Next car after Ford Focus Electric?

[thait84]

I love my FFE, but my lease expires next November. I am trying to figure out what my next car will be. It will still be a couple of years before the more affordable Tesla will be available. I would stick with the FFE, but I don't think Ford is interested in making an improvements to the car with regards to range. I think the new Nissan Leaf might be promising.

What does everyone think on what their next car will be?

 

[jmueller065]

I've put my musings on this topic into a blog post:
http://jamiegeek.myevblog.com/2014/10/14/whats-next-part-ii/

 

[triangles]

If you are waiting for a tesla model 3 you could lease another FFE for 3 more years. IMHO, optimistically it will be 3 years before the model 3 is available. I think it will more likely be 5 years. Coincidentally that will be when my FFE will be paid off I also suspect they may have their first years production sold before they go into production. I don't believe there are any significant changes planned for the Leaf until model year 2017.

 

[epaminondas]

Yeah - I have considered the same thing. The next step for us is probably to bite the bullet on a Tesla S or X in about 4 years. This would be to rplace our Benz SUV which is a 2005 and the new full size BEV would function as a car that we could take on longer trips. I have a 5 year loan on The FFE and will probably keep it for about 10 like we do with most of our cars at which point I would get another electric hatchback with whatever range is availble at that price point at that time.

At this time the range for my FFE has never been an issue. Again - its a retraining of old habits and planning a little more if things get close to the max range. There are over 500 charging stations in the Seattle metro area! There is never one that far away to really get in trouble.

 

[ElSupreme]

I would look at leasing a eGolf, or purchasing your FFE off lease (or leasing/buying again depending on cost). On the Tesla forums there is a large component of people claiming they are selling their current RWD Model S and getting the new AWD version. So there might be a glut of used Model Ss on the market early next year. Might be so much supply that cost gets into the reasonable range.

 

[Kakkerlak]

I've only had my FFE for two months, but I'm an avid follower of EV news and development so of course I'm looking toward the next car when my lease is up.

In order of preference:

1. Focus Electric 2.0
2. Focus Energi Plug-In 1.0
3. GM Volt 2.0
4. Plug-In Prius 2.0
5. Tesla Model III

I'm only going to consider a gasoline range-extender if the base All-Electric Range is 40 miles or more, which is likely in the higher-price models of the Volt 2.0 but unlikely in the Focus Energi or the Prius Plug-In.

I'm very strongly in favor of supporting American-built electric cars. Even if BMW or Nissan has a market leader I'm unlikely to buy it.

Every time I read a teaser for the Volt 2.0 I think "please don't be uglier...."

 

[ElSupreme]

I'm very strongly in favor of supporting American-built electric cars. Even if BMW or Nissan has a market leader I'm unlikely to buy it.

The Nissan LEAF is made in the USA. Granted not a US company. But it is made with lots of other Nissans in Tennessee.

 

[hybridbear]

Our lease is up in August 2016. At that point I'd hope to replace it with the next generation Focus Electric or other EV from Ford. If Ford doesn't have a compelling offering then I'd look at the e-Golf, Soul EV or maybe a Leaf 2.0. Th Leaf's styling makes it lower on the list. GM is also talking about releasing a Sonic EV which may be of interest.

 

[Kakkerlak]

Thanks for that correction, ElSupreme, about the LEAF and its batteries being built in Tennessee for the US market since 2013.

 

[ElSupreme]

Thanks for that correction, ElSupreme, about the LEAF and its batteries being built in Tennessee for the US market since 2013.

Not a problem. I work in manufacturing, in the USA. So I am also partial to USA manufactured products.

EDIT: More partial to well manufactured products.

 

[WattsUp]

If I were replacing my FFE with something different, I would be looking at the next gen Leaf, the Kia Soul EV, the C-Max Energi (if it gets an EV range bump)

What about an e-Golf? Similar specs to the FFE, except non-compromised cargo space and DC fast charging.

 

[michael]

E golf does not have liquid cooling. Run away!! Do not walk!! Run!

 

[WattsUp]

E golf does not have liquid cooling. Run away!! Do not walk!! Run!

Oh yeah... that would ungood.

 

[Anonymous]

Another option : Keep the Altima for long trips and lease a Smart ED for $150/month (taxes included). We have two cars like most families, so having a small electric for my commute works great.

My wife wondered what the heck I was doing till she had to drive my Smart ED for a week while I got our gas car repaired (DIY). She was effusive about how much she enjoyed driving (and parking) it, and that I could drive our MB GLK to work instead, which I politely declined.

Loving our Smart ED.

Buy yeah, Tesla is very much on our list to replace the Benz/.

 

[EVA]

Not sure what we will do when the lease is up on our FFE. Think we have 2 more years. Guess I'll figure it out then.

I hope for anybody interested in a Model S that the used prices go down and you can afford to buy one. I wouldn't think twice about buying a used Model S - there is almost nothing that can go wrong with them. With an unlimited mileage and 8 year battery / motor warranty - not sure how you could go wrong.

ElSupreme is right, on the Tesla forums there is so much wringing of hands and predicting that everybody is going to sell their model S for the D - dual motor - (I think every other thread is about that). And they are all complaining that the resale value of the current cars has just gone to the toilet.

Personally, I think they are wrong - the used price is not going to suffer. Used won't sell for brand new price any more. But they aren't going to be half off, what I think most people over there fear.

As long as Tesla is in the position of selling absolutely everything they can manufacture, and they only build to order, without any advertising - used cars are still going to be expensive.

Nobody really knows until the D starts shipping in Dec.

This is probably the only "advertising" they've ever done (they had to provide the car to The Price Is Right)
http://youtu.be/l5jApavS-LM

 

[studio460]

If I had the resources (and the garage space), I would own all three of the below Ford vehicles, concurrently, in addition to my new Ford Focus Electric:

1. Ford Fusion Titanium Energi, black.
2. Ford Focus ST, loaded, matte-gray.
3. Ford Transit Connect (cargo), white.

 

[ElSupreme]

E golf does not have liquid cooling. Run away!! Do not walk!! Run!

Or just lease it. And turn it in when the battery starts to fall off a cliff, VWs problem.

I'm with you on buying the thing, run do not walk away from that purchase.

 

[hybridbear]

ElSupreme is right, on the Tesla forums there is so much wringing of hands and predicting that everybody is going to sell their model S for the D - dual motor - (I think every other thread is about that). And they are all complaining that the resale value of the current cars has just gone to the toilet.

I don't understand why Tesla owners would be concerned about this. Didn't Elon personally guarantee the resale value of Teslas stating that they wouldn't depreciate faster than a comparable luxury car?

 

[michael]

o

E golf does not have liquid cooling. Run away!! Do not walk!! Run!

Or just lease it. And turn it in when the battery starts to fall off a cliff, VWs problem.

I'm with you on buying the thing, run do not walk away from that purchase.

Assuming the battery life isn't as much a problem as it can be with a Leaf. I personally know two Leaf owners whose cars are basically unable to do what's required of them due to range loss

Didn't Nissan believe that liquid cooling was unnecessary? How long to find out if VW has done better or not?

I still say "run"

 

[NightHawk]

Didn't Nissan believe that liquid cooling was unnecessary?

Its an acknowledged Nissan issue in very hot environments like Arizona.
Nissan came out with a new improved "lizard" HV battery for the new 2015 Leaf models thats supposed to handle higher temps much better than the previous year Leafs...