過去困擾油電混合動力車買主的「里程焦慮」（range anxiety），可望獲得改善。福特公司（Ford）正準備推出一款新的插電式混合動力多功能性車款，可行駛988公里：從底特律到紐約市，僅靠一顆鋰電池與一桶汽油。
福特C-MAX Energi 插電式混合動力車，僅靠一桶汽油，就可以從紐奧良開到達拉斯，甚至還可以再開100英里；或從舊金山到拉斯維加斯後，再開55英里；或從邁阿密到查爾斯頓（Charleston ），再開55英里；或...。經美國環保署評鑑，C-MAX Energi 以997公里的行駛距離，成為美國最高效省油的插電式混合動力車。
從來沒有混合動力車能靠這麼少的油，行駛這麼遠的距離，美國環保署認證的C-MAX Energi ，每加侖汽油在城市中可行駛108英里，在高速公路上可行駛92英里，綜合評分為100英里／加侖（45公里／公升）。
C-MAX的首席工程師 John Davis 表示，有這麼多美國人面臨創紀錄的高油價，福特很高興能用新引擎來替駕駛們省錢。
根據環保署規定核發的汽車標籤上寫著，C-MAX Energi 上路的前五年內，駕駛人可比其他新車嫁人相比平均省下約7000美元。
大部分C-MAX Energi 駕駛上班途中可能都無需使用一滴汽油，只要下班回家時候再切換到汽油引擎即可；因為一般人的工作通勤路程平均約20英里，而C-MAX Energi 的全電動模式可行駛21英里。
駕駛在壅塞的交通中可以節省汽油也是很重要。根據美國財政部一項研究顯示，2011年全美駕駛人在壅塞車陣中多使用了1.9億加侖（7.2億公升）的燃料，約佔全年全部油耗的5%。
Davis 表示，C-MAX Energi 是第一個更好地結合純電力與汽油使用效能的插電式混合動力車。我們預計許多C-MAX Energi駕駛在通勤時大多使用電力，且仍然有里程數、空間和靈活性，來作長途旅行而不用每隔幾小時就需要停車。
這種靈活性大大增加了車主面對日漸增加之通勤里程數的方便性。紐約大學魯丁交通學院（Rudin School of Transportation）最近的一項研究表明，過去10年裡，通勤里程超過90英里的人數已增加了一倍。
福特為「超級通勤者」（super-commuter）設計適合長路程、燃油效率高的車輛。這些人往往是年輕人，更多可能是中產階級而非一般上班族。
福特預計使用C-MAX Energi 與豐田的 Prius 插電式混合動力車打對台，後者在全電動模式下僅可行駛6英里。C-MAX Energi 在開始用汽油前，則可電動行駛三倍的距離。
若比較電力行駛里程數，豐田的Prius可達540英里，比 C-MAX Energi 少80英里；而雪佛蘭的 Volt 以380英里排名第三。
C-MAX Energi 也比 Prius 更有力，在充飽電的狀態下可發出195匹馬力，比 Prius 多60匹。
福特的 MyFord Mobile 程式可以透過車主的智慧手機或電腦監控車輛的電力狀態與可用里程，或找尋充電站並規劃路線。
C-MAX Energi 將於今年秋天在19個賣場有EV認證的福特經銷商開賣；明年初起即可在全美各地買到。
The range anxiety that has troubled hybrid car buyers in the past is fast-fading into the rear view mirror.
Ford is poised to roll out a new plug-in hybrid utility vehicle that can travel the 614 miles from Detroit to New York City powered only by its lithium-ion battery and one tank of gas.
The Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid can go from New Orleans to Dallas on one tank of gas with 100 miles to spare, or from San Francisco to Las Vegas with 55 miles to spare, or from Miami to Charleston with 50 miles to spare, or …
With a 620-mile overall driving range as rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the C-MAX Energi is also America’s most fuel efficient plug-in hybrid.
Never has a hybrid traveled so far on so little gas – the C-MAX Energi goes 100 miles on just one gallon.
The EPA certifies the C-MAX Energi for 108 miles per gallon equivalent in city driving and 92 MPGe on the highway, for a 100 MPGe combined rating.
C-MAX chief engineer John Davis says that with so many Americans facing record gasoline prices, Ford is excited to be saving drivers money at the pump.
In the first five years, C-MAX Energi customers can save about $7,000 compared with the average new vehicle, states the EPA label, now required on all new cars.
Most commuters can get to work in a C-MAX Energi without using a drop of gas, switching over to the gas engine only for the trip home. The average work commute is about 20 miles each way and the C-MAX Energi achieves up to 21 miles in all-electric mode.
Drivers can save gas even in congested traffic. This is important in view of a study by the U.S. Treasury Department showing that drivers in traffic jams burned an extra 1.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2011, roughly five percent of all the gas used in the United States that year.
“The C-MAX Energi is the first plug-in hybrid to combine significant electric-only range with great overall range on a tank of gas,” says Davis. “We expect many C-MAX Energi customers will commute largely on electricity, yet will still have the range, space and flexibility to take a long road trip without stopping every few hours.”
That flexibility maximizes the ease of today’s ever-longer commutes. A recent study from New York University’s Rudin School of Transportation shows that the number of people who commute more than 90 miles to work has doubled over the past 10 years.
Ford designed this long-range, fuel efficient vehicle for these super commuters, who tend to be young and are more likely to be middle class than the average worker.
Ford is targeting the C-MAX Energi to compete with the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid, which gets just six miles in all-electric mode. The C-MAX Energi can go three times as far before the driver starts the gas engine.
When it comes to range, the Toyota Prius plug-in gets 540 miles- 80 miles less than the C-MAX Energi; the Chevy Volt is third with an overall range of 380 miles.
The C-MAX Energi is more powerful than the Prius plug-in hybrid, achieving 195 horsepower on a fully-charged battery, 60 more horsepower than the Prius.
The MyFord Mobile feature enables access via smartphone or computer to monitor a vehicle’s state of charge and current range or locate charge stations and plan routes to find them.
The C-MAX Energi will arrive this fall at EV Certified Ford dealers in 19 markets, followed by a nationwide roll out early next year.
※ 全文及圖片詳見 ENS
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
