1 Year In, thoughts on my FFE

[Pearl]

I (and a few people I work with) would happily pay $$ for a "stick shift" option in their new car.

And you think a Focus Electric had limited appeal???

 

[CWD]

I bought my Focus Electric last year in June w/ 15,315 miles on it. I now have 33,000 miles on it some 15 months later. It is my daily driver-23 miles each way to and from work. During the summer I can charge at work and skip charging at home. Winter is another story. I have to charge at both ends as the heater eats up a lot of juice. I usually engage the auto heat function using shore power. Works good since Ford put in a new modem. I could use the auto cool feature but it seems easier to open all the windows to get the heat out. The range drops even as the temps approach 60. One thing I find is if I don't charge at home and start out with 47 miles available as I approach 35 miles available range the GOM starts going back up. At this point I'm in city driving 35 mph or so. By the time I get to work the GOM says I have 37 miles of available range. Goofy. Overall I like the car. The tires are dangerous w/ wet or in snow. I have a set of winter tires/wheels and they make a huge difference. I have the tan leather interior and being a mechanic I am always wiping down the seats and interior with leather wipes. I haven't had too many problems to date. The car was under factory warranty when I got it. I scanned all of the computers and found a bunch of codes. The dealer fixed most of them. I still am getting a headlight code but they work fine. The codes that were present when I bought the car were probably due to a dead 12v battery while the vehicle sat in a auction lot. The 12v battery did go dead so I replaced it a month ago.

 

[Fat Focus]

Funny you should say that, I just read this article today:
The Stick Shift is dead, long live the Stick Shift

This is the one thing I am very sad to be losing as I replace my old Civic with an FFE. I understand why a manual transmission is unnecessary in an EV, but I will miss it.

I (and a few people I work with) would happily pay $$ for a "stick shift" option in their new car. Replace the PRNDL with something that looks and feels like a five-speed, add an unnecessary clutch pedal, maybe some sound effects. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to program the engine to simulate an ICE engine's torque curve.

That's a cool idea. But you really can have an electric engine going through a gear box, my friend's electric 914 has proven it.

I love my manuals. I converted my 64 Falcon 289 convertible to a Toploader, I bought my 99 Crew Cab Turbo Diesel 6 Speed Manual new in 99 and still drive it. And, I've got a 13 Shelby with a 6 Speed. Love all of them. But, working in Silicon Valley has made me appreciate not having a clutch and having good regen. The key is to have a vehicle for all occasions.

 

[EVA]

That's a cool idea. But you really can have an electric engine going through a gear box, my friend's electric 914 has proven it.

No need to prove it with a one off electric 914 - Formula E runs their cars through a gearbox. The habit of shifting gears in a race car is just way too deep to lose, and they optimize the motor for racing. In a street car, a gear box is totally useless.

 

[Akua]

I would like to comment on the slippery tires.
I have had my ffe since spring time, and the biggest problem I have faced is the tires so easily slipping when it is wet out. I live in Canada
and am getting nervous about how bad the tires will be slipping in winter. I would like to research what my options are? I think getting a serious
set of snow tires, or studded tires? I really don't know. I grew up driving a manual transmission ford ranger (single cab, 2 wheel drive, or as I called it
just a 1-wheel drive- because only one wheel powered the vehicle, and being that it was so light weight in the wet and snow it slipped EVERYWHERE)

I thought if I could drive that small truck in the snow I could drive anything, but it turns out I may be wrong.....

 

[EVA]

I would like to comment on the slippery tires.
I have had my ffe since spring time, and the biggest problem I have faced is the tires so easily slipping when it is wet out. I live in Canada
and am getting nervous about how bad the tires will be slipping in winter. I would like to research what my options are? I think getting a serious
set of snow tires, or studded tires? I really don't know. I grew up driving a manual transmission ford ranger (single cab, 2 wheel drive, or as I called it
just a 1-wheel drive- because only one wheel powered the vehicle, and being that it was so light weight in the wet and snow it slipped EVERYWHERE)

I thought if I could drive that small truck in the snow I could drive anything, but it turns out I may be wrong.....

Well I guess Akua, if you live in Quebec or Ottawa, you have no choice. Isn't it the law, you have to use winter tires.

Five winters in Chicago, never stuck one time with the factory tires. That was commuting every single day into the city. Never even came close to a problem. That slippery feeling you have is the big torque at take off. The car sticks pretty well otherwise. (you're kind of setting yourself up for, this car slides around easily because of that weird take off).

On the other hand, buy some Blizzaks and steel wheels (although Tire Rack sells some outstanding alloy wheels for not a lot of money - guess you have to go with Canadian Tire). I wouldn't recommend in a million years Michelin Ice-X. I've had them both and the Michelins are horrible tires. I know, contrary to all the reviews you read. Experience is with a Mercedes E320 and a Ford Focus ICE that had those insanely expensive and wear out instantly summer tires (Titanium with the handling option). Blizzaks are the way to go.

 

[Akua]

EVA,

I live in Vancouver BC. Its not law, although I will still get them....

 

[tinilk]

Five winters in Chicago, never stuck one time with the factory tires. That was commuting every single day into the city. Never even came close to a problem.

I've gotten stuck, or almost stuck a few times with the stock tires, on main roads that were being plowed during a snowstorm (it was still snowing). Probably they don't plow as well here in MA compared with Chicago. The most recent time I had slowed down (bad idea) in the middle of an intersection where the snow was a little slushy and 3-4 inches deep. I had to turn off traction control and rock back and forth switching from R to D probably 10 times before I was able to finish making a right turn. The yellow wrench warning showed up on the left screen, maybe from the tires spinning or the motor heating up.

 

[triangles]

seems counter intuitive but I always turn traction control off in the snow. Otherwise it's dangerously slow to get moving.

 

[spirilis]

I have found the traction control quite effective in the FFE when climbing an icy, snowy hill... was pleasantly surprised at its performance.

 

[jmueller065]

I've had that experience a few times in the FFE when you hit the pedal at a light in winter and it just creeps along. Usually when it does that I end up punching it and as soon as it gets traction...zoom! LOL