the amount of time that the gas engine has to run simply to produce heat... that seems like a complete waste of gas to me.

[msantos]

Right... so that pretty much means that the gas engine will be running most of the time when driving in cold weather...

Yes, the gas engine will run at least until the engine reaches a temperature of 70C.  After reaching that temp the engine will shut off.  This rule applies to almost all fuel efficient hybrids on the market today.

[G35X]

There is a difference in concept of engine cooling and cabin heating between the 2nd gen Prius and the 3rd gen. In the 2nd gen, the coolant is indeed to cool the engine and with the heat reservoir to provide heat to the cabin.  In the city driving if the engine does not kick in often, it may result in "cold" cabin.
The 3rd gen Toyota redesigned the system so that the reservoir collects heat actively from the exhaust system to maintain the liquid temperature at the optimum level for both engine and cabin.  Keeping engine temperature from getting too cold during “off-duty” time saves gas (no cold start). Also, the higher temperature heat reservoir should make the cabin warmer during cold Canadian winter.