I bought my FFE in November and have put about 8,000 miles. Since you're in Atlanta, I'd say you're in a pretty great climate for the car. It has been a great car, and I'm very pleased with the purchase. I commute 32 miles a day for work. My worst range was 38 miles when it was -15F in the winter with heat blasting. Best range was about 92 miles in about 78F with no HVAC. On average, with HVAC use and non highway driving in a mild climate 55-75F, I'd expect about 60-65 miles of range. Highway driving will bring you down to about 55-60 miles of range if you keep it below 65MPH. A/C doesn't seem to affect range that much compared to heat in the winter. Having a 6.6kW EVSE at home is key for this car. I'm typically fully charged in about an hour to an hour and a half from the time I get home from work, allowing plenty evening range. I also have a Tesla UMC converted to J1772 for mobile charging. Mobile charging is a lot more important in a lower range EV like the FFE than it is the Model S. The Stop Safely Now problem that the car was having has been wiped out by a software update recall that the car had in the fall. I've never had a SSN with mine. You'll want to remove the "organizer" from the trunk space. It opens it up a lot. I use the back seats for carrying stuff too. I've had a 60" TV in the back with the seats down. So all in all I think it's a great car. Pretty much no one will notice you're driving an EV (can be a good or bad thing), the charging is pretty quick (3.6 hours from empty), and it seems pretty well put together.
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Ford Focus EV
- Thread starter TEG
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I know about that recall, sadly doesn't apply to me. :-( Cost of putting in the engine is from an independent shop, and a used sub-50k mile engine.
I drive 60 miles every day round trip to work. I could take a different route and cut it to ~50, but with much higher trip time variability. No ChADeMo near me, and I would take the Model S anywhere not on my commute.
It looks like superchargers are going to be everywhere I will drive pretty soon. I have never liked GM products, so a Volt really isn't something I want to do (its not entirely rational). But Id rent a car if I had to.
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Rifleman
Now owns 2 Model S's!!!
In the Volt's defense, it probably is the best car GM makes, but that may still be a fairly low bar.
Can you charge at work? 60 miles / day is pushing it in anything but a Tesla, RAV4-EV, i3+REX or perhaps the Mercedes B-Class EV with the range-boosting package, especially in the winter unless the route is not on the freeway. You really want an EV with at least 100 miles EPA range.
A LEAF SV with the heat-pump should boost winter range, but after couple years in Atlanta winter range is going to be really, really pushing it. I wouldn't do more than a 2-year lease.
Right now my wife drives ~180 miles 2-3 days a week going to grad school at UGA. So essentially the Focus would be mine for a year :crying:. After that I would hope to switch back.
And I can cut my commute to 48 miles round trip (cutting out about 15 interstate miles) at about the same normal commute time, just much higher variability in trip time.
It looks like if I can manage 300Wh/mi I could get ~65 miles out of the Focus. I can get that on the short route (when I try) in the Model S in all but the coldest weather. I think I could manage getting the Focus sub 300. And if need be I could always 120VAC charge at work.
Depends on the interstate miles/speed but in good weather 300Wh/mi is certainly doable. I see 250ishWh/mi from my FFE over my 22-mile round-trip commute with no interstates, 45-55mph speeds, on days where no heat or AC is needed. But this past winter that went up past 400Wh/mi on days when heat/defrost was a must. Plus, the FFE actively heats the pack when it needs to, so there's always some range loss with low temps even if you drive bundled up.
Plan on plugging in at work on cold days, but other than that it should work well.
Even in the Model S, and the very cold (Atlanta standards) I have only been over 400Wh/mi a couple of times. And one of those was a high speed run on the weekend in the summer with all the windows down. And I don't have heated seats in mine, so the cabin heat is on in the winter. My semi-heated garage certainly helps though.
Thanks for this though. It helped a lot.
I wouldn't stress yourself over things with such a short range with FFE. Get a used Prius or something like that to hold you over and every night talk about how crazy the acceleration on the Model S is so hopefully you are allowed to get it back after a year
Comparing a base Leaf to a FFE is a joke. The FFE comes standard fully loaded! Voice commands, backup cam, S/XM radio, built-in nav, proximity sensors, better crash rating, 6.6 kW charging, liquid thermal battery management, etc. My wife was able to make her 44 mi round trip commute when it was -20F (albeit just barely) while the Leaf owners around here could not. I attribute the difference to the FFE's active thermal battery management.
I have to admit, when it went below 0 deg F she would often plug in at work just so she could blast the heat and drive 70 mph. It also helped to be able to pre-warm the car just before leaving using the cell phone app while still plugged in. I'm not sure how cold it gets in Atlanta but you might be pushing the limits at your coldest temps. If you plugged in at work, even 120, it would allow you to use the highway and be liberal with the heat.
Somebody advised removing the organizer in the back but we like that. It makes the back deck flat for cargo with storage under the deck.
It's not a Tesla. You'll notice that right away. But it's a lot better than a gasser and might be a good bridge to get you to Model E.
Sorry about your Honda. They're usually reliable, high-mileage cars.
Yep, L1 charging if not a problem will easily make the car work. 3-4 mi/hr for 8 hours is at least 20 extra miles of range - no problem.
ZBB
Emperor
I lived in Atlanta from '01 to '04... I don't miss the traffic. I do miss Doc Chey's and Harry's...
All but the last 6 months I was there, my commute was ~6 miles and avoided freeways -- never took more than 10 min to get to the office. Then our office moved. 27 miles one-way down GA-400 and across the 285 to Marietta. If I left for the office before ~6:20am I could usually get there in ~30-35 min. If I left between 6:20 and 6:30 it took about an hour. If I left after 6:30, it was literally unpredictable -- anywhere from 1-2+ hours... On the way home, the options were to leave before 4pm or after 7pm -- otherwise you'd be stuck in traffic for 1-2 hours. Horrible...
I then had the opportunity to take a job back in my home town. Haven't been back in Atlanta since we sold the house there... I ended up buying a house in that was about 29 miles to the office -- but the commute was normally ~35 min, and took over 1 hour due to an accident perhaps 2-3 times per year... About the same distance, but much less stress...
On a side note, I considered getting a FFE (and a Leaf) before I ordered my Model S. My commute was just beyond comfort level in a low-range BEV... I would have had range anxiety on the way home (uphill), especially in a Leaf during an AZ summer. Our office just moved -- now about 5 miles closer to my house, so saves 10 miles round trip. Based on my experience with the Model S, my current commute would work in a Leaf or FFE -- sounds similar to your situation. Go for it!
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Wife drove the FFE yesterday. She really liked it. Took pictures sent them to her friends. Also drove a Mazda 3 which was met with indifference :smile:. I've finally hooked my wife on electric :biggrin: !!!
Going to have her test drive a LEAF. And will make her some slightly nicer cars (she wants cheap and small). She will have the Tesla for "two days a week" next school year, and certainly we will trade cars every now and then. But the purchase deals on the FFE right now are insanely good. And after the Manufacturer, Federal, and State incentives the FFE is about the same cost as a base Focus hatch. So hard to pass up.
I'll sweat the dealer a little bit, wait till the end of the month.
!!!Going to have her test drive a LEAF. And will make her some slightly nicer cars (she wants cheap and small). She will have the Tesla for "two days a week" next school year, and certainly we will trade cars every now and then. But the purchase deals on the FFE right now are insanely good. And after the Manufacturer, Federal, and State incentives the FFE is about the same cost as a base Focus hatch. So hard to pass up.
I'll sweat the dealer a little bit, wait till the end of the month.
Wife drove the FFE yesterday. She really liked it. Took pictures sent them to her friends. Also drove a Mazda 3 which was met with indifference :smile:. I've finally hooked my wife on electric :biggrin:
Going to have her test drive a LEAF. And will make her some slightly nicer cars (she wants cheap and small). She will have the Tesla for "two days a week" next school year, and certainly we will trade cars every now and then. But the purchase deals on the FFE right now are insanely good. And after the Manufacturer, Federal, and State incentives the FFE is about the same cost as a base Focus hatch. So hard to pass up.
I'll sweat the dealer a little bit, wait till the end of the month.
Be sure to consider the versatility that DC fast charging can bring to an EV. If you need to do some extra driving, you can just stop for 10-20 minutes and get 30-60 extra miles. Looking at the CHAdeMo chargers around Atlanta on PlugShare, the Leaf could be a better choice than the FFE.
GSP
DuncanWatson
Member
The FFE is an excellent vehicle and I love mine. It outperforms the leaf and lacks CHAdeMO but it does have a temperature controlled battery which is vastly superior to the leaf. I easily get by with the FFE and the odd lunch charge downtown is nice. I don't find the range limiting to me except in unusual situations.
Well last night we did it. Purchased a FFE. It had all of the factory options, leather, that is all. In the ice metallic color. Paid a bit more than I was hoping for, but after the rebates we'll get next year it will be a little less expensive than a stripped ICE hatch Focus. With fuel savings it will be close to free.
It has that my Tesla doesn't (and wasn't available when I bought it):
Heated Seats (with cloth seats)
Lighted vanity mirrors
Visors that block sun for people less than 6' tall
Cup holders that work
Cup holders for back seat people
Air compressor and slime kit
Storage bins (not a benefit in my book)
complementary parcel shelf
parcel shelf that lifts with the tailgate
much higher quality floor mats
daily timer to pre-heat(cool) the car
backup sensors
track indication on backup camera
FM radio reception (93.7, Atlanta Braves) in garage
The thing that I (re)learned about during the whole ordeal. Car dealerships are terrible places. I hope that Tesla can keep the factory direct model, and in time collapse the dealer model.
It has that my Tesla doesn't (and wasn't available when I bought it):
Heated Seats (with cloth seats)
Lighted vanity mirrors
Visors that block sun for people less than 6' tall
Cup holders that work
Cup holders for back seat people
Air compressor and slime kit
Storage bins (not a benefit in my book)
complementary parcel shelf
parcel shelf that lifts with the tailgate
much higher quality floor mats
daily timer to pre-heat(cool) the car
backup sensors
track indication on backup camera
FM radio reception (93.7, Atlanta Braves) in garage
The thing that I (re)learned about during the whole ordeal. Car dealerships are terrible places. I hope that Tesla can keep the factory direct model, and in time collapse the dealer model.
mknox
Well-Known Member
The big advantage Tesla has is consistency in this regard. But to be honest, I've had very positive dealer experiences. My last Cadillac dealer would pick my car up and drop it off at work for me, always cleaned it and never overcharged or sold me crap I didn't need. In fact, I had free maintenance and warranty coverage for the 4 years I owned the car, so it didn't even cost me anything. If I needed a loaner, they always supplied me with another Cadillac at no charge. I do recognize that this is not universal so again, advantage Tesla.
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