By Sonya Davidson
The summer has been spectacular, hasn’t it? It’s been filled with travels near and far for the past couple of months and more experiences to add to my personal bucket list. One of the most memorable day-trips out of the city was dubbed the #ArtOfFusion. Fusion to many of us means taking the best of two or more worlds. This trip was certainly the best of several realms from technology, art, and yes, food.
A recent outing with Ford Canada had me rediscovering the rich Canadiana landscape peppered with mindful moments in the new 2017 Fusion Energi Platinum. A full itinerary that catered to more lifestyle focused writers gave the opportunity to explore the vehicle in a more everyday approach. Going in with an open mind that suits the needs of everyday drivers was apparent since not much “selling” of the new vehicles happened on this day-trip. We were very much in a “see for yourself” mode.
The day started at the meeting spot of the historical Distillery District in Toronto. After a brief introduction to the new vehicles, we were split into small groups and handed over the keys. We quickly jumped in and got comfortable. The new Ford Fusion Energi Platinum had me wondering, like many people who are thinking about any car and especially a plug-in hybrid, about how far you can really go on a full tank of gas or battery charge. A recent Harris Poll found Americans believe the longest range any plug-in hybrid can travel is about 261 miles. We all were surprised to learn that this new Ford can travel an EPA-estimated 610 miles on a full tank of gas and full battery charge - the highest combined range of any plug-in hybrid on the market in America. That’s pretty significant and, in all honesty, a relief for us who love our road trips! We had also learned that the company is investing $4.5 billion to add 13 new vehicles to its portfolio by 2020 — they now offer six electrified vehicles and is the number 1 seller of plug-in hybrids.
To break it down, Wade Jackson, marketing manager for For Fusion explained that plug-hybrids are electric vehicles until you run down the battery, then they work exactly like a conventional hybrid. The Fusion Energy, with a full battery and a full and of gas can go from San Diego through Los Angeles and all the way up to San Francisco, and still have up to 110 miles or range remaining. And how long would it take to recharge the Fusion Energi? Apparently it can be done in just 2.5 hours.
My side-kick was a notoriously fun-loving blogger who loved to get behind the wheel and anxious to get out of the city to experience something new. Our itinerary was jam-packed and while we didn’t think much about the distance we did think about how this would be a great option for those who are not close to vehicle charging stations but still like the idea of having an electric vehicle but with peace of mind with a fuel efficient back up engine.
Okay, actually we weren’t really paying attention to how many clicks were were clocking on our day trip that consisted of a couple of mid-day stops en route to our destination for an artful day. After driving through one of our crazy morning sun showers we found our way to the Belfountain Conservation Area. Having been born and raised in Toronto, thinking that I’ve seen every nook and cranny of the GTA, it was a tranquil spot that I had somehow never visited. With weeping willow trees, lush greenery and the sound of water rushing in the streams it was stunning — minus us cityslickers documenting nature’s beauty with our smartphones! After our slice of heaven we turned our vehicles towards the McMichael Gallery and Conservation area where we were guided by a docent through the wooded area to visit where the Group of Seven artists were laid to rest as well as a visit inside Tom Thomson’s shack and a guided tour of the Gallery itself.
We were impressed with our full day experiencing and learning about many of the well-thought out and meaningful technology built into the Fusion.
Ford tells us this is the smartest, most technology packed Fusion ever made - that includes Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid versions of the new sedan. There are 20 driver-assist technology worked into the entire Fusion line-up and more to come in the next few years. Some extremely useful features that would certainly help drivers feel less stressed behind the wheel includes hands-free parking capability, lane assist helps to stay in position, and sensors that help with blind spot detection with audio and visual warnings of obstructed views - great for busy parking lots.
Ford also mentioned that SYNC 3, their new communications and entertainment system is also available. There’s an option for drivers to connect and remotely start their car, schedule future starts, lock and unlock the car using their smartphone.
While we were stuck in heavy traffic trying to get out of the city and on to the highway we also noticed the car had a stop-and-go feature. When we chatted later with our Ford reps we learned that this feature rides on the exiting adaptive cruise control feature - it automatically accelerates and brakes safely for the driver while maintaining a safe distance from the car ahead.It works with combination of sensors that when activated, the radar and camera based system reads the road every 50 milliseconds. It tracks the traffic and adjusts to the traffic flow. I thought this was a great feature especially since city driving can be monotonous and tedious - we’ve all seen people zone out in these situations. If the car has to stop of more than three seconds, the driver can tap the resume button or accelerator and the car returns to its preset speed. In event of a long pause, this helps the driver stay alert to the situation. We also learned that for unpredictable moments (hello city couriers on bikes!! and school kids darting around the neighbourhood behind parked cars) there is a Pre-Collision Assist and Pedestrian Detection that kicks in. When a situation is detected, the system provides a warning and can even automatically apply a full braking stop.
The day didn’t end at just viewing incredible art. We were were fully inspired we were given the opportunity to create our own Art of Fusion painting with artists and instructors of the McMichael Gallery. I had learned a little more about the Group of Seven and with a love for Lawren Harris's work, I decided to go along in his style. Okay, I’ve got some more studying to do but what a relaxing way to spend a day!
Thank you to Ford for the opportunity to check out the new car and for the chance to get out of the city!