Ford Files 461 Patents on Fusion Hybrid

Ford has filed for 461 patents on technology used for the second generation Fusion Hybrid that Ford claims will allow the car to get 47 miles-per-gallon on the highway. That will make the Fusion Hybrid the most fuel efficient, non-plug-in hybrid sedan on sale in the US. 

As of 2000, Ford had just 10 patents for hybrid technology. It launched its first hybrid, the Escape, in 2004. Ford's  push towards better hybrid technology sped up with the One Ford strategy that attempts to develop Ford products for the world market. 

“We stopped trying to create and fix one-off, niche vehicles, and it made all the difference in the world,” said Ming Kuang who is an egineer who works on Ford's hybrid vehicles. Kuang has his name on 40 of Ford's hybrid patents. 

Ford intends the Fusion Hybrid to get 47mpg on the highway and 44mpg in the city. Later, it will launch the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid with 100mpg equivalent.