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Glad to hear your happy with this vehicle. Great post. I'm considering buying one also but I can't do it right now, but it's very tempting especially with the great Ford incentives going on right now. But all the happy owners seem keep my interest in this vehicle. Congrats!

Maybe it was hard to read but it is supposed to say Battery Degradation. In my situation, my roundtrip commute is 50 miles. With the Volt, I can do a round trip on one charge. With the Fusion, I'll end up charging twice a day, once at home and once at work. So overtime, the Fusion would wear down twice as fast and on top of that I read on the forums here to expect somewhere between 10-15% degradation for about 40k miles which means more gas over time. In addition, I live where summers average typically in the 90's - 100 degrees, so I know this may also play into degradation. in reviewing the volt forums, battery degradation didn't seem to be as big an issue, so because of those two items that is why I scored it that way. As for the looks, I really do like the look of both and would be happy with both. Actually, I accidently flipped the two scores so the fusion was supposed to be a 10 and the Volt was a 9. Not a big deal though because they are essentially a tie when I factor everything. So the test drive will really be the decision maker for me. And as for cost, I think I can get a Fusion cheaper and with better financing so that is why I have it scored that way. Update on the insurace conversation that was going on. After calling CSAA on the west coast, they quoted me the following: 2016 Volt LT - $778 per year (MSRP $34k) 2016 Fusion Energi Titanium - $851 per year (MSRP $39K, though I hope I can negotiate down to $34K) 2015 Focus Electric - $788 per year (MSRP 30K) The insurance company said these were rough estimates and that using VIN numbers is more precise because it will capture all the safety features. Anyway, that is the update on the insurance.

Yes, I am trying to look at overall costs. You're suggestions are great. The insurance info is something that I did not consider. I thought it would cheaper because I read somewhere that my insurance company (CSAA - west coast) offers 10% discount for EV, so in my mind I thought I'd get a good rate but I guess that depends on the specific vehicle you end up buying. It's something I could have easily overlooked. Luckily, I have a little time to cosider these additional factors. Thanks again! :2thumbs:

I'm not a speed demon but i'd like to be able to get onto the freeway safely. Up in my neck of the woods there are a number of freeway Onramps that have a moderate incline so I'd like the car to be responsive and quick when needed. My goal is to try to cut my $200 monthly costs down. With the Volt i can get that down to near nothing because my employer will have a few L2 chargers in about a month. Ic th e volt is has good driving comfort and ok rear then i may I'll probably go that route. If the Fusion is vastly superior in driving comfort and reponsiveness, then i may consider the added $50 per month it will cost me in gas/electric costs. Thanks for the tip about ceramic tint and heat shield. It does get well over 100 degress in sacramento, so it would be a welcome investment.

Took your suggestion and adjusted my comparisons. I used a rating system that gave weight to the features that were important to my particular needs. The Fusion and the Volt are really close in my rating system, which is why I'm going to definitely test drive both before making any decisions. The Volt got an 86/100 and the Fusion got an 83/100 on my rating system. I also compared the Focus as recommended by a few individuals on the forum because it might fit my needs. The Focus was hard to compare because it is a BEV and it is hard to put a weight or score for having peace of mind for not worrying about have to do longer trips than you expect. I had to re-do the rating system to adjust for the difference in the vehicles. The Focus scored aboubt 10 points less than the Volt but it's probably a lot closer. If I were to get the Focus, then the cost savings might make it possible for me to keep my existing vehicle (Rav4 with 150k) for longer trips. The money I save could also go toward maintaining both my vehicles, insurance, etc. Decisions, decisions..... I have a couple of months to sit on this information as I wait for my no obligation, pre-ordered Volt to arrive in mid October so that I can compare these vehicles with a test drive. Anyway, I thought I'd share the revised spreadsheets in case you guys were interested. Thanks again for the suggestion. Volt and Fusion Comparisons.pdf Volt and Focus Comparisons.pdf

Great suggestion. Especially, since I'm starting to compare more than one vehicle. Originally, I would just look at the two and if they were close then I'd just call it a tie. But if one is a clear winner than give it the other, but you're right because things aren't always black and white winners in any particular category sometimes there is some gray. Thanks, I'll update it.

The Focus suprised me when compared to the Volt with regards to interior dimensions. They are really quite comperable (+/- 1 nch or so) with a few exceptions. For example the rear leg room was a little better in the Volt but the read head room was little better in the Focus. Everything else seemed reasonably close and I assume the comfort to be comparable as well. However, for my personal needs a BEV with less then 150-200 mile range might not do it for me because I need to make some occasional long trips in the 150 mile range. But if I keep my existing vehicle with 150k miles and use that instead for occasional long trips then the Focus can be my commuter vehicle to work at a significanly lower cost than the Volt. As for acceleration, the Volt is faster in both 0-30 and 0-60 sec by about 1.5 seconds in each category. I think both vehicles look nice but the Volt has the edge in my eyes. I'll have to also consider this vehicle if I want to meet my main goal of commuting to work for free (or close to it). Thanks for the information. P.S. I've included the interior dimension comparison for the 2016 Volt and the Focus in case some are interested.

Sorry, I miss read your post. Ok i see. Most of my miles are freeway with an average of 60 mph (80%) and 40 mph (20%), so I'll have to anticipate closer to 15 miles of EV range only for cost estimates. Obviously, in a ffe I'll have to be paying attention to my driving habits if i want to minimize my gas cost and optimize my EV range for my particular driving needs. 90% of my drive is flat terrain so im sure i could make some good use of a driving mode to optimize the battery and minimize gas use. In my particular situation, it would be nice to just drive the car and not have to work at saving money. I'm sure after a couple of weeks of driving one i would figure things out and it would be 2nd nature. As you pointed out, driving the volt in my situation doesn't have these issues. Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the suggestion of looking deeper into the Cmax vs the Fusion and like you said they are very similar. Though the interior spacing is actually better in the Cmax than the Fusion, after looking at a bunch of gallery pictures I’d have to say that I prefer the sporty looks of the Fusion better than the Cmax, so I’m going to keep on comparing Fusion to the 2016. This is will defintely affect me. Though I said my commute is relatively flat, I do need to climb about 500-1000 ft hill in the last 5 miles of my 25 mile one-way commute (and in 90-100 degree weather during summer), so at this point in my commute the Fusion would be running mostly on gas if I depleted the battery by that point unless I tinkered with my driving modes during my commute to anticipate this issue. One thing I realized is that I have not shared what items are most important to me in deciding between the 2016 FFE and the 2016 Volt, so I took a minute and have listed them below. My primary goals for getting a new commuter car for around 25k after incentives are (in order of importance): (1) The car must be able to make use the free L2 Charging Station at my work to make my commute free or nearly very low cost compared to my $220 monthly gas cost. A volt would be nearly free for me to drive both ways in my commute and the FFE would cost me about $50 per month which I'm willing to do if the Volt disappoints or fails in other factors being considered. Also, I own solar panels and electricity for me is 0.16/kW, so I can fill up the FFE for about $1. (2) the car would need to be a comfortable commuter car (90% of the time) that could seat at least 4 people relatively comfortably (10% of the time), (3) the car should be a little peppy for getting on/off freeways or not struggling on hills, (4) the car should look sharp and maybe a little sporty (obviously subjective). Both cars look great in my eyes. (5) the car would have some nice new features for example My Ford Touch, nice stereo, but not necessarily every feature. Pre-conditioning and adaptavie cruise control would be nice but not necessarily a deal breaker. @Blastphemy: When I test drive the Fusion at the dearlership near my home, I'll make sure to take it up the hill I assume that I can drive it in "gas only" mode with A/C on moderate and see if it will struggle up the hill like you describe. This may be a deal breaker for me if it struggles too much. But then again the Volt has to make it up that same hill and be able to fit my family of four relatively comfortably for shorter trips. I know it is a little snug in the back, but they should be able to sit back there and have a couple inches above there heads. So either of those two items could lean me in either direction. I appreciate all the conversations. It's definitely helping better understand the 2016 FFE. Thanks.

@ Blastphemy: It's good to hear from someone that owns both older vehicles. Currently, the 2016 Volt is a front runner based on my checklist or I wouldn't have pre-ordered one, but the 2016 Fusion has good reputation for a comfy ride and has some great features and technology as well. A fully loaded 2016 Fusion titanium costs (per Trucar) about the same as a new Volt and that makes it a compelling competitor. @ Rbort: Yes, I will be test driving both before making any decisions. As I said a few post above, I have driven a rental ST Focus but I'm not ready to go all EV yet until I see 150-200 mile range because I do make occasional trips to visit family and that trip is about 150 miles away and this vehicle might make that trip occasionally once every few months. However, if I do keep my curent vehicle around then a new Cmax might do the trick....hmmm, Wait stay "focus"ed. Actually, I might want to take that for a spin as well when I'm at the Ford dealership testing the fusion. But that is 3rd on the list right now...or at least unitl tomorrow :)

@ JeffH: Go times would actually be a nice feature because 3 months out of the year temperature routinelly are in the 90's and about a dozen + days over 100 degrees. So that would be a nice feature. Keyless Entry is also a nice feature though because I do play basketball and go hiking, so not having a heavy keychain to drag around would be nice. These features aren't game changers but enough of these features could add up. As for the degradation issue, yes I have it on the pros/cons list because I do plan on keeping the car for many years. Thanks for the info. @Hybridbear: Thanks for the info on the power output in acceleration. Per the specs, it appeared that the volt had more power in EV mode but I was holding off that evaluation on my pro/cons list until I felt the difference myself in my test drive. I'm not a speed junkie but it would be nice to get on the freeway safely by having adequate acceleration :) Thanks to both of you for the info. I'll update my features list. At the end, I'll repost the final version for others to share. :2thumbs:

@Russael: Yes, I have a 2002 4x4 Ford Explorer for family trips but it has 150K miles on it. My wife still loves it and her work commute is only 5 miles from home. We plan to take that thing as far as it will go especially since we got a rebuit transmission in it last year. I also have a 2005 Rav4 with 160k that I drive but were thinking of selling it for a few thousand or selling it to my oldest son in a couple of years when he turns 16. Haven't come to a decision on that yet. As for the Focus, I drove a rental before and it was peppy and seems fine but I'd like some thing that has a gas tank back up which I understand that the Focus doesn't have that. A BEV would need to have 150 -200 mile range for peace of mind before I'd consider buying one. And yes I have enough tax liability to claim the entire credit of both. But I see your angle about deferring the credit. Didn't think of that one. Thanks for the feed back.

Hybridbear: That is interesting information. I guess these items were cost cutting items? Interesting... On another note, at your request I posted my personal pros and cons list and my comparison spreadsheet with dimensions, features, etc but it is a PDF because the forum wouldn't allow me to attach an excel file. I posted this list on the "Competing Products" thread on this forum. The info was based on limited info available on the volt and a quick review of the fusion on the ford website.

I'm in the market for buying a new car and I am torn between the 2016 Fusion Energi and the 2016 Chevy Volt. So I took some time and read a little bit about both vehicles and listed some items that are important to me (but might not be important to others). The summary table is listed below at the request of a person on this forum and I attached my spreadsheet that details each vehicle (I probabbly have some errors so let me know if I messed up or missed something important). My goal is to buy new in the next 2-3 months because it’s been 10 years and I deserve a new technologically advanced car. My budget is $25K and these two vehicles seem to fit my needs. Though I know the Fusion is mid-sized and the Volt is closer to compact. The Fusion has tons of reviews saying it has a very comfortable driving experience and the Volt is expected to have a good/adequate driving experience but the back seat comfort easily goes to the Fusion. My needs will be 90% commuter and 10% family (4) vehicle including 2 tweens. I have a relatively flat 25 mile commute one-way and my employer will have a free L2 charging station in August. The Volt could get me a free round trip every day with my only costs would go to maintaining the vehicle (except a few charges at home for local shopping, etc. The Fusion I estimate would cost me about $50/month in commuting gas due to the limited EV range (at least for me). Also, I own solar panels and so I could charge a Fusion at home for about $1 per charge. Currently, I'm leaning toward the 2016 Volt over the Fusion due to my expected commuter cost savings of $600/yr BUT I figured a loaded, very comfy Fusion SE (little cheaper) or Titanium (~same price) might help me look the other way regarding the extra cost. Another factor, I have 2 kids that will be hopefully heading to college in 4-6 years so that extra money that I save with the Volt that could help them. I’ve decided that I will test drive both before making a decision. I have a no commitment pre-ordered Volt at a local Chevy expected to arrive in Oct but they told me if I don't want it they could sell it in a heart beat. If the new Volt is comfortable and good driving experience then I will progably get one but if the driving comfort and experience is very differenct and is like night and day then I’ll just have to go with the Fusion (the kids can do community college =). Currently, I have a pros and cons list (see attached) comparing a 2016 Volt (LT) and Fusion Energi. It's an apples and organges comparison because the Fusion is mid-sized and the Volt is not but like I said earlier it will be mostly a commuter and the comparisons are items important to me. I've also attached a spreadsheet (pdf.file cause the forum would allow an excel attachment) showing dimensions, features, etc for people to modify/correct for their own needs because I probably didn't get it all right but I should be close. Did I miss something? Any thoughts? Car Comparisons.pdf

@Eric4539 - thank you for the information. You're my new best friend. Your post lead me to another $1000 rebate from my local municipality. The specific link for additional incentives were at "Driveclean.ca.gov" for those of us that live in California. It's more paperwork but I'll do 30 minutes of paperwork for $1000 any day of the week. Thanks again! p.s. thanks for the link on the fed incentive. I'd actually had been there before but the webpage layout was not clear and I missed the plugin-hybrid tab on the right. Now back to my research on the new Fusion to compare to the new Volt.

@murphy: Thanks for the clarification on the tax credit info. I was afraid of that. I read it both ways but hoped for the larger number. @TAZ: I thought about a leaf but I'm not a fan of the looks of them. Also, I know a few people that said it is little stressful some times due to the limited EV range. The other weekend I was at a BBQ where someone at the party had to ask the owner if they could plug in to their house outlet in the garage so that they could make it home. Also, people parked close to the house had to move their cars so the leaf could reach. I would hate to be in that position. For me to consider a true EV, it would need to have minimum range of 150 miles for me to consider and have some peace of mind. My needs will be 90% commuter and 10% family (4) vehicle. I plan too keep this vehicle for the life of the vehicle if possible. Yes, the Volt is a compact car with assumably a comfortable driver position but could be used in a pinch for short drives with the family. At this time, after incentives I could get a new base model Volt for a monthly payment (7yr) of only about $80 more a month than I currently spend on gas ($220/mo). Assuming all EV miles with very little gas. But having a more roomy Fusion with nice comfortable driving experience and advanced driving features is definitiely an option to me. The 2016 Fusion Titanium could be a little cheaper than a new volt after some wheeling and dealing at the dealership. From a monthly cost of gas and electricity, I estimate it would cost me about $50 more per month than a new Volt. As for used vs new, I prefer a new vehicle because I'd like the latest technology and some comfort features (since it's been 10 years since I've bought a vehicle) but if I found a gently used 2015 fusion then I might consider it for the right price. A gently used volt isn't an option right now because personally don't like the look of the rear. A little too box-like for my taste. @Hybridbear: I did think about the increased charges and increased degredation of the battery. Thank you for confirming that it is a major item to consider over the life of the vehicle. For my driving needs, I'd be degrading a Fusion battery twice as fast as new volt battery based on my 50 mile round trip commute. That is something to definitely consider. As for my list, I'll be hopefully finishing tomorrow when I have more free time. Thanks again everyone. This conversation has been very helpful.

JATR4, thank you for the information! I did know that the federal part was a tax credit but I did NOT know that it was based on battery size. I googleed the tax code, and it says: "For vehicles acquired after December 31, 2009, the credit is equal to $2,500 plus, for a vehicle which draws propulsion energy from a battery with at least 5 kilowatt hours of capacity, $417, plus an additional $417 for each kilowatt hour of battery capacity in excess of 5 kilowatt hours. The total amount of the credit allowed for a vehicle is limited to $7,500" So the way I read this, you get a $2500 plus $417/kwh battery * 7.6 kwh battery = 2500 + 3169 = $ 5669. In addition, I would get an additional $1500 rebate for living and buying in California for a grand total of incentives = $7169 Is my math correct? Again, thanks to everyone for helping my out on this post. Like I said earlier, I was originally focused on the volt and was caught up on that vehicle but I'm slowly coming up to speed on the differences between the two vehicles. Last night I started a list of pros and cons along with specification differences. The incentives will also go on the list. Thanks.

Thanks! That is great information. I do plan on buying new because I would like to take advantage of the $9000 fed and state rebate and it's been 10 years since I've bought a car so it's time to step into the some newer features and comfort. Not to mention my family of four is now growing from kids to teenagers. Currently, I'm spending a little over $200 in gas/month and I was hoping to remove that cost by buying a new EV with gas back up. The new volt has nice styling and a strong following of happy customers and could remove my entire fuel cost if I charged up at work but the slightly cramped specs have me second guessing myself. The new fusion energi has great reviews for comfortable driving and comfort features like adaptive cruise control, parallel park, power seats, etc. Some of these features are not available on the volt. As I mentioned earlier, it will be primarily a 50 mile round trip commuter car for me but could be so much more if I choose the fusion. It will be a tough decision but a test drive of both vehicles will most likely be the deciding factor. The volts are due to start arriving at dealerships in the next month or two. So I have some time to decide. Thanks again.

Thanks for the information. It is helpful for me having to figure out which way to go. As I mentioned above, my one way commute is 25 miles or round trip of 50 miles. Also, I own solar panels and I'm just about breaking even on electricity, so home electricity would be about 0.16/kWh (tier 1) so I could charge at home for for $1.25 per charge for my morning commute. And my work having a free charging station helps for evening commute. I would just use a little gas everyday to make it work. My other option that I've been looking into getting a 2016 chevy volt which gets close to 50 miles which means I could do a round trip for free. Obviously there are trade offs. The Ford Fusion reviews for driving and comfort have been very positive where the Volt reviews on cabin space are a little more cramped, though the driving experience is expected to be good. Primarily my new vehicle would be a commuter vehicle but could used for small family trips. Decisions, decisions..... Currently, I'm leaning toward the volt but I'm being swayed to the fusion energi. Thanks for your help.

I'm considering buying a 2016 Fusion Energi but I need help from actual owners. I've searched this forum for this information but haven't seen recent discussions about this in this section. Now, I know there are lots of factors that affect the electric only miles that you can get (i.e. A/C, heater, etc), but I was curious about real owner experiences. My situation is that my work is starting to build a free charging station in my facility and I'm interested in taking advantage of this opportunity. My work commute is about 25 miles and its all freeway with speeds of about 55 mph on realatively flat. I'm curious if can get close to that range and essentially I could have about half my commute paid for by my work. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks from long time Ford owner.