New buyer research hybrid or energy?

[Harvard]

Hello all & pretty decent forum here, have been learning quite a bit from reading thru all the post's. I have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind.

For all you hybrid folk what stopped you from the buying energi? not out yet at time of purchase, technology to new, or the cost to buy offsets the potential gains retuned etc.

 

I'm stuck between the 2 and wonder how you all feel maybe if you could do it all over?

 

and question 2 is i see in the energy you can get 17inch wheels however the hybrid only shows 18's can you get a 2014 hybrid with

17" wheels?

Either way it's a 2014 titanium level

 

My commute is 21 miles to work highway and city I work at a college campus and drive around the campus several times a day then 21 miles home city/highway of corse with traffic.

 

Also at the campus

they have garages with plug in stations availible however i may not have the opportunity to recharge very often!

 

Any input would be appreciated, the salesman I'm dealing with recommends the hybrid. his opinion is the hybrid is 2nd generation and the plug in is 1st gen and too new,

 

 

[corncobs]

Welcome to the FFH forum.

 

Based on your numbers and the fact that you have the ability to charge at campus my choice would be the Energi.

 

That of course depends if you are "willing" to pay the extra premium. There are a few members here that have bought an Energi with less favorable numbers.

 

Good luck with your decision either way you can't go wrong.

[murphy]

I bought the Energi because I had been driving a hybrid for 4 years and wanted to try something different. The Hybrid and the Energi are very nearly the same car. The battery in the Energi is much bigger giving less trunk space. That is not a problem for me. When the Energi's big battery is depleted the car becomes a hybrid. On long trips I put the car in hybrid mode (EV later) and drive it as a hybrid until I reach my destination. Around home I drive it in electric mode only (EV now). I picked up the car on April 15, 2013 and used 29.2 gallons of gasoline during the rest of 2013. That's slightly more than 2 tanks. If you can afford the Energi go for it. As I said when the big battery is discharged it operates the same as the hybrid does.

[vangonebuy]

I'm stuck between the 2 and wonder how you all feel maybe if you could do it all over?

 

For me, The hybrid was the better choice.

Trunk was needed. And electric rates were too high.

Short trips are better with the energi. My Mrs. has a short trip to work, (6 miles). Not the best distance for the hybrid to shine.

 

I would get the adaptive cruise package, navigation features as a do over.

 

Very Happy otherwise.

[rjent]

For me the premium for the Energi was just too high. At the time it was about 8K difference. In retrospect, I think I would rather have an Energi. With that said, my hyTI is just awesome. I wouldn't trade it for anything. In a year or two, I will be trading (my normal trading schedule). I will probably try an Energi at that tiime.

 

Both cars are just outstanding ...

 

Just my .02 :)

[hybridbear]

We live in an apartment where plugging in is not an option right now. If it had been we would be driving a plug-in. At the time the Energi also wasn't available and once it was the price premium was way too high. However, based on our recommendation, my parents bought a C-Max Energi this past summer.

 

Right now there are some rally good deals on leftover 2013 Energis if you're able to buy now. 2013 Fusion Energis will calculate MPGe and also have the Lifetime Summary. All 2014s are lacking these two features.

 

All Energis have 17 inch wheels. All HyTis have 18 inch wheels. 17 inch wheels will slightly improve MPGs compared to the 18s.

 

A 21 mile commute would be right on the edge of making it all electric in the summer, and in the winter you will not make it without the ICE coming on. If your commute is just too long where the ICE will always come on but just barely, then the ICE will never warm up and it'll be very inefficient. I would recommend arranging an overnight test drive from a dealer so that you can charge overnight at home and try your commute to work to see if you can make it all electric. If you can't then I would recommend either the hybrid or a plug in with more range, like the Chevy Volt.

 

The ICE is very inefficient when it first comes on and if you have that happen at the very end of your commute every day you'll really lower your overall efficiency

 

As far as Fusion options, I highly recommend the Lane Keep Assist. The Active Parking might seem useless if you don't parallel park often, but it also includes front parking sensors which work just like the rear sensors, but on the front bumper. They're very useful.

[jeffo65]

We passed on the Energi due to the extra cost. Our plan was to purchase the car outright and if we went with the Energi we would have had to finance. Plus our commutes would not benefit using the Energi, due to the distances and lack of charging stations. I also was steered away from the Energi due to its short electric range.

[Harvard]

Thanks for the reply's, its a tough decision. we have no left over 2013's in our area metro Boston, in fact i haven't been able to see a energi whether it was a fusion or a c max dealers can't keep them in stock!

I'm still in research mode at this point! but do like the fusion over all seem like a great car! i guess it will come down to best price between models dealer is willing to sell hybrid at invoice already and we just getting started!

[jeff_h]

Thanks for the reply's, its a tough decision. we have no left over 2013's in our area metro Boston, in fact i haven't been able to see a energi whether it was a fusion or a c max dealers can't keep them in stock!

I'm still in research mode at this point! but do like the fusion over all seem like a great car! i guess it will come down to best price between models dealer is willing to sell hybrid at invoice already and we just getting started!

 

1 - Do you haul things in the trunk where a lot of space would be needed? If so, go with the hybrid as the back seats fold all the way down (Energi does not except for a small opening into the cabin).

 

2 - You mentioned that there is the capability to charge while at work, though you will have some errands during the day. If they have Level 2 (240V) chargers that you will be using, definitely go for the Energi as you would very likely work in a full charge during the day even with off-and-on sessions (full charge on L2 is about 2 hours). If they only have Level 1 (120V) chargers or 120V outlets that you would plug your own charger into, then skip the Energi as the charging rate during Level 1 is not quick enough to get a full charge during the day (full L1 charge is about 6 hours) if you have to keep interrupting the sessions for running errands, and the constant unpacking and packing of your own portable Level 1 charger into the trunk would become a nuisance in short order.

 

3 - The 2014 Energi MSRP was just reduced by $4k, so it's not the large leap that it was in the past.

[Harvard]

 

1 - Do you haul things in the trunk where a lot of space would be needed? If so, go with the hybrid as the back seats fold all the way down (Energi does not except for a small opening into the cabin).

 

2 - You mentioned that there is the capability to charge while at work, though you will have some errands during the day. If they have Level 2 (240V) chargers that you will be using, definitely go for the Energi as you would very likely work in a full charge during the day even with off-and-on sessions (full charge on L2 is about 2 hours). If they only have Level 1 (120V) chargers or 120V outlets that you would plug your own charger into, then skip the Energi as the charging rate during Level 1 is not quick enough to get a full charge during the day (full L1 charge is about 6 hours) if you have to keep interrupting the sessions for running errands, and the constant unpacking and packing of your own portable Level 1 charger into the trunk would become a nuisance in short order.

 

3 - The 2014 Energi MSRP was just reduced by $4k, so it's not the large leap that it was in the past.

I can fit what I need on a daily basis in the trunk and I'll need to figure out what type of charging levels they provide. I'm a facility electrician and driving around campus most days is unpredictable as to where and how long I would be somewhere.

the smaller trunk would not be an issue. I think for the most part I would only get a charge for one way commuting, not sure that it would be worth it if thats how it pans out. If that was your scenario would that stop you from the energi ?

[jeff_h]

I think for the most part I would only get a charge for one way commuting, not sure that it would be worth it if that's how it pans out. If that was your scenario would that stop you from the energi ?

 

Well it's your money, but personally I would and did. My commute is 60 miles each way and I asked the leadership at my company for the OK to plug into an outlet during the day (most days my car doesn't move during the day), they said no -- but may reconsider in the future. In the meantime I found a chargepoint station down the road that is public and free so I just walk to the office when I leave it to charge and walk back to get it a couple hours later. But if my commute was 21 miles each way, I would go for the Energi and use 'EV-Later' to save the HVB charge for when you're driving short trips during the day and not use gas then (and use the remainder on the way home), which is when the hybrids don't do as well since short trips don't afford time for the ICE to warm up to optimal temps and optimal MPG.

[Harvard]

 

Well it's your money, but personally I would and did. My commute is 60 miles each way and I asked the leadership at my company for the OK to plug into an outlet during the day (most days my car doesn't move during the day), they said no -- but may reconsider in the future. In the meantime I found a chargepoint station down the road that is public and free so I just walk to the office when I leave it to charge and walk back to get it a couple hours later. But if my commute was 21 miles each way, I would go for the Energi and use 'EV-Later' to save the HVB charge for when you're driving short trips during the day and not use gas then (and use the remainder on the way home), which is when the hybrids don't do as well since short trips don't afford time for the ICE to warm up to optimal temps and optimal MPG.

Thats not a bad idea !

[acdii]

I would have preferred the Energi over the Hybrid, but I only deal with my dealer and he isn't, nor will be, Energi certified, he doesn't feel the cost is worth it for the payback they would get. I had looked at another dealer, same one Corncob uses, but they were unwilling to make a fair offer for either my trade or for the Energi model.

 

Trunk space, non issue, I have alternate vehicle for that, and my commute would allow me to use EV now at the end of my morning trip and beginning of my home trip, and switch to hybrid once on the rural highways. As for tire sizes, the difference is minimal between the 17 and 18" wheels regarding MPG, 2 maybe a 3 MPG difference all around. It does limit you on which low rolling tires you can choose from though, so 17" wheels are a better option, but look off on the car after seeing so many with the 18" wheels.

[Gigi]

Harvard,

 

If you can plug in at work, 21 miles is just right for getting good use out of the energi's larger battery. If you charge at work, many days you will make it to work and home all on EV. If, however, you have to pay a premium price for plugging in at work - $2.50 an hour, say, it will be more economical to just burn gas. You'll have to do the math this. If you can charge at work for free, you can save the cost of half a gallon of gas for your trip home.

Where you may see real savings with the energi is in the small trips you make around home such as to the grocery, hardware store, out to eat, etc. Short trips are murder on gas mileage even for hybrids. On the weekend, I may run out in the morning for a couple of errands, come home and plug in, go out again in the afternoon for more errands, return home and plug in, go out for dinner in the evening, etc. There's no need for me to beat myself up about wasting gas for short trips because I'm not.

 

There is a premium for buying the energi over the hybrid, but you can get some of that back in tax credits - $4007 from the feds. Your state may include PHEVs in a tax credit too. The hybrid is a good choice. If you can maximize the number of miles you drive on electricity, the energi may be a good choice economically. Besides, it's wonderfully smooth and quiet driving in EV mode.

The salesman has it wrong. While the energi may be relatively new, it uses the same technology as the hybrid - same engine, same motor. The difference is that the energi has a larger battery and a charger that accepts 120/240.

[acdii]

His salesman is a hybrid n00b. He is referring to the Energi as Gen1, because it is the first plug in model. It really is a Gen 2 hybrid, Gen 1 plug in.

[Gigi]

From my experience with Ford salesmen (and so far they have all been men), I trust my own research more than I trust what they tell me.