Official Ford C-MAX Energi PHEV thread

[TomT]

Unfortunately, we regularly tow about 1,500 pounds and none of these can do that so our next vehicle will almost certainly have to a compact ICE CUV... Probably the Escape...

 

[GRA]

Whatever EV I eventually purchase will be a replacement for my Forester. This looks like a possibility.

 

[IBELEAF]

Their rated 20 mile range probably will be something like 15 miles in real world driving. I considered it this as an option as well, but it's a limiting range for where I live/drive.

 

[evnow]

68kW is still weak. It's weak compared to the Leaf @ 80, it's really weak compared to the Volt @ 111kW but it's stronger than the i-MiEV @ 49 :lol: So, it'll be even slower than a Leaf unless you use the gas engine. Range is another weak point. We'd burn a lot of gas on a daily basis with it (our Volt is 95% electric). The FCME is better than the PiP, but so is a Segway Meh, not impressed. If they'd made it an EREV or forgone the engine I'd be interested.

I guess if you were considering a PiP you'd probably jump.

Rather myopic statements - there is more to a car than kW ratings. My wife couldn't care less about kW ratings.

Energi is a plugin that gives higher seating and more space - something that neither PIP, nor Volt give. It puts Energi in a new category - with Mitsu Outlander Plugin as the only known competitor.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Their rated 20 mile range probably will be something like 15 miles in real world driving. I considered it this as an option as well, but it's a limiting range for where I live/drive.

as always YMMV but if its a 7.5 KW battery and say 6 KW is used you can probably assume EPA rating gave it the 3.5 miles per K to get 21 miles EV range. granted the vehicle is heavier but the LEAF easily gets 4.2 @ 60 mph so guessing 3.5 miles for the heavier vehicle is not a stretch by any imagination.

keep in mind, around town driving could be even better.

 

[Herm]

of course, in Real Life™ if you step on the gas too hard the gas engine will come on.

 

[grommet]

If the C-MAX Energi has an EPA EV-only range of 20, I'd expect it to be able to get that. For most Plug-in Hybrids so far, the "real world" seems to meet or exceed the EPA range.

 

[DaveEV]

MOD NOTE: Moved the "Pure EV" discussion to it's own thread. Keep this one on-topic please. DANandNAN I'm talking to you.

 

[IBELEAF]

If the C-MAX Energi has an EPA EV-only range of 20, I'd expect it to be able to get that. For most Plug-in Hybrids so far, the "real world" seems to meet or exceed the EPA range.

my "real world" with Leaf has been consistently below EPA, to get EPA rating I had to avoid freeways (high speed), hills (not possible) and heater usage (I was cold many times). I don't know how Volt will manage my "real world" driving as I only had it for 2 days, but my daily range need is below 30, so it's plenty for me, but with 20 miles of EPA for C-MAX I would expect 15 miles at the most under the same conditions.

 

[TomT]

It DEFINITELY looks like a minivan to me, and we both hate minivans... A PHEV version of the new 2013 Escape would have been perfect but apparently Ford (and many others) think a PHEV has to have all the visual appeal and space utilization of a cardboard box and be bland beyond words... Since we had to make a decision this year and need light towing capability (1,600 pounds - none of the PHEVs or HEVs can do this), we finally gave up the wait and ordered a compact ICE CUV... It will replace our MDX. Maybe next time there will finally be something suitable available.

Some of the auto pundits are comparing the C-Max to the mini minivan Mazda5 w/o the sliding doors but I think that's the 7-passenger one that's not coming here, this 5-passenger is smaller/shorter ...

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I dont know about a mini van. It more SUV shaped just smaller. Ford did make push to European styling on most of its offerings. The Escape had a big makeover

 

[IBELEAF]

perhaps a mini minivan I have to say, the styling, while easy on the eyes, looks a bit bland.

 

[davewill]

perhaps a mini minivan I have to say, the styling, while easy on the eyes, looks a bit bland.

The main difference between an SUV and a minivan is ground clearance. Since more ground clearance translates to more air drag, it makes sense that a small SUV hybrid designed for efficiency would end up looking rather minivan-ish.

 

[DANandNAN]

If the C-MAX Energi has an EPA EV-only range of 20, I'd expect it to be able to get that. For most Plug-in Hybrids so far, the "real world" seems to meet or exceed the EPA range.

my "real world" with Leaf has been consistently below EPA, to get EPA rating I had to avoid freeways (high speed), hills (not possible) and heater usage (I was cold many times). I don't know how Volt will manage my "real world" driving as I only had it for 2 days, but my daily range need is below 30, so it's plenty for me, but with 20 miles of EPA for C-MAX I would expect 15 miles at the most under the same conditions.

That's the problem with the EPA tests, they're always overly ambitious. But, regarding your Volt I'm betting that you'll do 40+ in the Volt right off the bat, because you're coming from a Leaf. It's 100 degrees here today and we're still able to get 37-38. I have a hard time believing that the FCME will achieve it's range in real world driving, but we'll see when it hits the streets.

MOD NOTE: Moved the "Pure EV" discussion to it's own thread. Keep this one on-topic please. DANandNAN I'm talking to you.

LOL, I didn't start the discussion and I certainly wasn't the only one in the discussion.

 

[IBELEAF]

surprisingly Volt does deliver claimed 40 mile range in my current commute today with AC on the whole time. In other words, I made RT 22 miles and still had half the charge left. I am impressed.

 

[Herm]

surprisingly Volt does deliver claimed 40 mile range in my current commute today with AC on the whole time. In other words, I made RT 22 miles and still had half the charge left. I am impressed.

Ohh a new Volt owner.. so is it a bev?

I think it is a bev, until the battery runs out and it switches mode to a hybrid.

 

[evnow]

perhaps a mini minivan

Indeed - the industry calls it a mini-mini van. I just call it a CUV, esp. because it doesn't have the sliding doors, so typical of a mini-van.

Tesla tried really hard to distinguish Model X from a mini-van.

Essentially, manufacturers want to give the capabilities of a mini-van, which people like, without the stigma of a mini-van.

 

[garsh]

Essentially, manufacturers want to give the capabilities of a mini-van, which people like, without the stigma of a mini-van.

Remember when the mini-van had the capabilities of a station wagon, without the stigma of a station wagon?

 

[Deleted member 770]

The main difference between an SUV and a minivan is ground clearance. Since more ground clearance translates to more air drag, it makes sense that a small SUV hybrid designed for efficiency would end up looking rather minivan-ish.

Speaking of which, has anybody seen a document showing the ground clearance on the C-Max Energi? That's the one statistic I haven't been able to find - we (very) occasionally drive dirt roads and I'd like to know what I can go over. I'd love a plug-in Subaru Outback, but alas, no such beast exists (now or in the forseeable future).

 

[GRA]

The main difference between an SUV and a minivan is ground clearance. Since more ground clearance translates to more air drag, it makes sense that a small SUV hybrid designed for efficiency would end up looking rather minivan-ish.

Speaking of which, has anybody seen a document showing the ground clearance on the C-Max Energi? That's the one statistic I haven't been able to find - we (very) occasionally drive dirt roads and I'd like to know what I can go over. I'd love a plug-in Subaru Outback, but alas, no such beast exists (now or in the forseeable future).

I've been very surprised that Subaru hasn't built any PHEVs. I know they were working on them some years ago, and it exactly fits their demographic of active, outdoorsy, green customers. But Fuji Heavy Industries is a relatively small auto manufacturer, so maybe it was just too expensive, or their customers aren't willing to lose any cargo capacity or utility - that would be a problem for me. Maybe the tie-in with Toyota for Subaru to develop the Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S will allow them to do another deal transferring Toyota PHEV tech the other way. BEVs are too short range for now for Subie owners, especially since they're often bought for routine winter use and long distance ski trips.

(Current owner of a 2003 Forester, which replaced an '88 GL Turbo 4WD Wagon which was stolen after 14.5 years of satisfied ownership.)