Ford Motor Company has announced it is making changes to fuel efficiency testing and labels on its 2014 C-MAX Hybrid, scheduled to go on sale in December. The move comes following controversy over fuel economy ratings on other Ford vehicles, which, particularly in the U.S., have impacted consumer satisfaction, even resulting in lawsuits being filed.
These changes build on powertrain software updates Ford announced last month for the 2013 C-MAX Hybrid. The 2014 C-MAX also will benefit from several hardware changes, including:
- Gearing changes that result in a more efficient transmission drive ratio;
- New hood seal, front and rear tire deflectors, A-pillar moldings and the addition of rear lift gate deflectors to improve vehicle aerodynamics;
- New engine oil with reduced friction.
The enhancements to the 2014 C-MAX Hybrid are expected to improve customers’ on-road fuel economy, especially at highway speeds.
“Ford is absolutely committed to being a leader in the hybrid market and to top fuel efficiency across our lineup,” says Raj Nair, group vice-president, global product development. “We are taking actions with our popular C-MAX Hybrid so that customers are even more satisfied with the vehicle’s on-road fuel efficiency performance.”
The variability of on-road fuel economy is greater for hybrids than for conventional vehicles. Relatively small differences in driver behaviour and driving conditions can have a significant effect on the degree to which a hybrid’s gasoline engine is used for propulsion, which affects fuel efficiency.
In addition to improving the vehicle itself, Ford is changing the way it generates the miles-per-gallon label for the C-MAX Hybrid going forward. Previously — and consistent with EPA’s General Label rules — testing of the Fusion Hybrid was used to generate fuel economy labels for a family of vehicles, including both the Fusion Hybrid and the C-MAX Hybrid. The result was the same fuel economy label values for both vehicles.
While the company could continue to use EPA’s General Label for the C-MAX Hybrid, Ford voluntarily has decided to test and label the C-MAX Hybrid separately going forward. The result will be a lower miles-per-gallon label for the 2013 C-MAX Hybrid. Testing to generate a label for the 2014 C-MAX Hybrid is not yet complete.
