The Ford Fusion Hybrid is a long-running hybrid car from Ford that arrived on the US market back in the 2009 model year.
It was released to compete with other emerging models such as the Honda Insight and Mercury Milan.
All hybrid versions were discontinued in 2020.
This article answers the question “Can Ford Fusion Hybrid Run Without Battery?”
Table of Contents
Can Ford Fusion Hybrid Run Without Battery?
While the Fusion is designed to work well even on a diminished battery, it won’t work with a completely defunct battery. Although it runs on both gas and electric, it doesn’t have a traditional starter and relies on the electric battery to get started before the gas engine kicks in.
How Does Ford Fusion Hybrid Work?
The Ford Fusion Hybrid works in much the same way as similar hybrid models such as the Toyota Prius does.
The regular hybrid version starts out at low speeds in electric mode and will keep the car moving on electric power until it hits speeds between 20 and 30mph.
At that point, the car seamlessly switches to use the gasoline engine, which in turn works to recharge the battery.
When you slow down again such as times when you encounter heavy traffic, the car will go back to electric mode in order to save gas.
On the plug-in (PHEV) version of the Ford Fusion, the system is very similar in principle, but the engine doesn’t actively charge the more powerful EV battery.
Instead, users have to plug in the PHEV at home or at a public charging station to recharge the electric battery side.
In both the HEV and PHEV versions of the Ford Fusion, there is a safeguard in place that will ensure the battery always retains at least a small reserve of power so that it won’t die completely when you’re out on the road.
That power reserve is enough to start up the car, but the gasoline engine will then take over and the car will primarily run on that until the battery is charged back up again.
What Fuel Type Comes With The Hybrid?
Contrary to some people’s belief, the Ford Fusion doesn’t require any kind of special gasoline.
It works on regular, unleaded gasoline and anything of 87 octanes or higher will work just fine in any model of Ford Fusion.
The electric component of the Ford Fusion hybrid charges via the action of the internal combustion engine in much the same fashion that a traditional 12-volt car battery would do.
On the plug-in hybrid version, the electrical component has to be charged by plugging into a charger, either public or at home.
Because the batteries are typically smaller than BEVs, a level 1 charging solution can easily get the job done overnight.
What Years, Trims And Engines Are The Hybrids?
| Model Year | Trims | Engine Options |
| 2010 | Base Trim Only (Fusion Hybrid) | 2.5L inline-4 |
| 2011 | Base Trim Only (Fusion Hybrid) | 2.5L inline-4 |
| 2012 | Base Trim Only (Fusion Hybrid) | 2.5L inline-4 |
| 2013 | SE, Titanium | 2.0L inline-4 |
| 2014 | S, SE, Titanium | 2.0L inline-4 |
| 2015 | S, SE, Titanium | 2.0L inline-4 |
| 2016 | S, SE, Titanium | 2.0L inline-4 |
| 2017 | S, SE, Titanium, Platinum | 2.0L inline-4 |
| 2018 | S, SE, Titanium, Platinum | 2.0L inline-4 |
| 2019 | SE, SEL, Titanium | 2.0L inline-4 |
| 2020 | SE, SEL, Titanium | 2.0L inline-4 |
This means that those looking for a used Ford Fusion Hybrid typically have quite a lot of choice.
How Much Is A Ford Fusion Hybrid?
The typical list price of a Ford Fusion Hybrid depends greatly on the model year and conditions of the car. Below is a reference list for each model year.
| Model Year | Low List Price ($) | High List Price ($) |
| 2010 | 2,704 | 12,068 |
| 2011 | 4,293 | 12,429 |
| 2012 | 5,159 | 13,399 |
| 2013 | 6,890 | 14,222 |
| 2014 | 7,380 | 16,832 |
| 2015 | 7,896 | 18,560 |
| 2016 | 10,106 | 18,366 |
| 2017 | 10,941 | 19,817 |
| 2018 | 13,107 | 23,523 |
| 2019 | 13,590 | 25,442 |
| 2020 | 19,299 | 32,090 |
How Much Is A Fusion Hybrid Battery Replacement?
The cost of replacing the main battery in your Ford Fusion Hybrid will depend on whether you buy a brand-new OEM battery from Ford, or a reconditioned battery pack from a third-party hybrid battery outlet.
The OEM battery will typically cost $5,000 to $6,000 plus installation costs. A brand-new OEM battery will carry an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty.
A third-party refurbished/rebuilt battery pack can be acquired and installed for about $3,000, making them a more affordable option for many.
From reputable suppliers, such batteries will last another 10 years or so, but will typically only carry a maximum of 36-month warranty.
How Long Does The Hybrid Battery Last?
The original hybrid battery that comes with the Ford Fusion carries a manufacturer warranty for 8 years or 100,000 miles. So, it should last at least this long.
Drivers can help to extend the life of their Ford Fusion hybrid battery by keeping the car stored in a cool, covered area like a garage.
They can also lengthen its life by not overtaxing it or any other part of the car by driving sensibly.
If you have to replace the battery, either a replacement OEM or a third-party refurbished battery pack will last about 8-10 years and another 80,000-100,000 miles.
What Is The Gas Mileage Without Battery?
If your Ford Fusion hybrid battery is completely dead, then the car won’t operate at all.
If it has powered down to its last reserve and you are running entirely on gasoline, then you can still expect to achieve its low-end EPA estimate, which is 40mpg.
What Is The Battery Mileage?
The Ford Fusion PHEV gets the best mileage with its battery because it is a more powerful unit than the regular hybrid car.
The PHEV model has an EPA-estimated total range of 610 miles on one tank and one charge.
Of that, 26 miles is the pure-electric range, and for its combined consumption rating, it achieves 109MPGe in the city, 978MPGe on the highway, and 103MPGe combined.
On the regular HEV model, the total range is 588 miles. The EPA estimates a gasoline range of 43mpg in the city, 41 on the highway, and 42mpg combined.
It can only get about 2 miles at cruising speed (47mph) with battery-only power.
What Is The Hybrid Depreciation?
A Ford Fusion Hybrid will depreciate about 61 percent after 5 years of use and will have a 5-year resale value of $11,014 on average.
The 3-year depreciation rate for models after 2017 is about 48 percent.
The table below indicates Ford Fusion Hybrid Depreciation for the latest models:
| Years Old | Depreciation ($) | Residual Value (%) | Resale Value ($) |
| 1 | 10,591 | 62.61 | 17,736 |
| 2 | 12,642 | 55.37 | 15,685 |
| 3 | 13,588 | 52.03 | 14,739 |
| 4 | 15,537 | 45.15 | 12,790 |
| 5 | 17,313 | 38.88 | 11,014 |
| 6 | 18,631 | 34.23 | 9,696 |
Many may be shocked to see such high levels of depreciation, but that has actually been quite normal for hybrid cars for some time.
It’s only since 2017 that hybrid cars have managed to close the depreciation gap on non-hybrids.
Data collected in 2017 shows that the average non-hybrid now depreciates at about 53.4 percent over 3 years, whereas the average hybrid car has dropped its 3-year depreciation rate to just 50.9 percent.
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