Now an Electric Escape in the Wings

[ChasingCoral]

I’ve been very impressed with the Rav4 PHEV. Fast. ~40 miles electric only. Good hauling & towing capacity. If we didn’t have good BEVs coming out it would make a lot of sense for many of my needs. It also serves as a bridge in parts of the US that are still charging deserts .

Sponsored

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

I have had many, many tanks at over 1,000 miles, at least one at 2,500 miles, and my current tank is at over 2,200 miles in my Fusion Energi. (I reset Trip 1 on each fill-up and rarely get gas until the car is showing the red "WTAF BUY GAS YOU IDIOT" icon.)

A PHEV was absolutely better for me than any of the three "normal" hybrids I had before it. I am getting slightly worse ICE mileage than I did in any of them, but I so very rarely use the ICE that it doesn't matter.

Even comparing to 60 MPG, which no "normal" hybrid would ever get, let alone a normal ICE vehicle, I've saved hundreds of gallons of gas - the MyFord Mobile site is happy to tell me that:

Comparing to 45 MPG, which was about the best I could get with any regularity across the three previous hybrids:

I work from home, and have for years. Even when I was travelling regularly for work, I could often get to the airport parking lot on pure EV (not always - it was 19 mi one way), where I could charge for free while I was away.

The idea that as a direct, factual statement that PHEVs are bad for everyone is just wrong. It was a perfect choice for me when I bought it and continues to be pretty darn great for me, better than a traditional hybrid and, at the moment, better than any of the BEV options that I can buy today, at least for me with my personal criteria for purchasing a vehicle. There's a reason I'm very strongly considering keeping the Fusion Energi and even have two chargers and charging circuits in the garage.

For others, maybe a PHEV is a bad choice. But to suggest they are wrong for everyone - and by implication, saying that my experience is irrelevant for... reasons? - is at best silly, and at worst seriously insulting.

 

[SnBGC]

I have had many, many tanks at over 1,000 miles, at least one at 2,500 miles, and my current tank is at over 2,200 miles in my Fusion Energi. (I reset Trip 1 on each fill-up and rarely get gas until the car is showing the red "WTAF BUY GAS YOU IDIOT" icon.)

A PHEV was absolutely better for me than any of the three "normal" hybrids I had before it. I am getting slightly worse ICE mileage than I did in any of them, but I so very rarely use the ICE that it doesn't matter.

Even comparing to 60 MPG, which no "normal" hybrid would ever get, let alone a normal ICE vehicle, I've saved hundreds of gallons of gas - the MyFord Mobile site is happy to tell me that:

Comparing to 45 MPG, which was about the best I could get with any regularity across the three previous hybrids:

I work from home, and have for years. Even when I was travelling regularly for work, I could often get to the airport parking lot on pure EV (not always - it was 19 mi one way), where I could charge for free while I was away.

The idea that as a direct, factual statement that PHEVs are bad for everyone is just wrong. It was a perfect choice for me when I bought it and continues to be pretty darn great for me, better than a traditional hybrid and, at the moment, better than any of the BEV options that I can buy today, at least for me with my personal criteria for purchasing a vehicle. There's a reason I'm very strongly considering keeping the Fusion Energi and even have two chargers and charging circuits in the garage.

For others, maybe a PHEV is a bad choice. But to suggest they are wrong for everyone - and by implication, saying that my experience is irrelevant for... reasons? - is at best silly, and at worst seriously insulting.

Agree. I actually made a video to help people that might be struggling to decide which is best for them. I personally think people should go straight to BEV if possible but if they arent ready then PHEV will be the next best thing. Then their next vehicle will almost certainly be BEV. A means to an end....
Link to video for those that are bored and want some good material to poke and tease me over. I was just learning myself when I made this so take it with a grain of salt so to speak.

 

[Jolteon]

They're garbage even on a road trip, because on gas they get worse efficiency than a FHEV would.

I like hybrids. Without plugs.

I like BEVs.

Hybrids with plugs are garbage. My C-Max Energi was absolutely garbage. Only car I've ever regretted owning.

 

[trutolife27]

They're garbage even on a road trip, because on gas they get worse efficiency than a FHEV would.

I like hybrids. Without plugs.

I like BEVs.

Hybrids with plugs are garbage. My C-Max Energi was absolutely garbage. Only car I've ever regretted owning.

So on your theory, a vehicle is garbage by range?

 

[SnBGC]

They're garbage even on a road trip, because on gas they get worse efficiency than a FHEV would.

I like hybrids. Without plugs.

I like BEVs.

Hybrids with plugs are garbage. My C-Max Energi was absolutely garbage. Only car I've ever regretted owning.

So.....
What you are saying is..."PHEVs are garbage." Got it. ?

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

Hybrids with plugs are garbage.

I literally proved earlier in this thread this making such a blanket statement is wrong.

Your continued insistence that your experience trumps every other human's experience on the planet shows you to be extremely arrogant and incapable of having a discussion.

You're now muted. Enjoy screaming your stupidity into the void.

 

[mfb]

I have owned three C-Max Energies. I currently own two of them - both late 2017 models, built just before Ford stopped making them.

They are without doubt the best cars I've ever owned. Great for around town on the battery, great for road trips on the engine. We haven't been doing much travelling this year, so the last time I filled the tank was in January. That car has averaged over 70 mpg since new.

I'd love it if the car went 50-60 miles on a charge, but it doesn't. So I'll enjoy what I have instead of wishing for what I don't.

I do have a reservation for a MME Premium. I haven't converted it to an order yet because my wife and I would like to sit in an MME to see if it fits us as well as the CMax does.

I'm not a Mustang fanatic. I want an MME because it's full electric, it looks like a nice car, and it's an SUV. But I don't want bucket seats and I don't give a hoot about 0-60 times. Just give me enough oomph to merge on the highway. The CMAX isn't spectacular but it will do that. And it fits us.

 

[mfb]

Sure. But in the CMax they're not deep bucket seats. You don't feel like you're riding on the ground. You sit up more like you're in a normal chair. And it's easy to get into and out of - you don't lower yourself into it.

I'm not the only one concerned about the height of the MME seats. Several folks here have asked but I haven't seen any good answers yet.

 

[trutolife27]

Here is what that battery does and some other info about it on tesla.

 

[dbsb3233]

"We" have battery shortages? I doubt all manufacturers do. PHEV sales are growing like crazy in Europe because of government subsidies. When subsidies are removed from PHEVs (and they will be), we will see the era of the PHEV draw rapidly to a close.

Those same subsidies drive BEV sales too. Remove them, and most will stick with cheaper ICE.

 

[dbsb3233]

PHEVs are absolutely, unequivocally, the worst of both worlds.

Only if comparing to owning TWO vehicles in the household: one BEV and one ICE.

Yes, a pure BEV is better at what BEV alone does.
Yes, a pure ICE is better at what ICE alone does.

But if you're only going to own ONE vehicle in the household instead of two, and you need it to do BOTH short commutes and many long road trips, then a good PHEV can be a great fit.

And not just as a bridge to a BEV.

 

[Raymondjram]

FHEVs & PHEVs generally haven't used the same pouch cells that BEVs use, so likely the cells are from an altogether different supplier. The Explorer's batteries are from VEJ, for example, who make prismatic cells.

The Fusion Hybrid and Energi cells are made by Panasonic. I am sure because I have four cells from each type taken out from salvaged Fusions.

Sponsored