Looking to buy - will the range work for me?

[michael]

According to tests at Idaho National Lab:

45 MPH: range = 97.1
60 MPH: range = 71.7
70 MPH: range = 57.6

http://avt.inl.gov/fsev.shtml


This will make you cry: their testing of the 1999 GM EV-1 showed 220.7 miles at 45 MPH and 160.6 miles at 60 MPH.

 

[hybridbear]

This will make you cry: their testing of the 1999 GM EV-1 showed 220.7 miles at 45 MPH and 160.6 miles at 60 MPH.

How many kWh was the EV-1 battery?

 

[jmueller065]

How many kWh was the EV-1 battery?

When I looked through that link about the EV-1 it didn't explicitly state the kWh of the battery but the various tests indicated that it was somewhere around 30 kWh.

Thus you have a car 800lbs lighter than the FFE with a larger battery--of course it had better range.

 

[michael]

According to the report, the 45 MPH test used 28.15 kWh for an average of 127 Wh/mile. The 65 MPH test used 27.04 kWh for an average of 168 Wh/mile. So the car had about 50% more useful capacity than typical EV's today and yet weighed less. With this it went twice as far.

This was done with NiMH batteries. Sixteen years later you can't buy a car that will do this for less than Tesla prices and perhaps half again the weight.

Weight is a minor factor for constant speed testing. The EV-1 was only slightly shorter and narrower than the FFE, but quite a bit less tall. And of course it was a two-seater, something that no current EV offers.

Based on what I think I see, I might well buy an EV-1 type car today if priced comparable to Leaf, FFE, etc. I would happily trade the two always-empty seats in back for twice the range and increased MPGe.

 

[breeves002]

Well... I bought it!

 

[triangles]

Great! What kind of deal did u end up getting if you don't mind me asking.

 

[breeves002]

I paid $14,635 (no dealer fees, talked them out of that). 9,800 miles 2014MY with leather.

Its in great interior shape, one small dent and a few scratches on the outside.

Loving it already! Free L2 charging at the building next to work and free L1 at work!

 

[breeves002]

So I'm loving this thing. Its awesome. Perfect commuter!

Only problem is theres a knocking type noise over little bumps from the rear right. I'll bring it to a dealer to diagnose when I have time... Guessing they give free rentals?

 

[KamikazeKunze]

Just read this full thread. Great info.
I discovered yesterday that the FFE was available at my local drive electric week event. I live behind a Ford Dealer and only ever saw the C-Max lineup.
I definitely am searching for an FFE over the Leaf, mostly because my wife works for State Farm and is nervous about the Leaf's poor offset crash rating. At least the FFE gets "average" in that area.

breeves002, my 2012 Volt creaks also (from the rear), I hear it occasionally when leaving my parking lot. I think in my case it's the strut springs.

Everyone else,
Every FFE I have looked at on Craigslist or the one I saw yesterday all had cream/tan interior. That to me is hideous! is that the only color it comes in? I would greatly prefer Black or at a minimum Grey.

Thanks all, hopefully I'll be an FFE owner in the next few weeks.

 

[breeves002]

Yes one color interior. I like the color with the leather in mine. Go drive one and see if you like it.

Mine isn't a creak, its more of a popping/rattling. Again, under warranty so I'll have the dealer look at it.

Hope you get one too! Loving mine!

 

[WattsUp]

Every FFE I have looked at on Craigslist or the one I saw yesterday all had cream/tan interior. That to me is hideous! is that the only color it comes in?

Yes, that's the only color. It does have some darker accents... the "whole" interior isn't tan. In person, it is a pretty subdued tan color. Some of the online photos don't convey this well.

I'm not a huge fan of tan interiors either, but with the FFE, the electric aspect of the car was more important to me than the interior.

But, as others have said, see it in person before you pass final judgement.

 

[NightHawk]

Every FFE I have looked at on Craigslist or the one I saw yesterday all had cream/tan interior. That to me is hideous! is that the only color it comes in? I would greatly prefer Black or at a minimum Grey.

Thanks all, hopefully I'll be an FFE owner in the next few weeks.

The seats are a tan color but the floor carpeting is dark closer to black or dark gray as is the front panel area.
3rd party seat covers with a variety of colors are available however:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ABJGC0C/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1YRSMW0UIL6XN&coliid=ILJ2LVZPZ3DO3&psc=1