Is 100-120 Miles Possible with a Ford Focus Electric

[Legault24NJE]

I’ve been curious if the Ford Focus Electric could actually hit 120 miles on a single charge. Turns out, it’s possible, but with a few conditions.

Last weekend, I decided to test it out, sticking to state highways and backroads with speed limits between 35-50 MPH. My target speed was a consistent 40 MPH (no speeding up!) and no climate control, it was a mild 75-degree day, so that helped. Just before reaching the charging station in New Jersey, I hit the low battery warning with about 12 miles of range left. Final results? I averaged around 188 Wh per mile.

After a full recharge, the estimated range shot up to 125 miles, thanks to that efficient run. This test definitely showed that how you drive can make a big difference. Anyone else tried for the 120-mile mark or noticed similar results?

 

[Anti_Climax]

I still take it with a grain of salt.

<Nerd> When dealing with vehicle efficiency, your largest losses are mechanical (rolling resistance of tires and bearings) and aerodynamic (air mass displacement and drag). The aerodynamic losses increase exponentially but are effectively zero for a low range of speeds, while the mechanical losses are linear. That means the mechanical losses immediately rise above zero, but are eventually exceeded by the aerodynamic losses. The highest energy efficiency is where these two factors are equal. Somewhere below 20 mph if I remember right

But we have to account for an additional factor - the base power load. Even with climate off and no need for battery heating/cooling, the onboard electronics have a base draw around 1100 watts. That means a battery with 29kWh available would be dead after about 26 hours without moving an inch. And while driving at peak efficiency, that's chipping away at the available energy.</Nerd>

 

[triangles]

The guess-o-meter doesn't mean $h!t. I assume you are talking about the FFE with the bigger battery ('17, '18). 120mi shouldn't be too hard. With my '14 I hit 98.9 miles with the 23kWh battery. I might have been able to break 100mi but I didn't want to completely run out because I had no one available to help me push it back to the house to charge.

 

[calvinhc]

When the weather is ideal for no heating or A/C (and need for heating and A/C compressor isn't limited to cabin temperature settings - the battery may need heating or cooling), I've found I can get between 180 and 200 km on a charge. That's about 111-122 miles.

That involves keeping the speed below 100 km/h (60 mph).