Hello everyone,
Just placed an order for a 2014 FFE today. Thanks for all of the information on the forum. Now I just have to wait for delivery.
The out the door price for the car (includes transport, taxes, registration, etc) I got was ~ $26,500. I live in VA which has a 4% sales tax, so the cost of the car was ~ $25,400. The $7,500 tax rebate brings my cost down to $20,000, and Ford's is offering 0%, 5-year financing for the FFE.
I was a bit confused about some of the range numbers at first, the EPA number vs. calculating range. The EPA calculated efficiency based on power used at the charger (drive a while and figure out how much power to recharge the battery and calculate the mpge). Range is calculated from how much battery power is used to travel a given distance. There definitely needs to be some better consistency or clarity.
The battery is specified at 23kWh, which is derated to ~19.5kWh. In a Consumer Reports review, they got about 3.18 miles per kWh (0.314kW/mile) and about an 80 mile range. The efficiency calculation however is in reference to measuring the power provided by the charger, which is a valid EPA estimate to determine how much it cost drive a mile. Calculating range using the 0.314kW/mile is incorrect (19.5 / 0.314 = 62 miles). For every 0.3 kWh of energy from the charger, the battery only stores about 0.25 kWh (80-85% efficiency in converting AC to DC and then charging the battery). Based on numbers from this forum, the FFE uses about 0.250 kWh per mile (up to 0.3 kWh per mile if you have a lead foot). So if you use 0.25kWh/mile x 76 miles = 19 kWh, which matches all the tested range numbers.
I needed to calculate the range of the car in different weather conditions to make sure it would work for me. I have a 50 mile commute (round trip) on the DC beltway. My 50 mile commute should then use between 12.5 - 15 kWh. On a cold day, below 25 degrees, according to some posts the battery capacity drops to about 16 kWh. So if I drive conservatively and use only 13 kWh, I have ~ 3 kWh for heat and accessories. If I preheat the car in the morning, I can use the spare 3 kWh for heat and lights on the return trip. When it is warm outside, according to other posts the battery capacity doesn't drop as much, to about 18kWh. This gives me 5kWh for the air conditioner. The AC should be more efficient than the heater ( heat pump vs. resistive heater), so I should be able to run it in the morning and evening.
I currently get 25 mpg in my car, so my 50 mile commute costs $8 per day. A full charge for the FFE only costs $2. I should be able to save at least $132 per month in gas ($6/day * 22 days = $132). Financing the full $20K for the car (assuming I don't finance the $7.5K tax rebate) cost $334/month. My total actual cost is then $378/month ($334 + $44 for electricity). My total effective cost compared to still using my current car however is $202 per month ($334 - $132 = $202) for the first 5 years. That doesn't include any additional savings from maintenance. Personally, I think this is a great deal. Thanks again for all the helpful posts.
Just placed an order for a 2014 FFE today. Thanks for all of the information on the forum. Now I just have to wait for delivery.
The out the door price for the car (includes transport, taxes, registration, etc) I got was ~ $26,500. I live in VA which has a 4% sales tax, so the cost of the car was ~ $25,400. The $7,500 tax rebate brings my cost down to $20,000, and Ford's is offering 0%, 5-year financing for the FFE.
I was a bit confused about some of the range numbers at first, the EPA number vs. calculating range. The EPA calculated efficiency based on power used at the charger (drive a while and figure out how much power to recharge the battery and calculate the mpge). Range is calculated from how much battery power is used to travel a given distance. There definitely needs to be some better consistency or clarity.
The battery is specified at 23kWh, which is derated to ~19.5kWh. In a Consumer Reports review, they got about 3.18 miles per kWh (0.314kW/mile) and about an 80 mile range. The efficiency calculation however is in reference to measuring the power provided by the charger, which is a valid EPA estimate to determine how much it cost drive a mile. Calculating range using the 0.314kW/mile is incorrect (19.5 / 0.314 = 62 miles). For every 0.3 kWh of energy from the charger, the battery only stores about 0.25 kWh (80-85% efficiency in converting AC to DC and then charging the battery). Based on numbers from this forum, the FFE uses about 0.250 kWh per mile (up to 0.3 kWh per mile if you have a lead foot). So if you use 0.25kWh/mile x 76 miles = 19 kWh, which matches all the tested range numbers.
I needed to calculate the range of the car in different weather conditions to make sure it would work for me. I have a 50 mile commute (round trip) on the DC beltway. My 50 mile commute should then use between 12.5 - 15 kWh. On a cold day, below 25 degrees, according to some posts the battery capacity drops to about 16 kWh. So if I drive conservatively and use only 13 kWh, I have ~ 3 kWh for heat and accessories. If I preheat the car in the morning, I can use the spare 3 kWh for heat and lights on the return trip. When it is warm outside, according to other posts the battery capacity doesn't drop as much, to about 18kWh. This gives me 5kWh for the air conditioner. The AC should be more efficient than the heater ( heat pump vs. resistive heater), so I should be able to run it in the morning and evening.
I currently get 25 mpg in my car, so my 50 mile commute costs $8 per day. A full charge for the FFE only costs $2. I should be able to save at least $132 per month in gas ($6/day * 22 days = $132). Financing the full $20K for the car (assuming I don't finance the $7.5K tax rebate) cost $334/month. My total actual cost is then $378/month ($334 + $44 for electricity). My total effective cost compared to still using my current car however is $202 per month ($334 - $132 = $202) for the first 5 years. That doesn't include any additional savings from maintenance. Personally, I think this is a great deal. Thanks again for all the helpful posts.