Ford is energized about their future as the domestic automaker announces details of their first plug-in hybrid vehicle to hit the market.

The blue oval has made great strides over the last few years in the hybrid-electric segment and has emerged as a major rival to Toyota’s dominate Prius hybrid lineup. Ford plans to up the ante this fall with the plug-in C-Max Energi. With its tall, five-passenger, crossover-style cabin--the focus-based liftback is the company’s first plug-in hybrid. The C-Max Energi will launch in 19 cities with a nationwide rollout early 2013. The C-Max Energi has a larger, lithium-ion battery than the C-Max Hybrid. This enables it to travel up to 20 miles on pure battery power alone with a gasoline-electric driving range of 550 miles. Top speed is 85 miles per hour solely on EV power. All claims that are superior to the Toyota Prius plug-in.

The C-Max Energi actually has three EV driving modes: auto, now and later. The later setting uses gasoline power first and saves all-electric power for later use. Ford says pricing for the C-Max Energi starts at $29,995 after incentives and the destination charge. For the 2013 model year the C-Max Energi will be joined by a traditional hybrid version of the C-Max, an all-new Fusion Hybrid, plus a Fusion Energi which will also include plug-in charging for extended all EV driving. Ford claims the upcoming Fusion gasoline-electric hybrid will achieve government fuel economy ratings of 47 mpg city, up from 41 for the current car, and 44 mpg highway. That will make the fusion hybrid the most fuel efficient car of its size.

Ford has identified hybrids and plug-ins as key weapons in meeting upcoming fuel economy standards--without forcing the public to downsize their vehicle needs.