Ask yourself if you would be happy with getting 37 mpg from your car. How about 47 or 57? Well, in a recent 48-hour test of a non-modified Ford Fusion Hybrid, the results came in at an astounding 81.5 mpg! That was not all downhill, highway driving.

The challenge was to drive over 1,000 continuous miles on a single tank of gas. Using the most fuel-efficient midsized sedan in America, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid was not altered in any way other than an oil change and tire pressure check prior to the start of the test, and the tank was filled with regular (87 octane) gasoline. The course chosen for the test was in the often gridlocked Washington, DC. The actual route included a three-mile stretch of downtown streets (with upward of 30 stoplights!) and parts of the George Washington Parkway.

The result was amazing. Using a change of drivers over the 48 hours and common sense driving techniques, one tank of gas (17.5 gallons) propelled the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid to 1,445.7 miles through the nation’s Capitol. That averaged out to a whopping 81.5 mpg! Those commonsense techniques can be used by any driver in any car to improve mileage. They include anticipating traffic signal timings and slowing down to avoid unnecessary stops, keeping windows closed to reduce drag, avoiding ‘jack-rabbit’ starts and stops, minimizing use of heated seats, air conditioning and other vehicle systems and trying to avoid bumps and potholes that can reduce momentum.

One of the drivers during the test, Ford NASCAR racer Carl Edwards, said, “There is no question that the Fusion Hybrid will help consumers save fuel while driving it.” This quest for energy conservation is just one part of the environmental mindset at Ford Motor Company and may be part of the reason why Ford was just named the “Green Choice Award” winner by Natural Health Magazine.

The publication recently picked Ford for this prestigious honor, citing Ford’s “continuous efforts to building a greener future.”

Using criteria such as greenhouse gas emissions, alternative energy usage and recycling among others, the award highlighted some of Ford’s ongoing commitments to the environment. An example is Ford’s conservation of up to 900 tons of carbon emissions and 600,000 gallons of water by making its Escape Hybrid seats out of 100 percent post-industrial recycled fabric. Since 2000, Ford has reduced its global energy consumption by one-third.

Some companies wave their ‘green’ banners and just “talk the talk,” but through its commitment to reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability, and with test results of 81.5 mpg from the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford proves that you don’t have to “put your money where your tank is!”