Looking to finally enter the hybrid car market, but the Prius just isn't you?  Well, take a look at the upcoming 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid.

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

BASE PRICE: $27,625.

AS TESTED: $32,295.

TYPE: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-passenger, mid-size sedan.

ENGINE: 2.5-liter, double overhead cam, Atkinson cycle, inline four cylinder with electric motor.

MILEAGE: 41 mpg (city), 36 mpg (highway).

TOP SPEED: NA.

LENGTH: 190.6 inches.

WHEELBASE: 107.4 inches.

CURB WEIGHT: 3,800 pounds.

BUILT AT: Hermosillo, Mexico.

OPTIONS: Option package 502A (includes blind spot detection, power moonroof, rearview camera, Sony audiophile 12-speaker sound system, leather seats, heated front seats, premium floor mats) $3,945.

DESTINATION CHARGE: $725.



For More Pictures View the Full 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Gallery

Ford has already been talking with power companies to help build an infrastructure for their upcoming electric vehicles.  Technology is being developed that will allow smart cars to speak with power grids all over the US and allow the car to decide when is the best time to 'fuel up' and recharge.

These discussions are ahead of Ford releasing their all electric utility van, expected to be released sometime next year.  Furthermore Ford hopes to release an all electric Focus sometime for the 2012 model year.  Ford and GM with the Volt are hoping that their investment into all electric will pay off.  Oddly enough Toyota, the hybrid innovator, is still holding off on their dive into an all electric vehicle.

Part of GM's restructuring involved writing off what was left of Saturn, which also meant that the Plug-In Vue Hybrid was going to go by the way side.  Well, not all was in vain, and a lot of that technology and design will be directly placed in the all new Buick SUV Plug In Hybrid.  Don't get your wallets out just yet, because this all new Buick Hybrid won't be available until sometime in 2011.

The reported technology being used in the Buick Hybrid SUV will allow up to 70 mpg.  However, unlike other hybrid type cars and SUV's, the furthest the Buick hybrid can travel on electric alone will be 10 miles.  Furthermore, it is not being designed to provide any towing or load power on electric motors alone.  To accomplish these feats the motor will be a V6 Flex Fuel setup.

There have been a few scattered local news reports about unsuspecting people being hit by silent hybrid cars.  So far, this type of news has been ignored amongst the hybrid car manufacturers.  However, Japan is considering new laws that would require hybrids to make a little noise, for safety.

Specifically this law is to help keep vision impaired (see blind people) safe.  The idea is that if they could hear them, they wouldn't walk out in front of them.  I guess.  The idea sounds like it would work, but I figure these people would still be likely to walk out in front of any vehicle, no matter how noisy.


No doubt Toyota will be the first to jump on board, since the Prius model is the #1 selling hybrid.  Although with 200,000 units already ordered in Japan, it's highly unlikely this lower priced next generation model will feature any kind of additional noise makers.  Maybe a recall?

Volvo has been developing plans to create a plug in style hybrid.  Volvo, which is a Ford subsidiary, is working on establishing an infrastructure for electric vehicles.  Plans are being worked on jointly by Volvo and an electric company based in Sweden called Vattenfall.

According to Volvo, they would manufacture the vehicles, which would also run on diesel, while Vattenfall would supply the electric motor.  Although to me this sounds like too many cooks in the kitchen.

As of this posting no date has been set for the release of the new plug in Volvo hybrid, nor of any specific plans.

Raser Technologies has built a 100 mpg Hummer H3 hybrid.  This is a new step in modifying existing manufacturered vehicles to meet today's fuel efficiency requirements.  Now, if we can just get GM to build such a vehicle.

Unfortunately I'm skeptic at a 100 mpg Hummer, so I have a few questions about the new plug in hybrid.

-How fast can the Hummer go on electric power only?
-How many charges can the battery get before needing to be replaced?
-What would a regular production H3 hybrid cost? (obviously if it's too expensive it's still not a viable option, even for those looking for green technology.)
-Can this same technology be used in smaller vehicles?

More information on the Hummer H3 Hybrid.

Dead sexy and Hybrid generally don't go in the same sentence, but when it comes to the all new Fisker Karma plug-hybrid it matches perfectly.  How else do you describe the elegant Fisker Karma, which is almost dead on like the prototype debuted at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show?

The Fisker Karma plug-in style Hybrid will reported do up to 125 miles per hour and 0-60 in under 6 seconds.  These daring feats of green technology will be thanks to a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder Ecotec engine.  This is the same engine that came be found in the Chevy Cobalt SS and when finished will reportedly produce up to 400 horsepower.



What's the price of a green sports car, how about $87,000?  That kind of money will buy you two traditional internal combustion cars that are capable of those performance figures.  But, in the name of green here we go!

KENSTYLE USA is now offering a body kit for the Toyota Prius and it looks hot.  It's simple, not outrageous, and compliments the stock styling of the Prius.

Check out the Prius Body Kit pictures below:





I'm not completely sure it's worth the $1,700 price tag, considering it doesn't come painted, nor does that include freight.  Also, keep in mind when ordering a body kit for your hybrid, generally these items must come freight line, not UPS.  That means it's gonna cost a hefty penny, unless you can arrange for shipment to a business address, which will generally cut your freight costs in half.

Ford is currently working on a revamp of the Ford Fusion Hybrid that will effectively give it over 1,400 miles per tank.  If the engineers at Ford achieve their goal, then they will set the record for efficiency of a mid-size sedan.  This is a feat worth taking note of, because it could mean vast improvements in the domestic manufacturing of hybrids and on the entire hybrid industry as a whole.

The 2010 Ford Fusion only has a 17 gallon tank, which means the car must perform at 85+ MPG to achieve the goal.  This would be the highest MPG rating of any mid size car currently on the market.  Furthermore, this test will be made on driving conditions which range from 20 to 45 miles per hour, depending on traffic.  This is where the 2010 Ford Fusion will shine, since it is capable of operating in Only-Electric Mode up to 47 miles per hour.

Other benefits of the upcoming 2010 model year Fusion is the addition of software that maps your driving habits live.  These programs will report back live on your driving impacts your fuel consumption.  Consider it a tool for proactively improving your miles per gallon.

New York City could possibly be the best place in the world for a Hybrid Police car.  NYC is obviously a dense city, where speed and power of the old Crown Vics would be wasted energy.  Apparently I'm not the only one who thought so, so the NYPD has just purchased a fleet of 40 hybrid cars.

This is the first step in an effort to reduce the Manhattan green house gases by as much as 30% by 2017.  A very lofty and worthy goal for any city, but especially one as large and trend setting as New York.  Furthermore, this first step to reduce emissions will only benefit a portion of NYC.  The 40 hybrid police cars are expected to only handle a handful of precincts.  Namely the precincts with the most stop and go traffic or long patrol areas.

Believe it or not, New York City is already using over 3,000 hybrid vehicles.  These hybrids are being used in park and recreation, sanitation, etc. and not currently being used for patrolling.  The addition of the 40 hybrids will be specifically used by the police force.

If you are like myself, you are wondering why they would choose a possible non-domestic vehicle to patrol the great city.  Well, the hybrid of choice for the NYPD is the Nissan Altima.  The hybrid version of the Altima is actually made right in the USA, while the Impala and Crown Vics were made in Canada.  As long as the vehicles are proven to save city money, reduce green house gases, and safely do the job, I'm all for it.