Lincoln MKZ Hybrid also complements Ford’s aggressive global electrification plan
Ford Motor Company
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Ford Motor Company recently introduced the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, notable because it runs exclusively on its electric battery up to speeds of 47 miles per hour. That means it's a lot easier to drive with just battery power, and it's better than any other luxury hybrid electric car currently on the road.
The MKZ Hybrid uses Ford’s second-generation hybrid technology, where the combined gasoline engine and electric motor provide 191 net horsepower, while averaging about 40 miles per gallon (MPG) in combined city (slow, battery-only, for awhile at least) and highway (faster, hybrid-mode) driving. That's not an eye-dropping number for a new car -- many small conventional cars get in the mid-high 30s in MPG -- so the real key here is the extended battery-only mode; compare it to the Lexus HS 250h electric-only mode, which reaches just 25 mph. Same goes for Toyota's Prius, while the Mercedes S400 checks in at 15 mph.
Image credit: Ford Motor Company
Imagine this: Your commute is about 20 miles, like the average American commuter. If it doesn't involve hopping on the highway much (or at all), the MKZ hybrid has the capability to get you to and from work everyday with just a sniff of gasoline. If your weekend plans involve a more extensive trip, you can fall back on 40 MPG knowing that's not the best on the road, but that you sort of earned it during your week of electric-only driving. Sounds pretty good, no?
For now, though, we'll just have to wait to see if Lincoln's new hybrid can follow through on these promising stats; it'll be available for sale in the U.S. market in the fall of 2010.
More on hybrid cars:
How to Go Green: Hybrid CarsGreen Cars from 2010 Auto Shows (View and Vote)View & Vote: Rate New Green Cars
