The Nissan Leaf isn’t the only electric vehicle getting a great safety rating. The Ford Fusion Energi plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV) has also received a 5-star safety rating (the highest possible) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The car was also awarded the Top Safety Pick+ designation by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
With all that and a combined fuel economy rating of 100 MPGe — a stunning fuel economy for a plug-in hybrid — the car is certainly a winner. And its sales certainly haven’t been bad. In April, 364 units of the PHEV were sold in the US, bringing the car’s 2013 total to 778 thus far. Assuming similar sales in May, the car probably surpassed 1,000 sales to date. We’ll see. For now, here’s Ford’s announcement regarding the high safety ratings:
The 2013 Ford Fusion Energi has earned the highest possible “five-star” Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The five-star rating is the U.S. Government’s highest-possible safety rating and is determined only after severe testing procedures as part of NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and resistance to rollover.
The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid joins the Ford Fusion and the Ford Fusion Hybrid which already received five-star safety ratings. NHTSA has elected to test plug-in vehicles separately from vehicles powered by gasoline internal combustion engines as the market share of electrified vehicles is increasing. April marked Ford’s best hybrid sales month ever with Ford’s EV market share hitting an all-time high of 18 percent, up from 3 percent last April.
“The Fusion Energi combines the highest possible safety ratings from NHTSA and great fuel economy, two things we know customers are looking for in their vehicles,” said Steve Kenner, Global Director of the Ford Automotive Safety Office. “Our strategy is to provide our customers with a range of powertrain options in our vehicles, while still leading in fuel economy in every segment that we compete.”
The Fusion Energi gets an EPA fuel economy rating of 108 MPGe, which is five MPGe better than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid.
The NHTSA five-star rating for the Fusion Energi comes in addition to the 2013 Fusion being named a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in December. The Top Safety Pick + designation is the highest rating the organization has for vehicle safety.
The Fusion Energi also features the Personal Safety System™ with safety belt technologies and front impact airbags. The Personal Safety System™ is a network of components that work together to tailor the deployment of the front airbags during frontal collisions. Other driver assist technologies available on the Fusion Energi include:
- Lane Keeping Assist
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Rearview Camera
- Hill Start Assist
- Electronic Parking Brake
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 175,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.