Ford: C-Max Energi plug-in to have electric range of 20 miles
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Ford projects that the upcoming C-Max Energi will have a driving range of about 20 miles solely on battery power. |
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DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. said today it expects its first plug-in hybrid to have an electric-only range of roughly 20 miles -- almost twice that of the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid.
Although the car has not been tested or certified by the EPA, Ford projects that the upcoming C-Max Energi will have a driving range of about 20 miles solely on battery power.
The Prius plug-in has an electric-only range of 11 miles, according to Toyota's Web site.
The C-Max Energi is projected to generate 188 hp with a 2-liter, four-cylinder engine and battery-powered electric motor. It is expected to have a driving range of about 550 miles when the gasoline engine kicks in, Ford said.
The Prius plug-in and C-Max Energi plug-in are powered by lithium ion batteries.
Ford also claims that the maximum electric-only speed of the C-Max Energi will surpass that of the Prius, which has a maximum speed of 62 mph in EV-only mode. Ford declined to disclose the C-Max Energi's projected top speed in electric-only mode.
Ford says the C-Max Energi will have a fuel economy equivalent of 95 mpg combined city and highway, or the same as the Prius.
The Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid's EV-only range is 35 miles. The Volt's fuel economy is the equivalent of 94 mpg combined.
Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said the company chose to compare the C-Max with the Prius because the latter is a "recognized leader in the heart of the market."
"Ford expects about half of C-Max buyers to be conquest customers trading in competitive models," Sherwood said. "To accomplish this, we need to demonstrate how much more the C-Max hybrids offer than comparable Prius models."
The C-Max Energi plug-in will be produced at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., and is scheduled to arrive at EV-certified dealers in 19 markets late fall, shortly after the C-Max Hybrid, which is not a plug-in model.
You can reach Adam Rubenfire at arubenfire@crain.com.
