Released roughly at the same time with the hybrid Fusion, the Energi version of the car managed to impress quite a few people. Even though the car was quite expensive at first, Ford dropped its price quite a bit throughout its production cycle. Thanks to that it became something more than just another expensive offering. The latest 2018 Ford Fusion Energi SE seems to be the best one so far even though the changes over the 2017 model have been kept to a minimum. In fact Ford decided to basically just carry over the previous year’s model likely in order to be able to focus on its successor.
In detail
The Energi is based on the same platform as the Hybrid or as the regular model. This means it shares the same suspension setup, brakes and most of the interior and exterior. However, the Energi is definitely the heaviest of the three, being more than 300 pounds heavier than the regular hybrid.
source:ford.com 2018 Fusion Energi SE
Because of that the car may not only end up less efficient than the hybrid but also worse to drive. In fact the Energi might be the perfect offering for those needing to drive short distances in their commute. This is because its lithium-ion batter-pack has just 7.6 kWh of capacity which is simply not enough for today’s world.
The design of 2018 Ford Fusion Energi SE
The 2018 Ford Fusion Energi SE hasn’t changed a bit since it was released more than 4 years ago. The car comes with very few changes over the hybrid as well. As standard it comes with LED fog-lights and DRLs as well as LED headlights which is a new addition to the range.
source:ford.com 2018 Fusion Energi SE Design
Ford is also offering automatic high-beams as an option as well as a set of three color-schemes which are only available with the Energi model. The car gets 17 inch light-alloy rims as standard as well as a chrome-package. The interesting part is its price. All of these can be had for just $31,000 which is considerably less than the price of the original model.
Inside the cabin
There are very few differences inside the cabin as well. In fact the 2018 version of the Energi Fusion didn’t really receive much attention over its predecessors. The instrument cluster has been replaced by Ford’s “SmartGauge” system but that’s about it.
source:ford.com 2018 Ford Fusion Energi SE Interior
The car still comes with the same Sync infotainment system as before. Unfortunately Ford’s great Sync3 system is unavailable which is a real shame. We do hope that Ford will give the buyers to get this system at least as an option because it is well worth the money over the base one.
Under the hood
The 2018 Fusion Energi SE is very similar to the regular hybrid when it comes to its engine. The two cars share the same 2.0 liter naturally aspirated inline-four gasoline engine which is an Atkinson-capable unit. By itself this can offer up to 141 horsepower and 129 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a CVT gearbox which also includes an electric motor. The total output for this powertrain is 188 horsepower and well over 150 lb-ft of torque available from basically no-RPM. The engine will also provide up to 195 horsepower when in Charge-depletion mode.
However, unfortunately the car sports a really small battery so its performance is not great. On top of that, despite being able to travel over 20 miles on a single charge it won’t really use less fuel after the battery is depleted. Some reports even went as far as saying the Energi is less efficient than the hybrid is real-world scenarios simply because it carries more dead-weight when the batter is discharged. We do hope that Ford will solve this in a future upgrade but until then the Energi remains a niche product.
source:ford.com 2018 Ford Fusion Energi SE
| 2018 Ford Fusion Energi SE | |
| Dimensions And Weight | |
| Wheelbase | 112.2 in |
| Length | 191.8 in |
| Height | 58 in |
| Width | 72.9 in |
| Weight | 3986 lbs |
| Engine And Transmission | |
| Engine type | 2.5L Duratec 16V I4 Engine |
| Displacement | 2.5L |
| Power/torque | 141 hp/129 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 6-Speed automatic |
| Performance | |
| 0-60 mph | N/A |
| Top speed | 85 mph |
| PRICE RANGE:$31,000 |
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| Competitors:N/A | |
