WASHINGTON, D.C. --- At 9:08 a.m. on April 27, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid team hit the 1,000-mile mark on a single tank of gas, and the team is continuing its fuel-efficiency challenge with nearly one-third of a tank of fuel remaining, Ford said. 

The 1,000-mile mark was achieved with the Fusion Hybrid 1,000-Mile Challenge team leader and NASCAR driver, Carl Edwards, behind the wheel. Other team members include world-record breaking hypermiler Wayne Gerdes and several Ford hybrid engineers. 

The 1,000-Mile Challenge started at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, from Mount Vernon, Va., and is expected to end on Tuesday, April 28 in Washington, D.C.

A regular production version of the Fusion Hybrid delivered over 80 miles per gallon over the course of 47 hours of continuous driving. The team will continue to drive until the fuel tank is depleted, Ford said. 

The vehicle is being put to the test to "demonstrate Ford's commitment to be the best, or amongst the best, in fuel economy in every vehicle segment in which it competes and to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the process," the automaker said. 

As part of the event, the team is conducting clinics for media and customers in the Fusion Hybrid, providing interviews and vehicle demonstrations on how simple techniques can make a significant difference to real-world fuel economy numbers. 

Mileage-maximizing techniques that the Ford team used and recommend include: 

• Slowing down and maintaining even throttle pressure

• Gradually accelerating and smoothly braking

• Maintaining a safe distance between vehicles and anticipating traffic conditions

• Coasting up to red lights and stop signs to avoid fuel waste and brake wear

• Minimizing use of heater and air conditioning to reduce the load on the engine

• Closing windows at high speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag

• Applying the "pulse and glide" technique while maintaining the flow of traffic

• Minimizing excessive engine workload by using the vehicle's kinetic forward motion to climb hills, and using downhill momentum to build speed

• Avoiding bumps and potholes that can reduce momentum.