Ford Expects November To Be Its Best Hybrid Sales Month Ever; Electrified Vehicle Sales Increase Fivefold to 11 Percent

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Nov 30, 2012, 12:01 ET

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Ford projects November as its best hybrid sales month ever exceeding 6,000 units, up from previous record of 5,353 units sold in July 2009

Ford expects to achieve all-time-high 11 percent share of electrified vehicle market – an increase of more than fivefold this year alone driven by C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid sales of 4,400 units projected for November

All-new Fusion Hybrid is turning in just four days; year-to-date 27 percent of Fusion retail orders are for hybrid model

Sixty-five percent of C-MAX Hybrid buyers are new to Ford; Toyota Prius is No. 1 competitive trade-in model followed by Honda CR-V

Ford projects November will be its best hybrid sales month ever with more than 6,000 units sold. Ford is expected to capture an all-time-high 11 percent share of the electrified vehicle market – an increase of more than fivefold this year alone. November marks the first full month the all-new C-MAX Hybrid, all-new C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and all-new Fusion Hybrid are available on dealer lots.

This record beats the previous record of 5,353 sales, which was achieved by Ford in July 2009 – the same month the Car Allowance Rebate System was in effect.

The new electrified vehicles are helping Ford beat Toyota in fuel economy in every segment where both compete. Customers are increasingly taking notice and adding Ford to their lists, with more than 97 percent of shoppers prioritizing fuel economy.

"Our electrified vehicles are a great symbol of how Ford is delivering leading fuel economy across our lineup – something that's driving more and more customers to switch to us from Toyota and others," says C.J. O'Donnell, marketing manager for Ford Electrified Vehicles. "We're providing our customers the power to choose from a suite of electric vehicles that offer leading fuel economy, performance and technology – at a perfect time when nearly all customers are prioritizing fuel economy and more than 60 percent are considering hybrids."

The Fusion was recognized for its green efforts at the 2012 L.A. Auto Show, where it was named Green Car Journal's 2013 Green Car of the Year^®. "The 2013 Ford Fusion leads the way toward a new generation of advanced vehicles with its diverse portfolio of clean and efficient power choices, along with its suite of advanced electronics, desirability, and buyer accessibility," according to the official press release.

The all-new C-MAX hybrid vehicles – Ford's first hybrid-only nameplate that includes C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid – should help Ford achieve this record with a projected 4,400 sales in November.

C-MAX Hybrid sales in November follow a successful first full month of the vehicle's sales in October, in which C-MAX Hybrid outsold Toyota Prius v, 3,182 units to 2,769 units.

Dealers are reporting they can't keep the all-new Fusion Hybrid and C-MAX hybrids in stock, and they are currently the fastest-turning nameplates in Ford showrooms. Fusion is turning in an average of 12 days and Fusion Hybrid in seven days. So far, 27 percent of all retail orders for the new Fusion are for the hybrid model.

The C-MAX conquest rate is holding steady at 64 percent, with Toyota and Honda as the top conquest brands at 11 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Among competitive nameplates, Toyota Prius is the No. 1 competitive trade-in vehicle, followed by Honda CR-V.

The number of import conquest buyers is even higher in key coastal markets, up to 15 percent in Los Angeles. Ford estimates nearly one in four C-MAX Hybrids sold in November will be sold in California, with Los Angeles as the best-selling region and San Francisco second.

Customers are choosing C-MAX hybrids for the "real car" features the vehicles offer including top performance and technology. More than 50 percent of C-MAX sales are the higher-end SEL trim level, which offers Intelligent Access with push-button start, rain-sensing wipers, heated seats, SYNC^® with MyFord Touch^®, ambient lighting and Reverse Sensing System as standard.

Maximum power of choice
C-MAX hybrids headline Ford's transformed lineup, one third of which will feature a model with 40 mpg or more in 2012, building on the company's commitment to give fuel-efficiency-minded customers the power of choice. More information about C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid can be found here.

The all-new Fusion Hybrid is America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan, offering a leading 47 mpg city, highway and combined, and besting Toyota Camry Hybrid by 5 mpg on the highway.

The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid will go into production by the end of 2012, aiming to be the most fuel-efficient midsize car in the world.

Focus Electric – America's most fuel-efficient compact with 110 MPGe city – is the fifth all-new electrified Ford vehicle in 2012. Focus Electric is able to charge in four hours with the available 240-volt charging station, which is nearly half the time as Nissan Leaf.

Press releases, videos, photos and other material related to Ford's electrified vehicles can be found here.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 172,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company