Ford is offering the Auto Start-Stop system on its new non-hybrid 2013 Fusion equipped with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine (earlier post) for $295. Auto Start-Stop saves fuel use when the car is standing and running at idle. Savings vary depending on driving patterns, but owners who spend most time in heavy urban areas and city traffic will benefit up to 10%. On average, Auto Start-Stop improves fuel efficiency by about 3.5%.
The Ford Auto Start-Stop system includes a 12V battery designed for long lasting service with no additional maintenance; a 12V enhanced starter motor to provide seamless engine starts once a driver removes his or her foot from the brake pedal; and a voltage quality module to assures vehicle accessories function normally when the engine is off.
We expect the average Fusion driver with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine and Auto Start-Stop will save about $1,100 more than other midsize sedan owners during five years of driving.
—Samantha Hoyt, Fusion marketing manager
A study by the United States Department of the Treasury estimates that congestion consumed an extra 1.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2011, approximately 5% of all the gasoline used. Studies show drivers encounter an average of 10 to 15 red lights and stop signs on a typical 20 mile commute, which can add 5 to 15 minutes of idle time and wasted gas. Some communities—such as Denver, Colo. and Ann Arbor, Mich.—are also considering ordinances banning excessive engine idling.
Ford is making Auto Start-Stop available for non-hybrids in the US with the new 1.6-liter EcoBoost-powered Fusion.
On sale this fall, the new Fusion offers a choice of two EcoBoost-powered gasoline engines, a normally aspirated four-cylinder engine, a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Fuel-economy includes:
- 2013 Fusion 1.6-liter EcoBoost: projected 37 mpg highway
- 2013 Fusion Hybrid: projected 47 mpg
- 2013 Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid: projected 100 MPGe-plus rating
Source: Green Car Congress
