Happy Earth Day!
This weekend, in order to raise funds for the Juvenile DiabetesResearch Foundation, Nascar driver Carl Edwards and hypermilingchampion Wayne Gerdes will take on the challenge of driving a stock2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid 1000 miles on one tank of gas.
To meet their goal, they will need to average at least 57 miles pergallon, and they will employ a set of eco-driving techniques, whichthey will also be demonstrating to media and customers on stops alongthe way.
The challenge will begin in Mount Vernon, Virginia on Saturday,April 25 at around 8:00 AM, and will end the morning of Monday, April27 in Washington D.C.
Scroll down for the press release from Ford.
FORD TEAM AIMS TO DRIVE 2010 FUSION HYBRID 1,000 MILES ON A SINGLE TANK OF GAS
* The Ford Fusion Hybrid team will attempt to drive more than1,000 miles – for more than 43 continuous hours – on a single tank ofgas, raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in theprocess
* The most fuel-efficient, mid-sized sedan in America –the Fusion Hybrid – driven by a team of Ford hybrid engineers, a fuelefficiency expert and a NASCAR star, will have to achieve an average ofat least 57 mpg on the challenge to reach its goal
* By usingEco-Driving techniques engineers have achieved 70 mpg during testing ofthe Ford Fusion Hybrid in preparation for the challenge
*Consumers can improve their own vehicle’s fuel economy performance isby adopting Ford’s “Eco-Driving” tips used for the 1,000-Mile Challenge
DEARBORN, Mich., April 21, 2009 – This weekend, the 2010 FordFusion Hybrid is being put to the ultimate fuel-efficiency test. A teamof drivers, including NASCAR star Carl Edwards and world-recordbreaking hypermiler Wayne Gerdes, will attempt to drive more than 1,000miles on a single tank of gas, raising money for the Juvenile DiabetesResearch Foundation in the process.
The 1,000-Mile Challenge starts at around 8:00 a.m. on Saturday,April 25, from Mount Vernon, Va., and ends the morning of Monday, April27, in Washington, D.C. The team will drive for more than 43 hourscontinuously to reach the 1,000-mile goal. The drivers will do stintsof between two and three hours each and will have regular breaks toensure safe driving is maintained. Already rated as the mostfuel-efficient, mid-sized sedan in America, the Fusion Hybrid will needto average at least 57 mpg to achieve its goal. During preliminarytesting in preparation for this challenge, Ford engineers have reachedas much as 70 mpg in the Fusion Hybrid by using Eco-Driving techniques.
Theteam will run clinics for media and customers over the weekend in theFusion Hybrid, conducting interviews and vehicle demonstrations on howsimple techniques can make a significant difference to real world fueleconomy numbers.
The Fusion Hybrid being used in the challenge will be a factoryproduced model with no modifications or alterations and will run onregular 87 octane gas.
The team will be uploading regular images and video to YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, and www.media.ford.com.
Ford is taking on the 1,000-Mile Challenge for a number of reasons:
* To demonstrate Ford’s commitment to be the best or amongstthe best in fuel economy in every vehicle segment in which it competes;
* To highlight the crucial role the driver plays in maximizing fueleconomy and demonstrate how consumers can make a difference throughEco-Driving;
* To raise awareness about Eco-Driving and how theFusion Hybrid contributes to it with the ability to run up to 47 mph inpure electric mode; and
* To raise awareness and funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
The 1,000-Mile Challenge team comprises of:
* Wayne Gerdes, the world-record breaking hypermiling champion and founder of www.cleanmpg.com
;
* Carl Edwards, the NASCAR race star who recently bought his own 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid;
* Sherif Marakby, graduate of Maryland University and Ford hybrid chief engineer;
* Gil Portalatin, Ford hybrid applications manager and Ford Fusion Hybrid team leader;
* Tom Rolewicz, one of Ford’s top calibration experts and hybrid system expert; and
* Steve Burke, Ford product expert on hybrid applications
The mileage-maximizing techniques that the Ford team will use and pass on to consumers include:
* Slowing down and maintaining even throttle pressure;
* Gradually accelerating and smoothly braking;
* Maintaining a safe distance between vehicles and anticipating traffic conditions;
* Coasting up to red lights and stop signs to avoid fuel waste and brake wear;
* Minimize use of heater and air conditioning to reduce the load on the engine;
* Close windows at high speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag;
* Applying the “Pulse and Glide” technique while maintaining the flow of traffic;
* Minimize excessive engine workload by using the vehicle’s kineticforward motion to climb hills, and use downhill momentum to buildspeed; and
* Avoiding bumps and potholes that can reduce momentum |
發表於 2009-4-26 12:32 PM
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