One of the things that I admire about Ford Canada is its dedication to innovation. I experienced the company’s progressive drive firsthand back in January when I had the chance to attend the unveiling of the Ford Atlas concept truck at the North American International Auto Show. And I saw that dedication reinforced once again at Ford’s recent Power of Change event. This half-day experience showcased the steps Ford is taking to make its vehicles more fuel efficient and eco-friendly while also giving us a chance to test-drive some of the vehicles for ourselves.

The opening presentation featured a quick overview of the different options Ford is currently offering in its engines and its five electrified vehicles. From fully electric to hybrid to plug-in hybrid vehicles, there are choices for every market and in a province that has a lot of rural areas and a minimum number of charging stations, that’s important. The flat fact of the matter is that while electric vehicles are great for large urban areas, they’re just not a viable choice for small-town Saskatchewan. Options such as the Ford C-MAX Hybrid, an affordable hybrid engine vehicle that provides huge fuel savings, and the Fusion Energi, a plug-in hybrid that runs purely on battery power and only utilizes the gas engine when necessary, gives those in rural areas the ability to minimize pollution and fuel costs while still being able to make long-distance drives. [Read more…]