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Ford Prodigy Hybrid Features If you want to see Ford’s progress in manufacturing a hybrid electric family car, here is the Ford Prodigy Hybrid for you. It has been built on a lightweight platform and crafted out in a perfect aerodynamic design. A low-storage-requirement (LSR) hybrid electric power train powers the vehicle and this makes it all the more special. This advanced power train comprises a combination of two separate propulsion systems: a small diesel engine and an alternating-current electric drive system, which is a three-phase mechanism. The automatic-shift manual (ASM) transmission can be called as one of the main features of the make. When there is a need of some extra power, especially during acceleration, the electric system helps the internal combustion engine. The performance of aluminum DIATA (Direct Injection Aluminium Through-bolt Assembly) diesel engine of the Prodigy is far more efficient than the conventional petrol engine. The four-cylinder, 1.2-litre compression-ignition, direct-injection engine of the Prodigy churns out a maximum power of 74 PS at 4,100 rpm. There is a starter-alternator, a small high-power electric motor fitted between the transmission and the engine, which delivers an additional power of up to 47 PS when needed. As a result of this combination, the car merrily generates a total power of up to 121 PS. The all-new Ford Prodigy is a lightweight vehicle, which gives a customer-pleasing performance as compared to the Ford Mondeo. Prodigy stops at idle, thanks to the starter/alternator and power electronics module. The car can thus conserve fuel, which otherwise gets wasted. The powerful DIATA engine restarts in less than 0.2 seconds as soon as you touch the accelerator pedal. If you look at the instrument panel, it features an energy-flow display, which continually shows the flow of energy around the vehicle. When the engine is at rest, you see the 'ready' status of the engine. Suppose you are stuck at the traffic lights or stop while braking, I mean when the car is at rest, the engine in the Prodigy automatically shuts off immediately and the energy flow display promises you that power will be available whenever needed. You find a perfect combination of the operating ease of an automatic transmission and the efficiency of the manual in the ASM transmission. If we compare it with the typical automatic transmission, the ASM transmission is 20 per cent more efficient. The LSR design of the car needs pretty modest energy storage; even less than a half of what the conventional starter battery requires and so naturally Ford could control the production cost of the Prodigy Hybrid. The aerodynamic design of the make steals the thunder. While making the car a sheer beauty the design reduces the air resistance. The drag coefficient (measure of air resistance when the car is moving) of the car is 0.199 improves the fuel economy of the vehicle. The onboard monitors and side-mounted cameras used instead of the conventional side view mirrors enhance the vehicle's aerodynamic performance. The cameras offer the needed side view to the driver and that too without obstructing the airflow around the car. Prodigy comes with variable ride height, shields and grille shutters under it, which also add to the beauty of the vehicle's slippery aerodynamics. The exterior design of the car is pretty clean and simple. You see the trapezoidal headlamps and tail lamps. The taut surfaces of the make are mated with the wider overall stance. The 19-inch, five-spoke chrome wheels and tires of the Prodigy add to the elegance of the car. The exterior body panels with a Potomac blue finish look extremely trendy and beautiful. | ||
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