• For 2011, Ford Motor Company manufactures the Ford Fusion, a midsize sedan, in seven models, one of which is a hybrid. Ford takes the basic Fusion design and specifications, modifying it with hybrid technology. Specifications for the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid differ from the other models primarily in the requirements of the motor and battery.
  
  

Battery

• Ford places a 275-volt sealed nickel metal hydride battery in its Fusion. According to Hybrid Cars, this battery, first introduced in the 2010 Fusion Hybrid model, generates 20 percent more power with 30 percent smaller size, as compared to the battery from the 2009 model. Size is an important consideration for a hybrid battery -- the battery is in the trunk.
  
  

Fuel Economy

• Fuel economy is one of the main considerations for choosing a Fusion Hybrid over a standard model. The city rating is 41 mpg with the highway rating at 36 mpg. According to, drivers trained in mileage-maximizing techniques traveled 1,445 miles on a tank of gas in a Fusion Hybrid in Washington D.C., averaging 81.5 mpg.
  
  

Engine and Electric Motor

• Ford Fusion's specifications call for a 2.4-liter Atkinson-Cycle 14 engine and electric motor to supply the power. The electric motor receives its energy from the NiMH battery while the Atkinson-Cycle runs on gasoline. According to Ford, the hybrid can reach a speed of up to 47 mph using only the electric motor. The Atkinson-Cycle takes over at 47 mph or at lower speeds if the driver demands more power, such as a sudden acceleration to pass another vehicle. The Fusion Hybrid combined engines generate at maximum power a horsepower rating of 191.
  
  

Design and Size

• The 2011 design features the power-dome hood with Ford's 3-bar chrome grille. The hybrid comes in a color not available in the other Fusion models: light ice blue metallic. The headlamps feature quad-beam halogen lights, with the interior lighting presenting seven choices of what Ford describes as "ambient lighting." The 2011 Fusion is 80.1 inches wide, counting the mirrors, 190.6 inches long and 56.9 inches high. Its wheelbase measures 107.4 inches. Inside headroom measures 38.7 inches in the front and 37.8 inches for rear seating. For legroom, the front seat passengers have 42.3 inches while the rear passengers have 36.7 inches. The total passenger volume equals 99.8 cubic feet while the trunk's volume measures 11.8 cubic feet.