The 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid gets up to 41 mpg--officially. But with a little effort, you can easily double that.

That’s what a team of Ford engineers, a hypermiling legend and NASCAR star Carl Edwards managed to pull off this week, registering an average of 81.5 mpg in a 1,445.7-mile journey designed to show off the eco prowess of the new hybrid sedan.

The crew left Mount Vernon, Va., on Saturday morning and finished on the George Washington Parkway in Washington, running out of gas just before dawn. They clicked off the 1,000-mile mark--the original goal-- Monday morning, with Edwards at the wheel.




The EPA has rated the Fusion hybrid at 41 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway, besting other hybrids including the Toyota Camry. By using hypermiling techniques, such as accelerating smoothly and coasting to red lights, the Fusion drivers were able to considerably increase the car’s fuel economy.

Its official estimated range is 700 miles on a tank of gas, which the hypermilers doubled. The car was not modified and drove around Washington nearly continuously for 69 hours.

The drivers had hoped to get 57 mpg, but were able to easily better that. Other mileage tricks included closing the windows to reduce drag, shutting off the heater and air conditioner to cut the strain on the engine, and using momentum to help carry the car up and down hills.

They broke up the drive into two- and three-hour stints. Edwards, fresh off a dramatic crash Sunday at Talladega that saw his No. 99 car get airborne, said he was excited to be a part of the drive. He noted that he owns a Fusion hybrid.

Hypermiler Wayne Gerdes also was part of the team, which raised $8,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.