The Ford Motor Company will begin production of new hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan in December with a top electric speed of 47 mph, double the current speed of the current Ford Escape and Mercury Mainer hybrid crossovers.

An additional attractive capability in the new vehicles is a range of eight miles on battery power only before the companion gasoline engine engages. Other features include electric air conditioning that cool even with the gasoline engine is off and a multi-layer powertrain information system that coaches the driver on how to achieve better fuel economy.

Ford is using a smaller, but much more powerful nickel-metal hydride battery pack with a single cooling system and a new energy management system that varies the voltage for greater efficiency between the electric motor and the battery pack.

According to Ford's director of sustainably mobility and hybrid programs, Nancy Gioia, the Fusion and Milan will return fuel economy rated best-in-class. "We are at least 5 mpg better than the Toyota Camry Hybrid in city driving, and we'll beat Camry on the highway," she said. (Ford did not release EPA numbers, but the rating for the Camry is 33 mpg in town and 34 mpg on the highway.)

Both vehicles will reach full production next year and the company has a goal of doubling its yearly output of hybrids from 25,000 to 50,000 units.