Article criticizing Ford's approach to EVs & the recent Energi press release

[Hybridbear]

This article is spot on with the things that many of us have said going back to 2013.

http://cleantechnica.com/2016/06/29/theres-electric-car-leadership-theres-ford/

 

The recent Energi press release was especially egregious.

[jeff_h]

Which is why we are getting an ICE version of the Escape next year - because they don't make a PHEV version (which would have been PERFECT for her driving needs). Too bad.

[Energized]

I agree with the author's conclusion regarding the FFE:

 

"if you have a need/strong desire for a large car and can’t afford a Tesla, the Fusion Energi is probably the first car I’d recommend"

[rbort]

I think the Fusion and/or the Cmax are great cars.  The author is complaining about EV range, but there is something to be said about a car that can go 600 miles per fillup.  You can skip over gas stations in expensive states on a long trip and stop at cheaper ones along your route, alot less often than if you had less range.

 

It would be nice if the battery went a little further, but think about the car as mainly a hybrid car, with a bonus of 22 to 32 miles range in EV depending on how you drive it.  While it doesn't sound like much, you can do alot with that range.

 

I like the long range capability of my Cmax, I wouldn't want it with any smaller of a gas tank, though I wouldn't mind a smaller engine that may go further due to higher MPG numbers.  Acceleration and raw power is not a factor for me when choosing an efficient car.

 

-=>Raja.

[flyingcheesehead]

Yep... That article is spot on. 

 

Ford could have maybe had a case to call themselves one of the leaders back in 2013... But they've done seemingly nothing since then (except remove features). No range increases. No fast charging for the Focus Electric. No real marketing effort to speak of, which is the big tragedy here - They've put a ton of energy into promoting EcoBoost, which is a really great way to get more power from a smaller, lighter engine... But for those who want to go a step further and be able to drive without their engine on all the time? Silence. Everyone has heard of the Chevy Volt, but nobody has a clue about the Ford Fusion Energi. And people go and buy the piece of crap plug-in Prius (10 miles EV range? Really?) because they don't know any better, simply based off of Toyota/Prius brand recognition. And then Toyota wastes all of their R&D money on hydrogen.

 

The reason everyone wants a Tesla is that Tesla is actually a leader:

 

* Tesla was the first to make an electric car that had the range and infrastructure necessary to make it viable as an only car.

* Tesla was the first to release over-the-air software updates to ADD features to their cars after the sale automatically. 

* Tesla was the first to recognize that people HATE going to a dealer to buy a car and start selling direct.

* Tesla was the first to recognize that getting electric cars to go mainstream requires a design that the mainstream, and not just "look-at-me-I'm-green" environmentalists, will want to drive.

 

The Fusion Energi is something I bought somewhat on a whim, wanting to give it a try. It has completely sold me on the idea of electric driving, and I will never buy another gasser. Sadly, I will probably also never buy another Ford, because they're content to rest on their laurels and let the rest of the industry pass them by.

[Timewellspent]

I agree with the author's conclusion regarding the FFE:

 

"if you have a need/strong desire for a large car and can’t afford a Tesla, the Fusion Energi is probably the first car I’d recommend"

 

This is why I went with the Fusion Energi.  All other options in the lower price range are just too small and I really don't car for the looks of them.  I just wish this had better range on the battery so you could actually use the heat and a/c and not loose so much range. 

[chuck1011212]

Where would For get the car more range from?  The battery already eats a ton of space in the trunk. 

Sure, it can have more range, but this doesn't happen by magic and you would have to give up a larger percentage of the trunk and the car would cost even more as well.  To place the battery at a more advantageous position would take more money and R&D and most importantly time.  Ford is doing the best they can with what they have.  Sure, they are late to the party in some ways, but the Fusion is an amazingly sorted and engineered car for what it is.  My 2nd car: a Leaf is an econobox pile of crap in comparison.  (Nevermind the dismal Leaf resale value......)

[Artemus7575]

I am the new guy here and been reading every article on plug in cars I can find. This article could have been written by anyone who has read anything in the Ford Energi Fusion. Nothing new that I could find. With that said I am pleased with my going on 6 week purchase. It's lived up to every expectation. It's large enough and had the tech I wanted. Please accept what could be taken for ego. I can afford any Tesla and did great deal of research. What stopped me from buying were facts seldom written about in main stream magazines. The cars have many flaws. Squeaks, material not holding up under normal use, along with Tesla making owners sign non disclosure agreements. NTSB was not informed about serious issues with front suspension failures. That along with two friends who's Tesla infactuation has left them. I looked at everything out there and the Fusion by far had better looks, room and creature comforts. Now I just been changing wheels and adding chrome!

Edited August 6, 2016 at 05:36 AM by Artemus7575

[Doc Rock]

I bought a 2017 Fusion Platinum Energi 8 days ago. Yesterday, I took a 230 mile road trip (all hybrid, no all-electric) and got 50 mpg for the entire trip - with the A/C going full blast the whole time. I'll save the plug-in for more moderate weather.

 

The car is whisper quiet on the highway, and has enough power to keep me happy (my other car is a 2000 Mustang GT convertible).

 

So far, so good!

[murphy]

Plug-in works fine this time of year.  My engine started for the first time in 6 months a few days ago.  Most of my destinations are within 10 miles of my house.  The air conditioning load is not that bad, especially if re-circulation is turned on.  The electric range gets cut in half in the winter time in PA.

[flyingcheesehead]

I'll save the plug-in for more moderate weather.

 

 

No reason to wait. Even if running the A/C takes a few miles off the electric range, the range that you do get without burning gas is still advantageous!

 

Also, you can help it out by preconditioning using the Go times - Mine is set to be at 65ºF cabin temp when I leave for work each day, so I don't even need to run the A/C at all on that trip.

[Doc Rock]

IMO, at least two things have to happen before EVs will make it without huge government subsidies (Elon Musk is a political entrepreneur above all else):

 

1) A nationwide network of charging stations at reasonable prices. Here in PA, public charging stations are few and far between (only a handful along the entire stretch of the PA Turnpike). The cost? A mere 39 cents per kWh for Blink members; 49 cents per kWh for everyone else. And those are Level 2 chargers, not Fast Chargers. Pointless, feel good gesture. In the metro area where I live (population ~750K) there is not a single public charging station. Not exactly sending a shiver down my leg;

 

and,

 

2) Gasoline has to get a lot more expensive. Funny thing about most people - they can actually do the math. They know the current cost tradeoff is, all things considered, at best neutral for those who don't have easy access to "free" charging.

 

Believe me, if the public was demanding EVs to any large extent, every auto manufacturer - including Ford - would be producing lots of them.

 

I believe Ford has the right strategy. PHEVs allow interested consumers to get a taste of EV life without locking them in a dungeon without a key.

 

Of course, there are those who write articles criticizing any car that isn't a pure EV. By and large, these are the same people who criticize the production of electricity from anything except wind or solar.