There are a number of reports on a hosted media drive mileage challenge for the new Fusion and Fusion Hybrid in Los Angeles (you can read about them at Green Car Congress, AutoblogGreen, and Jalopnik). According to Green Car Congress, initial reported results from the city cycle mileage challenge indicate fuel economy of better than 43 mpg US (less than 5.47 L/100km) for the Fusion Hybrid. AutoblogGreen reported 43.1 mpg; Car and Driver, 43.6 mpg; and Jalopnik, 43.8 mpg US. These are all very good numbers, especially because they’re directly results of real city cycle driving.

A city cycle mileage challenge is a great way to help promote public education, awareness and, ultimately, acceptance of the new, cleaner generation of cars. We should have more of these done around the country to help with public awareness. A more formalized challenge would be even better, where a particular challenge is run over a period of maybe a week or longer in order to get a better average. Additionally, each vehicle make and model should have its own series of challenges. Then challenges with other makes and models can run in parallel or at another time.

This marketing concept is an all-around  win-win-win for interested parties involved. For the media, it allows them to really write about what matters: the new technology and how they are actually performing as used in everyday life. For the manufacturers, it allows them a true and unbiased avenue to showcase and market their new products, while keeping them honest at the same time. And for the consumers, it allows us to see real performance comparison in real life driving cycles without all the marketing fluff and chatter.

So let’s have more city cycle mileage challenges. We want them!

Check out some YouTube videos.

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid at L.A. Auto Show – Car and Driver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1H_9UWTs_4

Guided tour of Ford’s new Fusion hybrid Smartgauge system

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXZ1x1_ug4U

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Let’s Have More City Cycle Mileage Challenges! is a post from: CleanCarTalk