The C-MAX Energi is
expected to deliver a better fuel economy equivalent in electric mode
than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid with a 500-mile overall driving
range, more than Chevrolet Volt. The new C-MAX Hybrid is targeted to
achieve better fuel economy than Toyota Prius v.
Both
vehicles feature the next generation of Ford’s acclaimed powersplit
technology that will allow operation in electric mode at higher speeds
than any other hybrid.
“C-MAX is the right car for the
time as it combines the dynamics and quality of a traditional car with
the versatility of a MAV and leading fuel efficiency that you cannot
even get from Toyota,” said Sherif Marakby, director of Ford’s
Electrification Programs and Engineering.
C Max Hybrids 2012
The C-MAX hybrids headline Ford’s transformed lineup, one-third
of which will feature a model with 40 mpg or more in 2012, building on
the company’s commitment to give fuel-efficiency-minded customers the
Power of Choice.
Ford’s near-term
electrification plan calls for the company to triple production
capacity of its electrified vehicle range by 2013. The C-MAX vehicles
will be built on the company’s global C-segment platform and are two of
five electrified vehicles Ford plans to launch in North America in
2012.
Scheduled to start hitting showroom
floors in the second half of 2012, the C-MAX hybrids will be built at
Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., with production powered
in part by one of the largest solar energy generator systems in the
state.
More hybrid innovations
Ford
holds approximately 500 patents that cover technologies in its
electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles like C-MAX Energi in
addition to several hundred patent-pending applications.
With
20 years of Ford research and innovation behind the software and
hardware technology driving them, the C-MAX vehicles also offer a
proven design and nameplate with more than 100,000 sold in Europe since
it launched in late 2010.
The C-MAX hybrids
will be the company’s first dedicated hybrid vehicle line and the first
MAV (multi-activity vehicle) line in North America.
“The
C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi are designed to meet the needs of
customers looking to ‘plus-up’ and optimize their hybrid car
experience,” said Amy Machesney, C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi Marketing
manager. “These customers are living more environmentally responsible
lives and may have bought a hybrid in the past. They are now ready for
more hybrid choice, combined with style, better performance and
additional versatility.”
Fuel efficiency, range and power
C-MAX
Hybrid is projected to deliver class-leading fuel economy and beat the
Toyota Prius v in both city and highway equivalent miles per gallon.
C-MAX
Energi is projected to deliver better fuel economy in electric mode
than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid and is projected to achieve more
than 500 miles of overall driving range.
The C-MAX line hits impressive fuel efficiency and range figures without sacrificing driving performance.
“With
C-MAX, you get road-holding capability, sportiness and performance in
addition to leading fuel economy, great versatility, great features and
great technology in a package designed to exceed customer
expectations,” said John Davis, C-MAX chief nameplate engineer.
Technology
The
C-MAX line features the company’s innovative hands-free liftgate that
allows quick and easy access to the cargo area without ever needing to
fumble for keys. A gentle kicking motion under the rear bumper opens
the liftgate when used in combination with a key fob the user keeps in
his or her pocket or purse that tells the car it’s OK to engage. The
same motion can be used to close the liftgate.
The vehicles also feature the newest version of SYNC® with MyFord Touch® to help inform, enlighten, engage and empower drivers – with an emphasis on increasing fuel economy.
This
feature offers multiple ways for customers to manage and control their
phone, navigation, entertainment and climate functions through voice
commands, menus accessed through controls on the steering wheel, touch
screens, buttons or knobs. In C-MAX Energi, the system offers
additional information such as battery state of charge and distance to
the next charge point.
The C-MAX also offers the next generation of SmartGauge®
with EcoGuide. Designed to help drivers get the most from the C-MAX,
information such as instantaneous fuel economy can be displayed on the
left cluster to help drivers more closely monitor how their driving
behavior affects the vehicle’s efficiency.
In
the right cluster, redesigned imagery of green leaves shows overall
driving efficiency. The left cluster shows Brake Coach, a feature that
helps drivers optimize their use of the regenerative braking system so
that driving range can be enhanced through proper braking techniques.
Available for C-MAX Energi is the MyFord®
Mobile smartphone application that allows users to monitor charging,
receive alerts, find charge stations, plan trips and do more from their
smartphones or computers for an effortless transition to an
electrified vehicle lifestyle.
Other available technology features on C-MAX include active park assist, push-button start, AM/FM/CD/MP3 Sony® Audio, HD Radio™ and voice-activated Navigation System.
Versatility
As
Ford’s first North American MAVs, C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi
provide customers with plenty of interior versatility and flexibility
along with the urban maneuverability of a smaller vehicle.
The
C-MAX line features a high roof design that gives each vehicle an
overall height of 64 inches along with a higher command-style seat
position instead of a cockpit-type. It also features five-passenger
seating that includes a split, fold-flat second-row seat.
C-MAX
Hybrid provides 54.3 cubic feet of space behind the first row and 24.5
cubic feet behind the second row. In C-MAX Energi, there is 43.3 cubic
feet behind the first row and 19.2 cubic feet behind the second row.
Quality and ingenuity
Although
Ford’s C-MAX vehicles are new, the software and hardware technology
going in them has been evolving for nearly two decades.
The
C-MAX line also benefits from analysis of more than 500,000 miles of
data collected from Ford’s Escape plug-in hybrid test fleet, which
helped engineers understand how plug-in hybrid vehicles are driven and
charged and how parts perform under certain conditions.
“The
result is a stunningly efficient system that has been entirely
developed by Ford in-house,” said Marakby. “That’s crucial because it
allows for development of one highly efficient system as opposed to
integrating pieces of software and hardware made by different parties
with hope that it will not only function properly but also efficiently.”
C-MAX
Hybrid and C-MAX Energi get their power through the combination of a
gasoline engine and a battery-driven electric motor. When powered by
gasoline, the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi use the all-new 2.0-liter
Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine – a powerful and fuel-efficient
engine and among the most advanced non-turbocharged four-cylinder
powertrains Ford has ever offered.
The
electric motors of the C-MAX hybrids are powered by advanced
lithium-ion (li-ion) battery systems designed to maximize use of common,
high-quality components, such as control board hardware that has
proven field performance in Ford’s critically acclaimed hybrid
vehicles.
Li-ion battery packs are more
efficient than nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries. They also are 25
to 30 percent smaller and 50 percent lighter than NiMH batteries used
in today’s first-generation hybrid vehicles.
C-MAX
hybrids offer Ford’s next-generation powersplit architecture that
allows the electric motor and gasoline-powered engine to work together
or separately to maximize efficiency. The engine also can operate
independently of vehicle speed, charging the batteries or providing
power to the wheels as needed. The motor alone can provide sufficient
power to the wheels in low-speed, low-load conditions and work with the
engine at higher speeds.
In the C-MAX Hybrid,
the li-ion battery pack is recharged when the gasoline engine is in
operation. Further, the regenerative braking system recaptures more
than 95 percent of the braking energy that would otherwise be lost, and
is able to use that power to help charge the battery. C-MAX Hybrid
requires no plug-in charging.
C-MAX Energi is
charged by connecting the vehicle’s external charge port to either a
standard 120-volt outlet or available 240-volt charging station.
Safety
The C-MAX hybrids offer standard safety technologies such as the MyKey® teen safety feature, SYNC 911 Assist™ and seven airbags. SYNC 911 Assist
uses hands-free phone capabilities to connect the driver directly with
a local 911 operator through the paired phone should an accident occur
in which an airbag deploys.
The
next-generation MyKey features now allow parents to choose from
multiple top speed limits and blocking of explicit satellite radio
programming. MyKey also provides a persistent audible warning if front
occupants are not wearing seat belts.
The
C-MAX hybrids also feature standard safety and driver-assist
technologies, including Curve Control that is designed to slow the
vehicle when it’s cornering too fast and Torque Vectoring Control to
help accelerate through a turn when necessary. AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™ (RSC) and electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) also are standard.
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