Who's considering the Focus Electric?

[avilla61]

no thanks ill stay with my 136hp et

[spivonious]

I think I'd consider one if the price was in line with the other Focus models. My commute is about 10 miles each way and we can always use my wife's car or rent a car for long trips. But I'm not going to pay more than $25k for a Focus, regardless of what kind of fuel savings it's going to give me.

I love the idea of the Volt (EREV), but again, $40k is way too much for what is essentially a Cruze.

[voip-ninja]

Originally Posted by spivonious

I think I'd consider one if the price was in line with the other Focus models. My commute is about 10 miles each way and we can always use my wife's car or rent a car for long trips. But I'm not going to pay more than $25k for a Focus, regardless of what kind of fuel savings it's going to give me.

I love the idea of the Volt (EREV), but again, $40k is way too much for what is essentially a Cruze.

It is expensive, but it's a bit silly to believe that it can be sold for the same cost as other Focus versions when it includes a battery pack that conservatively costs between $12,000 and $20,000 dollars. Remember also that you get a $7500 rebate on your taxes the year you buy it and you also in many cases get additional state subsidies as well as perks like parking in restricted areas, using HOV lanes, etc.

For the typical driver who travels 12,000 miles a year, the savings on fuel at $4 a gallon would be about $1600 per year not to mention $100+ in oil changes, etc. The electric cost to operate the vehicle, in most states would be about $400 a year. So, you are paying an extra $7K up front for the car compared to the ICE version, you get some extra perks (HOV, etc) and you save $about $1200 a year in fuel costs, meaning you probably break even in six or less years. Some reports have suggested the breakeven could be in as little as five years.

You also have the satisfaction of driving a zero emissions vehicle and reducing reliance on foreign energy sources. It's easier to control emissions at a central power plant than control it in millions of individual vehicles, not to mention that nearly all US power grid energy sources are domestically generated and many of them are far greener than oil burning.

The only real downside I see is that probably in 10-12 years, if you keep it long term you will need to replace the battery, but the prices of those have been consistently falling 8% a year, so the $15K battery pack today will probably cost less than $5K when it needs replacement in 12 years.

I would really consider getting one, but it does not have enough range for me. If I had a typical 10 mile each way commute it would be a bit of a no brainer.

[TimothyDike]

It's not a no-emissions vehicle, you still need to generate the electricity to charge up the battery. Your electric bill is going to go way up, and a fast charge will cost you some bucks. I like the concept and hope the range and price improves, but I think it's wrong for us to be paying a $7500 rebate to buyers. We are spending way too much in this country and this doesn't help. Even with that rebate, you would have to own and drive your EV for 20+ years to save anything. That's unlikely.

[voip-ninja]

The most recent reports from 3rd parties peg the break even point at about 7 yrs, not 20. I broke it all down in the post above but you seem to have ignored it to get your point in, and I hate to break it to you but you're misinformed.

For one thing, there are plenty of places in the US were electricity is produced from hydro or nuclear power and there are no appreciable emissions at all from the electric power generation.

Or, if you're like me, you invested in solar and you produce your own electricity so the cost of adding 500 kWh for electric car charging every month is a minimal expense, or no expense at all.

As to the government subsidizing electrics, it is creating a lot of jobs, here, just like when the US subsidizes any other industry whether it be the gas, oil and coal industries, the defense industry, etc.... but I don't see people up in arms about that stuff.

[TimothyDike]

Sorry 20 years is a bit of an exaggeration. The only way your going to pay it off in 7 years is to trade your SUV. But if you compare apples to apples, or Focus Gas to Focus EV your looking at 10 years once you factor in the cost of the charging station. That is based on some optimism that your battery will last that long and that as it ages it wont require even longer charging times. I shudder to think of what a new battery will cost for one.

Also the majority of electricity is not produced by hydro or alt energy. That is just a fact of life.

I'm not for any subsidies, I don't mind TEMPORARY incentives to spark new technology, but they seem to find a way to extend them forever.

So far my only investment in solar is lawn lighting and a battery charger for my old Ford. I have yet to see an affordable home unit that will last beyond the payoff point.

If the initial cost was not so high, I would buy one for my wife. She has a short commute and probably wouldn't use enough juice to fully drain the battery each day making the standard 110v charge acceptable. However she would have to have a second car to actually go any real distance. For me, I commute 100 miles a day and will just stick to my evil gas burning Focus for now.

[Sid03SVT]

"100 mile range" = not likely to actually get 100 miles out of it, not if you use the radio, heat, ac, windows, door locks, nav, or any other electronic device. My commute is about 30miles each way, on CT highways; a top speed of 84mph isnt going to cut it, not to mention the abysmal acceleration. I'd have to plug it in every night with the hopes that it's fully charged the next day, not to mention when I travel for work about the state.
I'll keep my motorcycle for the summer (better than 40mpg on average) and get something else for the winter.

I like the idea of electric cars, but the technology just isn't there yet to make them a viable option, and neither is the infrastructure, mainly quick charge stations.

[joe91898]

I would love to get away from a gas vehicle, unfortunately this is just not the answer yet. To expensive. I'd rather buy a Prius.
Go Solar people. Wether it be for electricity or a hot water system. I just installed an 80gallon hot water system myself. Fairly easy to install. Saves me around $50/month in electric (we have an electric ht wtr htr). Total cost $3600. Minus the tax rebates it will pay for itself in about 2.5 years. Local dealer in NY sells full kits. Sunpeak USA is the brand name. This stuff is a no brainer.

[fordblue]

Can I chime in?
Electric cost aye? Ever heard of solid waste to energy? It works. florida has I believe around ten operating waste to energy facilities. Using twin boilers and one turbine(palm beach county} Two boilers two turbines120 megawatts..(miami dade).. two boilers one turbine.{ broward.}.....FPL hated that!.{ they have to buy that electric.........Its the law.The first plant ever to become fully functional in the united states was miami. Started operating and brought on line in 1980 or there abouts.This is the solution but the EPA is all over them like white on rice. The exhaust is wet scrubbed. thats not smoke its steam. But they are dumb, deaf and blind. And for some odd reason , Ignore the stack levels........I think some times the EPA is on the take.Another big benefit is jobs and way less landfills.

However Im not Interested in a electric vehicle...count this old man out!.....Probably wont ever...Im way to old school. I reckon ill be buying gasoline...................and like it..just saying.

[MisterH]

Definitely not me. I'm not giving up my manual transmission.