2013 Fusion Energi SE in Ice Storm Metallic | Photo credit: Owen Bergwall

What new sedan looks like an Aston Martin, can handle a 10-20 mile commute without burning any gasoline, and then comfortably waft you and three friends 600 miles to the mountains for skiing and back?

The 2013 Ford Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid is the answer.

Ford recently handed me the keys for a week to live with this car and find out how it works as a stylish family car and plug-in hybrid electric sedan in real life.

There is something special about the new Fusion Energi, but did that outweigh the negatives? I spent a week driving the it to work, sailing, and once for a quick visit to see my family in Philadelphia to find out. Short answer: Yes. Negatives outweighed. This is a pricey, but great car.

Fusion Energi Looking Cool in Rockville, MD | Photo Credit: Owen Bergwall

Impressive interior, great handling and an eco friendly interior (sometimes)

Sit down inside a Fusion Energi and you’ll discover it’s a lovely place to be. There are quirks with the SYNC and MyTouch voice commands and sometimes slow screen responses, but all the displays are beautifully done and make sense. I loved the brake coach and the satellite radio display to the left and right of the speedometer. I was scoring 90-100% on regenerative braking regularly, and could change music sources or channels without looking down and to the right. Your own regenerative braking may be compromised by taxi cabs.

Adding to the quality feel of the interior is what that leather wrapped steering wheel was connected to. In the Fusion Energi, you get a very quiet version of Ford’s refined, solid feeling ride combined with sharp handling and nicely weighted steering. That quality feel throughout is something that make the Fusion feel special. You used to have to go exclusively to BMW and Volkswagen for this, but no more.

I like that Ford takes sustainability seriously. In many models, Ford makes its interiors as eco conscious as possible by using soy-based foam seat cushions, seat backs and head restraints made of approximately 31,250 soybeans. Fusion models with the “REPREVE” eco cloth seating contain the equivalent of 38.9 recycled, clear 16-ounce plastic bottles. Surprising, these most “eco” seats are not available on the most “eco” Fusion – the Energi.

The Energi weighs 300-400 pounds more than other versions (coming in at 3,913 lbs.), and you can feel some of that heft in the rear-end when the road gets twisty, but this doesn’t intrude on the overall handling. The car feels planted and connected to the road. In fact, that extra weight might make the car feel more expensive than it is, like a heavy luxury sedan.

If you cannot stand the CVT transmission, or just want a sportier drive, the 1.6 Ecoboost manual or 2.0 liter Titanium models await you. Expect about 20 mpg city instead of 40 mpg or more.

2013 Fusion Energi Interior | Photo Credit: Owen Bergwall

Fantastic styling, huge options list and pricing

Out in the “wild”, I’m pretty sure nobody knew my Fusion was a super green plug-in hybrid (PHEV) unless they saw it plugged in, or knew what “energi” meant. “Cool car!” shouted a random pedestrian from across the street. This happened on multiple occasions whilst manning the Fusion. Men and women alike stopped, turned around, and stared at the car.

This car gets, “oooh, nice” looks, not “what the…” looks.

Fusion Energi Badge | Photo Credit: Insideevs.com

A standard Fusion Energi SE will cost $38,700 without navigation, a sunroof or electronic gizmos like active park assist and adaptive cruise control. The Energi SE comes with standard heated leather seats (uses less energy than blowing hot air), Ford’s eco-guide and a suite of smart gauges, classic wood and aluminum look trim, SYNC, MyFord Touch and MyFord Mobile.

According to Ford’s online vehicle builder, a Fusion Energi Titanium can be pushed to about $42,000 fully loaded, but you may pay more in stores depending on supply and demand. In Titanium trim, the Energi comes with special perforated black leather, a push-button ignition start, and a Sony 12-speaker sound system.

Order a fully loaded a non-hybrid gasoline Fusion Titanium, and you can easily crest the $38,000 mark, so the Energi really isn’t too far off from it’s non-hybrid family members. Note, you can only have the same 17-inch wheels on every Fusion Energi. They are nice looking and I’m sure aerodynamic, but I would love to see larger wheels become available.

Fusion Energi Titanium Interior | Photo Credit: Insideevs.com

I recommend trying out Active Park Assist, but not buying it unless you cannot parallel park well. In that case, you really want it because it works. The rear vision camera and navigation are good options. Ford’s MyTouch system worked fine for me aside from the fact that I could not speak a destination to the navigation system. The POI option to find charging stations was useful, especially when my smartphone died (loaded with my SemaConnect and ChargePoint apps).

If you are an audiophile, you’re going to want to step up to the Titanium Energi model, with its 12-speaker Sony sound system with HD radio. The standard stereo on the SE is plenty good for me, and the noise cancellation helps, but it isn’t particularly awesome when using satellite radio (a problem not limited to this car).

2013 Ford Fusion Energi technical facts:

• 2.0 liter four cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine generating 129 lb.-ft. of torque and 141 hp.
• Grand total of 195 combined gas/electric horsepower running through an eCVT transmission (standard hybrid has 188 total system power).
• Aluminum hood to reduce weight, flat underbody panels and low rolling resistance tires, in addition to a highly aerodynamic exterior.
• The Fusion Energi has 84 Lithium-Ion battery cells generating 7.6 kWh of power, leaving 6.5 kWh for EV (electric only) range and 1.1 kWh for hybrid (HEV) operation.
• Full charge in 2.5 hours on 240 volt level 2 charger or about 5 hours on a standard outlet.
• Ford limits the Energi to charging at the 3.3 kW rate (not the faster 6.6kW rate of the Focus Electric), due to the battery’s cooling system (not liquid like the Focus Electric).
• EPA rated MPGe at 100 city / 92 highway and 100 MPGe combined with gas and electric.
• 44 city / 41 highway and 43 mpg combined using only the gasoline-hybrid drivetrain.
• Total combined driving range is a claimed 620 miles including 21 miles (34 KM) on full electric.

Fusion Energi Under the Hood | Photo Credit: Totalcarscore.com

Green driving impressions: the Fusion Energi in everyday life

The Ford Fusion Energi’s electric motor makes electric-only acceleration in traffic quick and torquey, but after the initial burst acceleration trails off. At nearly any speed, the electric motor moves the car well.

The Energi transitioned between electric and gas engine modes seamlessly. The test car’s battery easily handled a 14-16 mile round-trip commute each day. Around town, I used only electricity to get around.

I felt like I was cheating the system, covertly, in this sleek sedan, and boy did it feel good. Owners with the right plug-in resources at home and work can theoretically get by using only full EV mode for all but longer trips out of town.

Operating the car, drivers have three drive options – Auto EV, EV Now, and EV Later. EV later is best used on the highway, when you want to save your electric-only time for the stop-and-go stuff. Auto EV will just figure it out for you, with a tendency toward electric-only, and EV Now will use electric only for everything, until the battery burns through its charge. The car will then switch over to being a standard hybrid.

The Fusion Energi plugged-in at an apartment ChargePoint station in Arlington, VA | Photo Credit: Owen Bergwall

Since I live in an apartment and don’t have a garage, I had to find outlets in my work garage. I never asked permission, but I never got a phone call. Do the same at your own discretion. Once located, I was able to top up with the 120 volt charger during the day while the car sat in the garage. The aforementioned ”EV Later” mode did a great job of saving the batteries on long trips. On a trip to Philadelphia and back, I left DC with 12 miles of electric remaining and when I arrived, 123 miles away, I still had 4 remaining, and had managed 43 mpg the entire way, exactly the EPA estimate for this car, and I did not drive 5 mpg below the speed limit. Impressive stuff.

I think it’s worth noting that there are some apartments around the D.C. area with charging stations for residents, such as River House in Pentagon City (Arlington, VA), where they offer a free Vornado/ChargePoint station right out front. If I lived there, local charging would be a non-issue. Soon, D.C.’s Van Ness neighborhood will have a public charging station.

Despite the currently weak electric car charging station infrastructure, I managed to keep the car charged most of the time.

Would everyone be as proactive as me? No. But that’s okay, because without plugging in at all, I would have gotten roughly the same mileage as the Ford Fusion Hybrid. (Please, if you aren’t going to plug it in, get the standard Fusion Hybrid. It’s nearly ten thousand dollars less and has a higher non-EV city/highway mileage rating than the Fusion Energi.)

2013 Fusion Energi SE covertly charging in my office garage | Photo Credit: Owen Bergwall

Sometimes, it’s not easy to be green 

The first evening driving the Energi, I stopped by a Days Inn that amazingly had two 240 volt (Level II) charging stations, only to find gas-only vehicles hogging the spots. I had been “ICE’d” (charging spot taken by Internal Combustion Engine car) on my first day. That was not stopping me. I maneuvered close enough, used the whole cord, plugged in, and the ChargePro/SemaConnect terminal told me to wave a card. It also said I could pay by phone. I did not have the card or a clue, so I went inside to ask.

This is the kind of legwork you will do with electrified cars, but it’s worth it if you don’t like paying a ton for fuel every week, or genuinely care about what your car is doing to our air, which by the way, all of us breathe.

I was told by the front desk that the charging stations were run by Avis (actually not true), and also that nobody had instructions for activating the charging stations. After a quick call with the very helpful hotel manager the next day, I was all clear. I signed up and was able to activate the charging station via mobile app in no time. The night shift just needed some training on the charging stations.

Ford Fusion Energi Rear-End | Photo Credit: Owen Bergwall

Summary

As I mentioned, the Fusion Energi feels special. It combines all of its features in refined, classy way. Ford has taken dramatic, European design and handling and made it possible for American consumers to combine this with full electric daily driving in a great looking sedan. Yes, it has a small trunk compared to other Fusions, but many of us have a second car that already has a huge trunk. Yes, it only goes 21 miles without gas, but D.C. area commutes are usually about 5-15 miles. What Ford has done here is an achievement, and we ought to recognize it.

What the Fusion Energi lacks in the driving feel and styling of say, a BMW, it gives back with piles of panache inside and out, a connected driving feel, great technology, and can get you to and from work in traffic (what we do most of the time) without using a drop of gas for about the same price. Plus, it gives you that ‘American car’ pride. 

If the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi is within your new-car budget, I say go for it. It is neither the quickest nor sportiest car – and its highway fuel efficiency matches some non-hybrid cars – but it combines style, fuel efficiency and great driving feel like almost nothing else on the road.

The post 2013 Ford Fusion Energi SE Plug-in Hybrid Road Test and Review appeared first on Be Car Chic.

Above the “fold,” the ad below could be for almost anything; however, look closely at the text in the following green speech bubbles. The ads are simple, written just like last minute text messages would be typed (can you find the misspelling?), but they do the trick. PUT YOUR PHONES AWAY – today and every day!

Credits:

Advertising Agency: Adler Chomsky Grey, Tel Aviv, Israel
Executive Creative Director: Tal Riven
Creative Director: Ziv Meiri
Copywriter: Aharale Kidron
Art Director: Julia Smelansky

(Hat tip to AdsoftheWorld.)

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I caught up with Cellcontrol CEO, Robert Guba, to learn more about the company behind the world’s leading technology to stop distracted driving.

According to the company’s website, Cellcontrol’s non-pairing Bluetooth signaling technology integrates with a vehicle’s onboard electronics and eliminates the driver’s ability to talk, text, email and browse on multiple devices while the vehicle is in motion.

The key here is ‘multiple devices.’ Traditional Bluetooth pairing only allows one device to pair at a time. Cellcontrol’s technology does not go into pairing, but rather uses the Bluetooth signal to block all devices you may have in the vehicle – cell phone, tablet and laptop.

Cellcontrol is automated self-control

Unlike mobile apps that require user acceptance and activation, Cellcontrol is a plug-in-and-go technology that detects and protects distraction from using cell phones, laptops or tablets.

“At speed one it enforces the policy – it pushes out without having to have user acceptance.” -Rob Guba, CEO, Cellcontrol

“Our system allows you not only to address mobile devices but also other devices,” added Guba. “Our architecture properly identifies the vehicle you’re in, communicates the state of that vehicle to the device that you’ve got, and applies a policy to the device, predetermined by a parent or employer.”

Cellcontrol’s technology is different from mobile applications, however. “It’s not just an app on the phone,” Guba explained.  Subscribers can still fully access their devices when they’re in motion on a plane, train or bus. The limitations are truly limited to the vehicle a user drives.

Cellcontrol has a patent on non-pairing Bluetooth communication and several other patents pending. “It properly identifies context,” said Guba. “That’s where we greatly differ from other products out there – the communication from the car to the device.” The technology allows a trigger device to connect with both smartphones and ‘dumb’ phones. Basic cell phones like the Casio GzOne Ravine2, Samsung Convoy2, Samsung Intensity and other non-smartphones are supported.

User experience key to Cellcontrol’s success

“We take technology seriously,” Guba emphasized, detailing how users want a seamless technology that works every time in real-world applications. “The Cellcontrol trigger has to work every time,” he said. “The first time a driver rolls off the line and their device doesn’t automatically go into blocking, they will become frustrated with the product and likely stop using it.”

The Cellcontrol trigger plugs directly into your car’s ODB or J-Bus port.

I recently participated in a demonstration of the product from Kevin Coppollino, Vice President of Corporate Development for the Baton-Rouge based company, at the FCC distracted driving technology showcase.

The Cellcontrol application on your device locks within three to five seconds after the car picks up speed. Drivers get a blue lock screen that prevents them from seeing any incoming texts or phone calls, depending on the policy that’s set from the web-interface back-end tool. “When someone wants to get around the system we’ve built measures to detect that,” said Guba.

Personal vs. Commercial

Cellcontrol is a personal solution, but the company has also had a lot of success with fleet vehicle drivers. “We have a lot of commercial accounts,” Guba told us. Early on those customers tended to be in the high-risk industries that took driver safety more seriously. These industries were the early adopters of Cellcontrol’s technology, but now, the company is seeing a broader spectrum of industries.

The consumer side is a newer venture for Guba’s company. “We recently moved into [the consumer] space, but have seen heavy adoption,” he said. “Most implementations are for teenage drivers or for the full family.”

That’s where the Esurance partnership comes in, helping Cellcontrol extend their product directly to customers. Guba noted that his company will have a variety of new partnerships to announce in the near future.

Other implementations of their product have been for local police forces. For example, a New Orleans Parrish police department is moving toward using Cellcontrol. A police force based in Boston also tested it internally and provided positive feedback.

“While we’re a business, I’m a parent, my kids actually drive – we realize that this is something that’s life altering” –Robert Guba, CEO, Cellcontrol

Guba also shared that his company will be rolling out new products that will better identify drivers. A big goal in the technology industry, as it relates to distracted driving, is to precisely identify who’s the driver and who isn’t so that anti-distraction applications can be more autonomous. A secondary goal for these groups is to have that technology push state laws to the system so that when drivers cross state lines they remain in compliance.

And Guba isn’t just capitalizing on distracted driving. He practices what he preaches. Cellcontrol has a company-wide anti-distracted driving policy. Employees are regularly informed and educated about the policy and the dangers of texting and talking while driving.

The post Industry Pulse: Interview with Robert Guba, CEO of Cellcontrol appeared first on Be Car Chic.

The line (from focusdriven.org): “Nothing you have to say is that important.”

This art direction is so powerful. No smiley faces here…

Credits:

Advertising Agency: Team One, El Segundo, USA
Creative Director: Chris Graves
Art Director: Steve Hanlon
Copywriter: Phil Henson
Photographer: Sam Comen
Digital Artist: Ban Tat
Published: December 2012

(Hat tip to AdsoftheWorld.)

The post FocusDriven.org print ads (U.S.) appeared first on Be Car Chic.

Be Car Chic has supported AT&T’s effort by teaming up with the company this year for our ‘Distraction Free Fridays’ campaign, which asks drivers to start breaking their bad habit by committing to one day a week, Friday, to ‘put the device aside and focus on the drive.’ AT&T’s Consumer Education and Safety Director, Andrea Brands, recently posted a guest blog post about the ‘It Can Wait’ campaign.

Quotes from wireless carrier CEOs from the joint press release, as found at SacBee.com:

“Texting while driving is a deadly habit that makes you 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash,” said AT&T Chairman & CEO Randall Stephenson. “Awareness of the dangers of texting and driving has increased, but people are still doing it. With this expanded effort, we hope to change behavior. Together, we can help save lives.”

“The It Can Wait campaign is a meaningful way for Verizon to continue its work on this important issue,” said Verizon Wireless president and chief executive officer Dan Mead. “Texting and driving is a serious social challenge and we look forward to partnering with leading organizations and experts around the world to answer it.”

“As a longstanding advocate of keeping wireless consumers focused on driving, Sprint is proud to participate in the ‘It Can Wait’ campaign,” said Sprint CEO Dan Hesse. “Sprint will continue to promote education of responsible driving behavior through our sponsorship events, social media channels and thousands of retail stores nationwide.”

“Mobile technology connects us in many cool ways, but adults and teens need to put it on hold while behind the wheel,” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile US, Inc. “Knowing the risks is not enough. By simply putting the phone down, thousands of tragedies can be prevented every year. It’s time to end texting while driving – for good.”

This is a big move for this industry to come together and jointly support a cause that, really, any company should feel proud to stand behind. Kudos to AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon for uniting around this important public safety issue.

Related Articles:

• Wireless carriers to launch ad blitz against texting and driving | LAtimes.com
• Wireless Leaders Unite for ‘It Can Wait’ campaign to curb texting while driving | Sacramento Bee
• AT&T’s ‘It Can Wait’ campaign: starting a movement | Be Car Chic guest post by Andrea Brands

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