Getting the fever...any downsides to Fusion Energi?

[willsyaya57]

I have had several different vehicles in the past, Chevy Caprice that I bought from my dad for $1 to take to college, an "X car" gads!, a minivan for driving little kids everywhere, 2 Ford Explorers (both got handed down to kids), and my midlife car: 2000 Ford Mustang convertible. I love it to death, but it's 14 years old. I have refurbished it with a new top, headlights, windshield, buffed paint, etc, but she just doesn't make me feel like it used to. Now I am a grandmother (Ya-Ya), and need a safer car, 5 passenger, and I want to reduce my carbon footprint. Plus, I am ready for some a little luxury! I called my local dealer today (I live in rural Arkansas), and the salesman launched into a laundry list (dirty laundry) of why I don't want a hybrid, much less a plug-in hybrid. He says I'll have to drive less than 45 mph to keep the gasoline engine from kicking in, and that I should save my money and buy a regular gasoline engined car that gets almost the same mileage. He said he knew a guy whose just-out-of-warrenty car's battery pack died and he had to pay $8000 for a new one. He even told me of a man who was arrested at his child's school while attending a basketball game because he had plugged in there. There may be some truth to that, I do live in Arkansas, and we're behind the curve a bit on ecology issues. But I am passionate about it, and I want to lead the charge, rather than follow. The salesman said they won't even bring a car to their lot unless it's pre-sold. I will have to go the Little Rock to test drive the car. 

I commute 2 miles to work and run errands in my small town, but often travel to the grandchild's house (119 miles). This just seems perfect for me. I have been to the website and "built" my car, and it's beautiful! Sexy, sporty, and just the right shade of blue.

I have briefly visited this forum of Fusion Energi enthusiasts and I know you'll help me sell this to my husband who is also seeing the pricetag. Just showing him your forum will help a bunch.

I need to know: ARE there downsides to hybrids? this car? Do batteries die over time?

Thanks.

 

[Eric4539]

Wow!  Your local dealer sounds very misinformed, and if he is truly a Ford salesman, feedback should be sent to the manager and to Ford!

 

The story of the guy that was arrested for charging his car at a school, well I think he had been warned prior not to charge his car, and I suppose he was slapped with trespassing and "stealing" electricity.  I do think it was his fault.

 

I suppose hybrid batteries will ultimately have to be replaced.  I'm hoping if I have to replace my high voltage battery that costs will have decreased.  But there are Toyota Priuses with well over 100,000 miles and 10 years on the road so I'm not worried about battery life.

 

I had owned a Nissan Altima Hybrid for 4 years and absolutely loved the car.  Zero problems with the car, the hybrid system, and it was a fun car to drive while achieving 30-33 mpg.

 

A plug in hybrid was the next step for me, and since I could not convince myself to spend the money for a Tesla.....

 

I joined this forum and asked a lot of questions about the Energi and if anyone regretted purchasing it.  Many traded in Mercedes, BMW, Acura, and a bunch of other high end vehicles for the Energi.  Everyone told me they love the Energi and have zero regrets.  That prompted me to search for my Energi which I purchased at the end of June.  I can tell you that I have not regretted buying this car and I love everything about this car.  Small trunk?  I don't care.  Cooled seats?  I wish I could have ordered it but not a deal breaker.  Heated steering wheel?  I wish I could have ordered that too but also not a deal breaker.  You can pick and choose the options you want so that is the fun part!  I think we have all become more patient drivers behind the wheel of this car.  We are all trying to maximize MPGe and minimize fill ups at the gas station.

 

Your 2 miles commute to work is perfect for the Energi.  You would use electric power all the way.  The 119 miles to see the grandchild would be in hybrid mode.  I consistently achieve 43 mpg in hybrid mode.

 

Also, check for all rebates in your city/state and check the Federal tax break.  For me, I received a $1500 check from California and another $2000 from my region for going green.  Then I am looking forward to the $4007 Federal tax credit when I prepare my taxes.  All of this made my purchase a little easier to justify.  I wouldn't say that the Energi is a perfect car but for me it is as close as it gets!

[Russael]

Hello and welcome to the boards.

 

Wow at the dirty laundry bit from the salesperson... their job is to SELL the car, not tell you that you don't want to buy it.  Driving less than 45MPH is total rubbish to keep the engine off... it's 85MPH, the fact that he said a battery was out of warranty is crap (simply because Hybrid components are warrantied for 8 years and the car hasn't been around that long, and the Fusion hybrid battery is like 3k, and only the Escape Hybrid should be at warranty expiration from the 2005 model year), and yes, a Nissan Leaf driver DID get arrested for plugging in to a privately owned electrical outlet that was NOT designated for EV charging, nor did he have permission, so he got what he deserved.  However, at present moment, if you DID pay out cash to replace the battery pack in the Fusion Energi, it does cost $9,444 from Fordparts.  But NOBODY should be doing that for a looooooooong time.

 

Now, on to the better stuff.

 

Are there drawbacks to the Fusion Energi?  Only 1 in my eyes - very limited trunk space at 8 cu ft.  It is half the size of the gasoline powered fusion (16 cu ft) and smaller than the Hybrid, which is 12 cu ft.  To sort of make up for it, the rear seats do still fold down so you can gain some added space that way if you need it, or if you have a second large vehicle (I have an Expedition), that can make up for it too.  Definitely check this out in person at a dealership if you can and see if it's a make or break deal for you.  I can fit all the groceries I need back there, suitcases, boxes, etc and it works for me.

 

Now, if you're buying this car for pure economics, you probably won't come out ahead if you compare it to a base Fusion at $23k after 10 years.  Some of us have gone through and estimated savings, cost of ownership, blah blah blah, and found that the Fusion Energi is quite expensive due to the initial investment, and if we estimate a replacement battery pack at 12 - 14 years, you'd pretty much break even, but that all is dependent on your driving habits, your routine commute, how long the battery will truly last, etc.

 

The Fusion Energi is the perfect vehicle for someone who wants an electric vehicle but can't work with the range of a pure electric.  It's the best of both worlds.  You get a short range electric vehicle that becomes a hybrid once the battery is depleted (or if it's absurdly cold like it is here in MI). 

 

As far as your need to know questions, there are no real downsides to hybrids aside from possibly replacing the battery pack and the trunk space.  Breakdowns may be more expensive due to 2 co-dependent powertrains.  Yes, batteries do degrade over time, just like rechargeable batteries for your phone, tablet, etc. but the software programming for these vehicles are designed to give them as long of a life as possible.  I've read that they're designed to last the 'life of the vehicle' which I believe is still estimated at 10 years; conservative in my view.  Hybrids are meant to be driven a little differently than your conventional car to get the best economy out of them as well.  But you won't be as affected by wildly fluctuating gas prices either.  Besides, at 43MPG in hybrid mode, that rivals and exceeds compact cars, especially in city travel.

 

My commute is 5.3 miles one way to work.  During reasonable weather (20 degrees F or warmer) I can make it up and back on electric alone.  I've had my car for over 7 months and still have 3/4 of my dealership tank left, but I rarely make any kind of long distance trips either... I have a whopping 2400 miles on the thing.  I wanted it because I wanted an electric vehicle.  The car is a looker, I love all the tech in it, and it's everything I wanted.  Maybe in 10 years if new battery tech comes along, I may consider putting in a new, much higher capacity pack.  I get a ton of enjoyment out of a silent ride and not spending any time at the gas station.  I refuel at home. 

 

Anyways, I'm biased, love my car, and haven't regretted it at all. :)

Edited January 8, 2014 at 07:49 PM by Russael

[jeff_h]

I echo the above from Russael, the only drawback for us is the trunk space, and we decided that we can live with it.  We have trip next month where there will be 3 teens riding in the back, we already know we are gonna pack light, and are simply changing from using the traditional roller-bag luggage to using softwall dufflebag type luggage, and we will be able to fit what we all need for the weekend.  We did a space test before we bought the Energi for me, as my wife had already had one for 8 months and loves it.

 

As I've noted on the Hybrid forum and maybe on here too, the most misunderstood thing I gather from conversations with others is that they believe that the HVB (High Voltage Battery) is the same type as a normal 12V car battery so after 3-4 years it's kaput and you're stuck with a big bill to replace.  There is an 8yr-100k warranty on that system (I think 10yr-150k in CA or similar, maybe also in other states)... anyway, my Prius (co-worker now drives it) has passed 200k miles with zero issues with the HVB, our Escape Hybrid had 66k miles and zero issues with it, my 2010 Fusion Hybrid (friend now drives it) has passed 170k miles with zero issues with the HVB, so don't let that hold you up.

 

Good luck on your search! 

[Gigi]

I think that when considering an electric vehicle, the thing to do at a dealership is to first find the sales manager and ask to speak with the salesperson who has the most training on and knowledge of electric vehicles.  The one I worked with did not understand the car as well as I did.  The one you talked to is full of hot air.  You don't have to work with him. 

 

If your dealer doesn't have Energis on the lot, buy your car at one that does.  Your local dealer will make money doing service and repairs.  That's what they're there for.

 

The trunk is only half the size of the regular fusion.  8 cubic feet is large enough for groceries, but it will not hold luggage for 4 people. I have another vehicle that I can haul lots of luggage in, so for me, that's not a problem.

 

The audio system in the SE is not as good as I would have liked.  The Titanium has a much nicer radio, but at the time I was buying, the Titanium only came with a black interior.  I hear that has changed for 2014 and that the light interior will be available on the Titanium.

 

The battery is supposed to be good for the life of the vehicle and is warrantied for 8 years/100,000 miles.  I am betting that by then, batteries will be better and cheaper, like flat screen TVs are today compared to five years ago.

 

In order to charge quickly, you do need to install a 240V outlet in the garage or near the car if it's outside and to buy a charging station or EVSE.  Good ones for the Energi run from $500 to $650 plus the cost of installation.  I was able to do the install myself.  You may know someone who has the know-how and skills or you'll just have to pay someone to do it.

 

It sounds like you do a lot of short trips and errands around town.  That is perfect for driving on electricity vs. gas.  After your round of morning errands, if you charge at lunchtime, you can go out again and drive all on electricity again.  Charge again and go out to dinner if you like.  For me, 21 miles driven on electricity costs about 62¢.  Our Honda Odyssey did not get 21 miles a gallon around town.  62¢ vs. $3.25+ for 21 miles is a big difference.

 

The car is expensive, but so is a brake job.  I have a friend with a Prius who has driven his car over 200,000 miles and he has not yet needed a brake job.  He drives like an old lady using the regenerative braking to put energy back into the battery rather than creating ugly brake dust and wearing out his brake pads and rotors.

 

Driving in EV mode is a very pleasant experience.  It's quiet.  It's smooth.  It's like driving an electric golf cart only you're in a mid-size luxury car.

 

One drawback to the quiet is that you do need to be careful in parking lots.  People can't hear you coming and if you're not careful, you might run over an unwary pedestrian.  Of course, you could make a game of sneaking up on your neighbor walking in the parking lot and blowing your horn!

[carnut56]

I just bought my 2013 Ford Fusion a week ago and am still getting used to the silence in all electric mode with a shiftless transmission.  I agree with the others here that this salesman was ignorant, and you may wish to find a Ford Dealer that is certified by Ford to sell electric vehicles, as not all dealerships meet the criteria.  I suspect your dealership is in that category.  My advice to you is to find a 2013 if possible, as the 2014 is the same car, and the 2013 has some heavy discounts and rebates available if you know what you are doing.  With the discounts, rebates, and Federal and State Tax credits here in California, the net purchase price for my 2013 Energi SE will be about $26,000.00, which makes the financial equation versus a conventional Fusion much more palatable.  I see the same positive and negative attributes as others here, and my advice is also to go for it!  (To qualify for the State of California $1,500.00 credit Ford has to guarantee the battery for 10 years and 150,000 miles.  Ford would not do this if they weren't very certain that the battery would hold up this long.)

 

As for the styling, to quote Car & Driver magazine, "Mr. Bond, we have found your rental car!"

Edited January 9, 2014 at 07:50 AM by carnut56

[jeff_h]

The car is expensive, but so is a brake job.  I have a friend with a Prius who has driven his car over 200,000 miles and he has not yet needed a brake job.  He drives like an old lady using the regenerative braking to put energy back into the battery rather than creating ugly brake dust and wearing out his brake pads and rotors.

 

Good point.  When you brake gently, the regen part of the motor does the work and the normal brake pads and rotors get very little wear.  I sold my Prius with 128k and never changed the brake pads, just gave the new ones in the box to my co-worker and now with over 200k miles I still don't think he's changed them.  Then when we sold the 2010 Fusion Hybrid with 140k miles, I changed them at that point since I didn't want my wife's best friend to have to worry about them - and after those 140k miles the brake pads were only halfway worn and the rotors were still nice and smooth.  I've posted pics of the new and old pads next to each other on the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid forums to show the comparison.  So if one goes nice and smoothly on the brakes they will last quite a long time.

[mczajka]

Do it!!! You're not going to get a better deal on a 2013. I was an early adopter and paid about $41K (with some discounts) for my Titanium. In hindsight, I probably should have waited 6 months. There's a reason why sales are up right now and that's because there are a lot of deals going on right now.

 

By the way, the so called "battery" question is the biggest misconception about these cars. It was probably one of the biggest hurdles Toyota had to overcome with the Prius. There are Prii out there with batteries over 10 years old running just fine. Many people who are not familiar with hybrids think that the big batteries have to be replaced every few years at a major expense.

Edited January 9, 2014 at 01:47 PM by mczajka

[Rexracer]

Im going to bet the dealer you talked to is not certified to sell these cars, so he was trying to steer you away from it.

 

I agree with everyones points above, small trunk, no regrets, don't do it to save money. Only select people would really come out ahead in the end from a purely economic stantpoint, but there are those (like me) that the math does add up.

If I were you, and you were serious. I would look in the Pacific Northwest for a car, there are still 2013s on the lot and they will make you a great deal (10k off minimum), fly up, get properly educated about it, then enjoy the drive home. Maybe there are dealers closer to you with 2013 still. But right now, with the reduction in price of the 2014s (4k) 10k off would be the least I would think, more like 12k today.

[jeff_h]

If I were you, and you were serious. I would look in the Pacific Northwest for a car, there are still 2013s on the lot and they will make you a great deal (10k off minimum), fly up, get properly educated about it, then enjoy the drive home. Maybe there are dealers closer to you with 2013 still. But right now, with the reduction in price of the 2014s (4k) 10k off would be the least I would think, more like 12k today.

 

Concur - I've purchased a car out of the local area (so VA to MD doesn't count) 4 times, and 3 of those 4 I flew elsewhere to get exactly what I wanted (the other time we just drove up to NJ, they had the car just like my wife wanted) - most would never go to that length, but most probably don't like road trips as much as I do either, and there is no better road trip than one in a brand new car (just don't go rough on the engine, is all).  I don't know that I'd look in the Pac NW if you are in Arkansas, but heck who knows, maybe someone likes road trips even more than me ya never know.

[shaggy314]

Keep in mind we have LiOn batteries (another reason why I got the Ford) and not the NiMH of the Leaf and Prius, so, in theory, ours will last longer and wear slower due to the better chemistry, but get ready for the new stuff in a few years.

 

The downsides: Everyone say it together, truck space. IMHO the other is battery range. As long as you can get at least one way on battery it is cool. Otherwise get the hybrid only version. I'm lucky in that I can charge at work so my 19 miles each was is running 90+% battery. I don't miss the truck as I have a back seat for most clean things. I kept my 93 hatchback for the dirty and long stuff. Fusion Energi fold down seats are a true joke unless you ski or need only 2 - 2x4s.

 

I cry at the price drop since the dealer 'forgot' to add my $750 as well, but I sighed to buy in January of 2013 so I should b*tch about a price drop in December.

Edited January 26, 2014 at 07:30 AM by shaggy314

[FusionDad]

BLUF: the Fusion Energy is a great car.

 

Battery: I've owned the 1st generation Prius, traded up to a 2d generation Prius and now own the 3d generation Prius plug-in Advanced (Li-Ion battery) and also the Fusion.  These batteries last and last...  ...and last.  The 1st generation Priuses are just now beginning to die, with ten years on the road.  Check the Pruschat blog.

 

Plug-in hybrids versus the regular hybrids: if you own your home you can charge easily, often several times /day on the weekend.  Each charge for this car gives you 22 - 25 EV miles as a cost of 50 - 80 cents per charge.  Add that up over 30 days in a month, and it equates to well over 600 miles at a conservative cost of $25 or less.  If you drive, say, 1,000 miles/month, you only pay gas for the last 300 miles.  On long trips you still get a fabulous 43 MPG average with a good-sized, comfortable car.

 

Trunk space: the trunk is short (shallow in depth) but quite tall (deep vertically).  Last August, my son and I made a cross-country vacation trip of just about 7,000 miles, from Virginia to Yellowstone, the Black Hills, the Bonneville Salt Flats, Pikes Peak and lots of points in between.   Two adults, all their 23-day trip gear, crap we bought enroute, camping gear, clothes, food cooler, whiskey bottles and we were fine.  The folding rear seats work well as extra cargo space.  I created a thread about that trip elsewhere on this forum.

 

If you might travel long distances with four+ people and all their luggage, then you'll have space limitations.  In my experience, up to three people with all their luggage is quite comfortable with smart packing.

 

In mid-September, my 30-year old son moved 600 miles from Virginia to Kentucky.  The moving vehicle was our Fusion and a son's friend along for the ride.  All of son's stuff (except of course furniture - he had none worth moving) fit into the Fusion trunk and rear seat cargo area and and a Thule extra-large roof cargo box we invested in as it'll last for the life of the car.  Yes the Thule coffin-sized box was full to the gills - but this illustrates that this car is flexible and relatively easy to live with depending on how you plan to use it.

 

So, my advice is to buy it unless you already have an immediate family of four+ and, if that is true, also cannot afford more than one car.  If you are single, it'll work for you.  If there are two of you, it'll work for you.  Two people and a small child - it'll work for you.

Edited January 15, 2014 at 05:37 AM by FusionDad

[mmmhmmmm]

Has everyone seen the video where they teardown the hybrid battery on the NYC Ford Escape Hybrid Taxi?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy2NBYQvA3E

 

Along with the Fusion Energi I have a 2008 Escape Hybrid with 120k miles on it still going strong.

 

Don't worry about the battery.

[frbill]

Coll Video, Thanks for the Link!

[DAVE]

Eric,

 

great info the thread. A few thoughts on my end.

 

The Good news

 

- excellent forum group and great source for a grow discussion on various topics.

 

 - I usually travel 28 miles each way each day with a charge on both sides (that helps) and my average combined MPG  is 74.5 for the life of the car which is currently 6780 miles since June 2013. This is INCREDIBLE no matter how you look it for a comfortable 5 seater car.

 

 - I did get excellent mileage on a 6 hour trip through the Virginia mountains with no charge available other than my start. 44 MPG was not bad with 4 people in the car. 

 

 - Think about adding a small trailer hitch (see my thread & picture) as it will give a little relief on the trunk space issue . They are cheap and will give the ability to use a small platform,  light weight trailer , bike rack, or Home Depot loaner trailer , i.e. when you need more room coming home from the hardware store. Note, I would not suggest towing a Jetski, I'm sure some idiot will do that and back the car in the water to unload it. Should make a great YouTube video of the day - The install of the hitch & wiring (T-Conenctors) was a piece of cake.

 

 - Take advantage of your rebates and do not let the dealer "factor it into the over all price"  - it's your money . In case 3895.00 Federal (need to file this year) , 2000.00 back from the State (this can change as my state is now 600.00) I got the check  in 2 month - real money. Basically your taxes back on the car. 1500.00 rebate back on Level 2 charger, 500.00 incentive from Power company on tracking usage  - All of these rebate bring the cost way down and basically allow you to "play" with the idea of an electric car. These will all go away soon as it catches on. I paid $40,000.00 on the road price for an SE with several options and when you factor in the rebates , I paid about 33K ish once you factor in the 1500.00 on the charger. Very comparable price to any 5 seater comfortable car. 

 

- Ford Sync overall is very impressive and easy to update via the My Ford Sync site using a USB flash drive (in the arm rest glove box) 

 

- HiRes Dash gauges are excellent

 

- Remote start & heat/cool and smart phone apps - priceless . Your car can also you texts as it charges.

 

Lastly, on the good - so far after 6 months a solid car. I'm totally impressed with the "New Ford" . I'm glad I canceled my Tesla as I  decided it needed more "baking time" before spending 80+K and the Fusion was a perfect fit for now. 

 

The Bad (but totally livable) 

 

 - a few really stupid design choices in the car. (1) Gas release button on the center console  gets hit all the time (2) Passenger seat is horrible for many people as it has no height adjustment. Some of us have fix we did on our own (see threads) , (3) If you have the non Bose stereo, the seat warmers will turn on no matter what the temp outside is (WHY?) . This happens when you simply turn up the volume on the stereo and your hand or fingers hit the touch button on the heater controls . They are way to sensitive . I've gotten used to it - but again bad design choices

 

 - iPhone does not support reading texts but the Samsung S4 works great at reading text and sending text via voice. iPhone 4/5 playlist work perfect but Samsung S4 (android in general) playlist not supported if music is on the SD card, Windows Phone works horrible and not very useable  - I've spent days & hours trying to get a working solution . The last 2 updates to Ford Sync  - no help . All in all works great , adding text for iOS support would be excellent

 

- if you live in a cold area the heater works from the engine therefore you need to use gas - I hate this . No way around this that I can see. Would be great to have electric heat.

 

- Titanium option would have been nice in a lighter interior color. Black was the only choice for me so I had to settle on the SE model with a few options.

 

my 2 cents,

 

DAVE

[Russael]

- if you live in a cold area the heater works from the engine therefore you need to use gas - I hate this . No way around this that I can see. Would be great to have electric heat.

 

 

Actually, the car DOES have electric heat, however, it puts a huge dent in your available battery range, which is why Go Times are so important for the car... it can increase your available battery range by a few miles.  If you run in EV Now, it seems to allow the car to run on batteries a lot more before it kicks the ICE in.  The Hybrid-only vehicles are dependent on ICE heat.

 

If you're turning your climate on high defrost, your ICE will turn on because it's running both heat and the A/C unit (for dehumidification purposes).  If you're running in temps that are 10 degrees F or colder, regardless of EV settings, your ICE may kick on if you run heat... sometimes it will, sometimes it won't.  Larryh and I can't seem to find a correlation as to what makes the ICE come on or not.

 

Also, the federal rebate for the car is 4007, not 3895.

[meyersnole]

 - iPhone does not support reading texts but the Samsung S4 works great at reading text and sending text via voice. iPhone 4/5 playlist work perfect but Samsung S4 (android in general) playlist not supported if music is on the SD card, Windows Phone works horrible and not very useable  - I've spent days & hours trying to get a working solution . The last 2 updates to Ford Sync  - no help . All in all works great , adding text for iOS support would be excellent

 

Hi Dave -- I have text support working on my iphone. To get it to work make sure you follow scooter80's advice here: http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/818-mft-text-to-speech-and-iphone/?p=3749

 

Now this support can be a little flaky and take some time work. I had to remove the device and re add it once, and it still took a few days before it started reading my texts. Once it starts working it seems to be solid though.

[DAVE]

thanks Guys - I'll try the Notifications setting under iPhone Bluetooth and see what happens when a text comes in. I also seem to remember that it took a day or 2 for it to start working on the S4 . 

 

BTW - also forgot to add to my "The Good News" section for the original thread topic.

 

 - HOV lane sticker  - Maryland just updated their support with new stickers expiring in 2017 - nice !!

[FusionDad]

Actually, the car DOES have electric heat, however, it puts a huge dent in your available battery range, which is why Go Times are so important for the car... it can increase your available battery range by a few miles.  If you run in EV Now, it seems to allow the car to run on batteries a lot more before it kicks the ICE in.  The Hybrid-only vehicles are dependent on ICE heat.

 

Folks, I'm a now huge believer in Winter use of Engine Block Heaters on EV / plug-in cars thanks to having installed one on my Prius Plug-In.  When starting from a plugged-in location, an EBH will have warmed up the engine coolant which means that when the ICE starts to warm up the cabin on a cold day, the ICE is already warmish and therefore  A). wears&tears itself less on start-up,  B). heats up the cabin much faster, and  C). clears the usual Winter condensation off the windshield in no time and D). shuts itself off again, i.e. less gas use.  This data is from my own EBH use on the Prius and from LARRYH's temperature & usage measurements from the Upper Midwest.  My current MO: use the ICE on start-up to heat the car & clear the windshield condensation, and then go back to EV mode.

 

Regrettably, as much of a PITA as installing the EBH was on the Prius, it looks worse on the Fusion because the Fusion doesn't have a special engine sleeve cast to accept the EBH - the installer appears to have to knock out an engine block freeze plug and then seal it, I guess.

[Hewlettk]

Great points above!

 

I would urge you not to install a 240 V charger.

 

Since you drive short distances, there is no point in charging during the day, so just plug in at night. 6 hours from an empty battery, and you will be ready to go.

 

Your long distance trips aren't going to be helped by a 240V charger.

 

Lastly, from the sound of your driving, a hybrid may be more appropriate. If you drive 15 or more miles per day, go Energi. But a couple of miles each day, go Hybrid.

 

Good luck and happy driving. This is an incredible car!

[willsyaya57]

What is ICE?

[Eric4539]

The gas engine; ICE = Internal Combustion Engine

[willsyaya57]

My thanks to you all. I am happy to announce I am the proud new owner of a 2014 FFE Titanium in Deep Impact Blue. Photos to follow.

LuAnn

[Eric4539]

Congratulations!  Welcome to the family!  :)

[shaggy314]

dammit I was hoping to come back with "frozen water" as the first response, but fine, take all of the humor out of the room.