Hybrid Kuga charging from a wall outlet
The solution is ideal for daily trips of up to 20 km, as well as for those who plan to use the car for longer trips. Ford, after a long break caused by the pandemic, introduced the new Kuga PHEV model.
Ford Kuga plug-in hybrid
The Ford Kuga offers the widest selection of electrified powertrains of any Ford vehicle. The range includes three internal combustion drives and three electrified ones - traditional hybrid, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid. Compared to its predecessor, the model achieves an efficiency increase of almost 30 percent.
Plug-in hybrid Kuga Vignale
We had the opportunity to test the last ride on a route that was several hundred kilometers long, doing well on motorways and purely in the city. Average fuel consumption on the highway was about 5.6 l/100 km, while in the suburban and urban areas it fell well below 5 l/100 km. The car can also be used in all-electric mode, such as green areas in cities where only zero or very low emission vehicles are allowed – such areas are being created across Europe. You can also get to work in the mode of a cheap electric car after a night of recharging - then the range of the car without the use of an internal combustion engine reaches 56 km.
What is a plug-in hybrid drive?
Plug-in hybrid vehicles are equipped with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and a traction battery pack with a larger capacity than conventional hybrids. This battery can be charged either from a conventional 230V socket, through a home charging station, or at public charging stations. So we can assume that for about 6 hours every night the battery will reach a level of charge sufficient to drive on the way to and from work in EV mode. The battery can also be recharged using the kinetic energy generated during braking or deceleration that would otherwise be wasted - recuperation ensures that the battery is sufficiently charged even on long trips out of town. However, it is most effective in the city.
Kuga ST-Line X plug-in hybrid
The dual power architecture combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle gasoline engine, an electric motor that also acts as a generator, and a 14.4 kWh lithium-ion battery for a total maximum output of 225 hp. . The fuel consumption declared by the manufacturer is from 1.4 l / 100 km for the WLTP cycle.
Kuga ST-Line X plug-in hybrid
The battery of the Ford Kuga PHEV is installed under the floor, which keeps the car's center of gravity low, and the battery does not limit the capacity of luggage and passengers. We had the opportunity to feel it on the track, where the car rides perfectly on winding roads. For example, Ford's reference suspension was supplemented with a battery that improves vertical weight distribution and lowers the car's center of gravity.
driving modes
EV mode allows you to drive up to 56 km at speeds up to 130 km / h, and after using the battery charge, the car is still more economical than a car with a conventional drive - it automatically and imperceptibly selects the source gear, that is, decides which drive to use - internal combustion engine, electric engine or a combination of both. However, the driver has a choice - he can choose one of four operating modes:
- Auto EV is the default EV mode that automatically switches between electric motor and combustion engine, using the electric motor as often as possible and the combustion engine only when needed.
- EV Now (EV Now) - a mode that forces the drive to be used as long as the energy level in the battery allows it (for example, in emission-free zones)
- EV Later (EV Later) uses the internal combustion engine more frequently to conserve battery power for later use, such as for use in a zero emission zone.
- EV Charge is a mode that additionally uses the internal combustion engine to charge the battery up to 80% while driving. This gives you extra electric range that you can use later on your trip.
Kuga ST-Line X plug-in hybrid
The battery of the Plug-in Hybrid car can be fully charged in 6 hours by connecting it to an external power source, such as a 230 V household outlet. The Wallbox home charging station allows you to charge the battery in just 4 hours. .
Prices for Ford Kuga Plug-In Hybrid
The cheapest version of the new Kuga P 2.5 Plug-In Hybrid, developing 225 hp. with eCVT automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, costs 156,900 USD. (4 c.u. = 1 USD) in the starting configuration in the TITANIUM version. We pay 167,500 c.u. (4 c.u. = 1 USD) for the ST-LINE version and 186,900 c.u. (4 c.u. = 1 USD) for the VIGNALE version.
Photos: Ford, info mototarget.pl
