Buy Focus Electric or C Max Energi?

[Juniper49]

I would appreciate any feedback from others about which one is a better choice for me? It would be a third (around town car) and I am retired with Solar panels on my home's roof. It seems that the Energi has so little battery use and the Focus Electric may not give me the distance in a high altitude/cold climate here in CO.

 

[jmueller065]

The big question is how much distance are we talking about?

In the winter the old FFE (pre2017) could get around 30 miles a charge on those really cold days but since its a 3rd car why is this even a question? Just take one of the other cars (for that reason alone I'd go with the FFE).

Note that altitude has no affect on the battery range of either car (or torque for that matter).

My FFE was my primary car for the entire 3 years of my lease--it was a rare day that I didn't drive the FFE.

 

[Juniper49]

The big question is how much distance are we talking about?

In the winter the old FFE (pre2017) could get around 30 miles a charge on those really cold days but since its a 3rd car why is this even a question? Just take one of the other cars (for that reason alone I'd go with the FFE).

Note that altitude has no affect on the battery range of either car (or torque for that matter).

My FFE was my primary car for the entire 3 years of my lease--it was a rare day that I didn't drive the FFE.

Jamie, you say you went from the FFE to the Energi (hybrid)?? Did you get range anxiety? And regarding attitude, I am referring to climbing from 5,200 to 8,000 whenever I use the FFE. Doesn't the FFE "burn" a lot of energy going up full toward home?

 

[jmueller065]

Jamie, you say you went from the FFE to the Energi (hybrid)?? Did you get range anxiety? And regarding attitude, I am referring to climbing from 5,200 to 8,000 whenever I use the FFE. Doesn't the FFE "burn" a lot of energy going up full toward home?

Sure it uses more going up, but it will regain some of that going back down--presumably you are talking about a round trip?

I went to the C-Max basically because I wanted heat: After a couple of a bit too-cold winters here in MI. Turns out we haven't found a better way to heat things than fire. If the 100 mile FFE or the Bolt were available when my lease was up I'd be driving one of them now instead of the C-Max.

 

[EVfuture]

I would appreciate any feedback from others about which one is a better choice for me? It would be a third (around town car) and I am retired with Solar panels on my home's roof. It seems that the Energi has so little battery use and the Focus Electric may not give me the distance in a high altitude/cold climate here in CO.

Hi Juniper,

My 2013 model with the 23kw/h battery (vs the 2017's 185km 33.5 kw/h battery) at its lowest was 80km in the winter, using heat (on and off) and mixed city and highway driving. The 2017 model will have probably 100km-110km at its lowest in similar circumstances (on fairly level terrain with some hills mind you).

As others have said, the car sends energy back to the battery when you are coasting or going down hill. So, your trip downhill will add additional charge to the battery for the eventual trip back up.

It's all about how much you will drive around when you've made it downhill to your destination. You need to keep a reserve in mind for the trip back up. The car estimates your range as best it can based on your driving, but if you have a steep hill to climb you have to remember that the car will show a much reduced range once you start climbing the hill again and expending greater energy to propel the car uphill. Similarly the car will show a much greater range while traveling downhill for an extended time.

This all makes it sound much more complicated than it actually is. As a system it all works well together and is fun. You just need to remember the "fuel gauge" works by tracking driving trends/demand or lack of demand for energy (acceleration or torque).

Range is definitely dependant on the topography your trip will cover. Does anyone know if the new Nav system will calculate range based on terrain, as well as distance? I seem to recall my 2013's Nav could allow you to plan your route taking terrain/topography into account to find the most efficient route.

 

[EVA]

Seems like a no brainer to me - the FFE.

Sorry for the rant below.

I'll never understand hybrids of any kind. I vaguely understand the Rex unit on a BMW i3 - but that's only because it is a super small engine that runs a generator and is really more an emergency thing than those complex things in the Energi, Volt, and Prius.

What I'll never understand about hybrids is why you haul around all that weight and pollution for those few times when you might need to go farther. It seems like such a waste of everything.

I totally understand why JMueller had to back into a C-Max. The newer bigger battery BEV's almost make that problem go away today. They weren't available six months ago.

 

[Juniper49]

Seems like a no brainer to me - the FFE.

Sorry for the rant below.

I'll never understand hybrids of any kind. I vaguely understand the Rex unit on a BMW i3 - but that's only because it is a super small engine that runs a generator and is really more an emergency thing than those complex things in the Energi, Volt, and Prius.

What I'll never understand about hybrids is why you haul around all that weight and pollution for those few times when you might need to go farther. It seems like such a waste of everything.

I totally understand why JMueller had to back into a C-Max. The newer bigger battery BEV's almost make that problem go away today. They weren't available six months ago.

Thanks everyone for their input. Actually, my wife stepped in and said " why deal with the limited distance on the FFE"? Just buy the Chevy Bolt and get more range than all the others including the new Tesla Model 3!! She made a good point so buying the Bolt.

Sorry, but will be leaving this forum and joining the Chevy Bolt forum.

 

[EVA]

Good luck with the Bolt. I don't envy you buying that piece of goodness.

Don't forget, now you really have to add the cost of a charging station in your garage. You have no choice and can't charge that thing on 120V.

And you are really truly 100% totally on your own with that car.

 

[FFEsquared]

Ahhhh... One can charge the Bolt without installing a charging station. 99% of Pre 2017 Focus Electric owners could drive the same way they do now charging a Bolt at Level 1 as they do charging a Focus at Level 2. If one starts off the work week with 200 miles of range, drives 70 miles round trip to work and charges for 10-12 hours every night they will still have 80 miles when they head to work Friday morning. Then charge the entire weekend and start the next week with a full charge.

 

[Gary]

Everyone determined to get a plug-in vehicle must perform due diligence. If whatever you drive now has an internal combustion engine but achieves less than the EPA city and highway fuel economy numbers, your driving technique will extract fewer miles of range from a BEV than published. If driving for economy and how you normally drive are one and the same, you'll go far, so to speak. Car rental agencies really should start to carry battery electric vehicles for just this sort of research and planning. I have no idea if Ford loses money on each Focus Electric, but it certainly can't hurt that it's a converted ICE being assembled on the same line as conventional autos.

Today I idly priced a Chevrolet Bolt online, attempting to match equipment with the Ford Focus Electric. The FFE acquired DC quick charging for this year, but the Bolt makes theirs a $750 option. I came up with over $42k for a comparable Bolt, which means the Ford is really quite a bargain. Ford has treated this car like the model T; over time the price came down while the machine's quality and features improved.

 

[jmueller065]

Everyone determined to get a plug-in vehicle must perform due diligence. If whatever you drive now has an internal combustion engine but achieves less than the EPA city and highway fuel economy numbers, your driving technique will extract fewer miles of range from a BEV than published. If driving for economy and how you normally drive are one and the same, you'll go far, so to speak. Car rental agencies really should start to carry battery electric vehicles for just this sort of research and planning. I have no idea if Ford loses money on each Focus Electric, but it certainly can't hurt that it's a converted ICE being assembled on the same line as conventional autos.

Today I idly priced a Chevrolet Bolt online, attempting to match equipment with the Ford Focus Electric. The FFE acquired DC quick charging for this year, but the Bolt makes theirs a $750 option. I came up with over $42k for a comparable Bolt, which means the Ford is really quite a bargain. Ford has treated this car like the model T; over time the price came down while the machine's quality and features improved.

Ah but the FFE turns efficient driving into a game. You quickly learn how to drive it and get the best possible range--it will chastise you otherwise. After driving the FFE around for a while, I'd get 1-2 mpg better in the ICE cars I drove simply because of the lessons learned with the FFE.

As for the Bolt: How much is another 100+ miles in range worth it for you? You have to figure that into the cost comparisons.

 

[merkurmaniac]

My daughter is 16 years old, and this has been the only car she has driven, besides a 2008 Town and Country when the FFE is not available.

Now, when I drive the FFE with her, I get chastised bigtime, if my brake score is not 100%... "Aw, come on dad, really ?? 97% ?? I could feel that coming up to the stop that there was NO way you were going to get 100%...."

Her time in this car will probably serve her for the rest of her life, in whatever she drives, with the braking technique that she has developed.

 

[EVA]

My daughter is 16 years old, and this has been the only car she has driven, besides a 2008 Town and Country when the FFE is not available.

Now, when I drive the FFE with her, I get chastised bigtime, if my brake score is not 100%... "Aw, come on dad, really ?? 97% ?? I could feel that coming up to the stop that there was NO way you were going to get 100%...."

Her time in this car will probably serve her for the rest of her life, in whatever she drives, with the braking technique that she has developed.

That is amazing. Good for your daughter, giving you a hard time for not getting 100%.

Funny, this sounds like the old automatic transmission versus manual conversation. Now it is ICE versus BEV. What do you know how to drive well?

 

[Pearl]

My daughter is 16 years old, and this has been the only car she has driven, besides a 2008 Town and Country when the FFE is not available.

Now, when I drive the FFE with her, I get chastised bigtime, if my brake score is not 100%... "Aw, come on dad, really ?? 97% ?? I could feel that coming up to the stop that there was NO way you were going to get 100%...."

Her time in this car will probably serve her for the rest of her life, in whatever she drives, with the braking technique that she has developed.

Similar experience here, but my daughter doesn't understand the concept of gasoline, or how a gas pump works. Whenever we fill my gasser, she asks, "how many miles did you just add?"