Official Ford Focus Electric Thread

[evnow]

you have the entire back seat for piles and piles of grocery bags and cartons of vino.
dont tell me that you take the kids with you to the grocery store so they can pick out their own cereal and snacks.

You don't really have the entire backseat - because the car seat is there (with or without the baby). And many times the baby will be there when we shop - and then we don't want to pile a lot of stuff in the back seat. That would be a serious safety issue.

 

[evnow]

I think the Volt would stay our primary grocery store vehicle.

That can't be because Volt holds more cargo

 

[thankyouOB]

you have the entire back seat for piles and piles of grocery bags and cartons of vino.
dont tell me that you take the kids with you to the grocery store so they can pick out their own cereal and snacks.

You don't really have the entire backseat - because the car seat is there (with or without the baby). And many times the baby will be there when we shop - and then we don't want to pile a lot of stuff in the back seat. That would be a serious safety issue.

I like to strap the breakables -- whether case of vino or the bag with the bottles -- into the car seat.
but that is just me. :roll:

 

[DANandNAN]

Perzactly on the reasons parents can't just drop the seats for cargo room

I think the Volt would stay our primary grocery store vehicle.

That can't be because Volt holds more cargo

Well, yes, depending on the cargo. The Leaf's cargo can be stacked higher, but we don't stack groceries creating a huge pile. The Volt's long flat trunk holds way more grocery bags. Now, if we were buying stack-able boxed goods at Costco or Sam's then the Leaf probably has the edge.

 

[evnow]

Well, yes, depending on the cargo. The Leaf's cargo can be stacked higher, but we don't stack groceries creating a huge pile. The Volt's long flat trunk holds way more grocery bags. Now, if we were buying stack-able boxed goods at Costco or Sam's then the Leaf probably has the edge.

If you want to stack, you can always get the Leaf cargo organizer.

 

[DANandNAN]

Sure, there's always work arounds and that might make it similar. Too bad Nissan isn't including it like Ford is (it seems). But, there's also the problem with our stroller. In the Leaf we'd have to stand it up v. in the Volt we can lay it flat and put bags on it. Anyway, I just think the Volt would be our primary grocery getter but we'll see how things go when/if we get a Leaf (or FFE - I should mention it since this is the FFE thread).

 

[TimeHorse]

Picked up my folding electric bike today and found that with the cargo organizer in place I still had to take off the privacy guard and pop down a seat to get it all the way in. I can't imagine the FFE would fit it though I may take out the Cargo Organizer again as it'd be nice to be able to stick the bike in without putting down the seat.

 

[Herm]

Picked up my folding electric bike today

Pictures?

 

[TimeHorse]

Picked up my folding electric bike today

Pictures?

Okay, I'll let you know when they're ready.

 

[hd172]

Went back to Livermore and drove the FFE. The 12v battery was dead. The car had a full charge on the pack. I was not impressed at all. I'm gonna wait for the rav4 or a tesla s.

 

[br14n22]

Just wanted to post to say I saw my first Focus EV in the wild yesterday at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA. Great to see them finally on the road!

 

[cwerdna]

Forbes: Why I Didn't Buy A Ford Focus Electric:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/toddwoody/2012/08/14/why-i-didnt-buy-a-ford-focus-electric/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm pretty annoyed by this article. The author is apparently in the Bay Area. He considers an FFE and balks over the high lease monthy payments when the Leaf can be a lot less than the FFE (http://www.choosenissan.com/san-francisco-oakland-san-jose-area/leaf/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false.

But I wasn’t prepared to take the technology risk of buying an electric car that could turn into the automotive version of an iPhone 3gs in five years if, say, Tesla comes out with a $30,000 car or startups like Envia make good on efforts to create a 200-mile range battery.

Leasing seemed the way to go and Ford’s site quoted a $439 a month rate for a three-year lease. Kinda high but not outrageous. Until I started contacting dealers and got quotes ranging from $550 with a $2,500 down payment to around $600 a month with no down payment to lower the capitalized cost of the car. (You have to read the small print on the Ford site to learn that $439 doesn’t include, tax, title and other charges.)

Out of curiosity I asked what the lease would be on a fairly loaded gasoline Ford Focus hatchback. The answer: $275 a month.

And then he says "The Nissan Leaf’s space-age design didn’t do it for me and the car takes twice as long to charge as the Focus". Uhh, I guess he's never heard of CHAdeMO.

In the end, he ends up buying a Focus ICEV.

(fixed the quoting)

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Forbes: Why I Didn't Buy A Ford Focus Electric:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/toddwoody/2012/08/14/why-i-didnt-buy-a-ford-focus-electric/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm pretty annoyed by this article. The author is apparently in the Bay Area. He considers an FFE and balks over the high lease monthy payments when the Leaf can be a lot less than the FFE (http://www.choosenissan.com/san-francisco-oakland-san-jose-area/leaf/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false.

But I wasn’t prepared to take the technology risk of buying an electric car that could turn into the automotive version of an iPhone 3gs in five years if, say, Tesla comes out with a $30,000 car or startups like Envia make good on efforts to create a 200-mile range battery.

Leasing seemed the way to go and Ford’s site quoted a $439 a month rate for a three-year lease. Kinda high but not outrageous. Until I started contacting dealers and got quotes ranging from $550 with a $2,500 down payment to around $600 a month with no down payment to lower the capitalized cost of the car. (You have to read the small print on the Ford site to learn that $439 doesn’t include, tax, title and other charges.)

Out of curiosity I asked what the lease would be on a fairly loaded gasoline Ford Focus hatchback. The answer: $275 a month.

And then he says "The Nissan Leaf’s space-age design didn’t do it for me and the car takes twice as long to charge as the Focus". Uhh, I guess he's never heard of CHAdeMO.

In the end, he ends up buying a Focus ICEV.

LOL and we will undoubtedly listen to him cry when gas hits $4.50 a gallon...oh wait that will be next week, make that $5 a gallon and he goes from paying $200 a month for gas to $300 a month for gas and begins to realize that he would have been saving money by taking the higher lease payment. or better yet, taking the LEAF

 

[cwerdna]

I'm surprised there isn't more reaction to the Forbes writer.

I've been way too busy w/other things to drop him a note about his goofy info and choice.

 

[Herm]

It is an irritating vehicle.. that guy is a conflicted mess of desires and beliefs. At least the FFE did its job and brought him into the dealership, something that Ford has planned from the beginning.

 

[WetEV]

And then he says "The Nissan Leaf’s space-age design didn’t do it for me and the car takes twice as long to charge as the Focus". Uhh, I guess he's never heard of CHAdeMO.

A 6.6kW charger is very handy. Yes, not Chademo speed, but there are a lot more places where you can charge at 6.6kW than there are DCQC locations. It is a drawback to the current Leaf.

 

[redLEAF]

And then he says "The Nissan Leaf’s space-age design didn’t do it for me and the car takes twice as long to charge as the Focus". Uhh, I guess he's never heard of CHAdeMO.

A 6.6kW charger is very handy. Yes, not Chademo speed, but there are a lot more places where you can charge at 6.6kW than there are DCQC locations. It is a drawback to the current Leaf.

BUT --- the faster charger does indeed only come into play when you plan to need/use/drive more than the car's normal range during the course of a single trip; for me it would be a 'nice to have' but it's a rare occasion that I'll need that; others who need the full range + some more often, yes a much desirable advantage that will come with the '13 LEAF anyway. Charging after hours unless of course there are lower rates within a very narrow timeline that wouldn't allow a full charge at the lower charge rate of the '11/'12 LEAF would also be an advantage but again, my power is a flat rate regardless of when I charge it but I set the timer anyway because their is less stress on the grid at night as we all know.

 

[gergg]

I have a friend that is a GM at a Ford dealership, he said that Ford charges them a huge up-front fee($25,000) just to have the "right" to stock/purchase the FFE.....they are not carrying them because of this.

 

[TomT]

Repeat after me, it is a compliance car. GM and Nissan are the only two major manufactures that are currently serious about their vehicles...

I have a friend that is a GM at a Ford dealership, he said that Ford charges them a huge up-front fee($25,000) just to have the "right" to stock/purchase the FFE.....they are not carrying them because of this.

 

[gergg]

Repeat after me, it is a compliance car. GM and Nissan are the only two major manufactures that are currently serious about their vehicles...

I hear and obey your every command......."it is a compliance car. GM and Nissan are the only two major manufactures that are currently serious about their vehicles..... it is a compliance car. GM and Nissan are the only two major manufactures that are currently serious about their vehicles"

Yeah, I get it, just letting you know a little tidbit of info I heard...cheers :mrgreen: