After receiving a class-leading 100 MPGe-combined rating from the EPA last week, the Ford C-MAX Energi has now been officially certified for an electric-only driving range of 21 miles.
With the average work commute totaling about 20 miles each way, Ford says that C-MAX Energi drivers could potentially travel to the office using just electricity, then recharge and make it back home without using any gas. The blue oval is also quick to point out that the C-MAX Energi’s electric range exceeds than of the Toyota Prius plug-in, which can manage 11 miles.
For overall driving range, the has EPA rated the plug-in C-MAX at a road-trip-friendly 620 miles.
Like the standard C-MAX Hybrid, the Energi uses a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor. A 7.6 kwh lithium ion battery pack provides the power for the Energi’s electric-only range.
“C-MAX Energi is America’s most efficient utility vehicle, a great symbol of how Ford gives customers the power to choose leading fuel-efficiency across our lineup with gas prices spiraling upwards of $5 a gallon in some parts of the country,” says John Davis, C-MAX chief engineer. “The C-MAX Energi’s leading range also means customers can spend more time on the road and more money on their priorities instead of at the gas pump.”
The Ford C-Max Energi plug-in will go on sale later this year with a starting price of $29,995 (after a $3,750 federal tax credit).
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