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2016 Ford Fusion Energi vs. 2014 Cadillac ELR (and Volt)


Blastphemy
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I had the pleasure today of test driving my first Ford Fusion Energi. I drove both a 2015 and 2016 model year, and they seemed very similar except for the different center console. (The 2015 has a touch-sensitive pad while the 2016 has actual buttons in a slightly different layout.)

 

As I noted in the "Welcome" subforum, I currently drive a 2014 Cadillac ELR, and previously drove a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. Before that I had a 2011 Infiniti M56, 2008 Infiniti M45, and 2000 Oldsmobile Alero.

 

While the ELR is a gorgeous PHEV car with many of the accoutrements expected in a luxury car, it also has a plethora of minor shortcomings that, taken collectively, result in an frustrating driving experience for me. My configuration had an MSRP of $79k, and I leased closed to that number. But today you can buy a similarly-optioned 2014 ELR for less than $53k if you search hard enough.

 

Comparing the ELR to the Fusion Energi Titanium is not quite apples to apples because the ELR is a coupe, has EV-only range of 30-40 miles, and doesn't require the gas engine to accelerate confidently at higher speeds. The ELR also looks like a car Batman might drive, whereas the Ford is more conservative with its design.

 

However, since I'm thinking of replacing my ELR with a Fusion Energi, I'll do the comparison anyway!

 

1) Acceleration: The ELR (and Chevy Volt on which it's based) wins handily in this category. Driving the Fusion Energi in EV-only mode was anemic above 35 mph. I floored the Energi at 60 merging on to the highway up a gentle ramp and the car stayed at 60. Flooring the ELR under the same conditions, it easily speeds up purposefully in no time. The ELR isn't a Tesla, but it has confident, reliable acceleration. The Energi, on the other hand, doesn't feel safe to drive in some situations without the gas engine assisting. However, once at highway speed, the Energi moves effortlessly with traffic for the most part, but passing is not always possible, especially if the other driver is rude and trying to prevent it. The driving experience in the Fusion is markedly better with the engine assisting in EV Auto mode, but then you're forced to use gas and the engine vibration is a bit strong (but not nearly as obnoxious as the Volt's). The ELR handles better than both the Fusion and Volt.

 

2) EV Range: I've gotten as high as 50 miles to a charge under ideal conditions with my ELR. But my test drives of the Fusion Energi Titanium with A/C running (including cooled seats) only achieved about 16 EV-only miles. Granted, it was a test drive so I was much more aggressive than normal to put the car through its paces, but it's still a bit disappointing. But since my daily commute is 16 miles and I can charge at work, that won't be much of an issue. But there's no way I'll be able to make longer drives from Santa Clarita to Santa Monica without using gas like I can now. In my 2012 Volt, the range was even longer than my ELR.

 

3) Audio: I'm a professional musician, so I can tell the difference between the ELR's Bose system and Energi Titanium's Sony system. But if I didn't make a living listening to the nuances and subtle timbres of sound, I might not be able to tell them apart. For me, the ELR's system is superior, but not by much. Neither holds a candle to the Mark Levinson system found in the Lexus LS460, but both systems are robust and a pleasure to listen to. The Volt's premium sound system is OK, but it's not going to win any awards and definitely doesn't compete with the Titanium or ELR systems.

 

4) Infotainment: While Cadillac C.U.E. looks much sexier than MyFord Touch and has some detailed vehicle settings that the Fusion doesn't, C.U.E. can be very frustrating to use. There are so many problems with the interface, engineering, and responsiveness in C.U.E. that even the minor quibbles I had with MyFord Touch didn't bother me nearly as much. And if one orders a CD drive with the ELR, it gets stuck in the glove compartment way over in front of the passenger. Interoperability with Android and iOS is an inconsistent nightmare in C.U.E. However, neither C.U.E. nor MyFord Touch can browse media via Bluetooth (except for skipping ahead or back one track), which is a real shame. I don't remember if the Volt has full Bluetooth control of media devices, but my wife's 2012 Toyota Rav4 EV has full interoperability via Bluetooth and handles audio devices with aplomb.

 

5) Seats: Despite having an MSRP north of $76k, the 2014 ELR doesn't offer cooled front seats. The Fusion does. The ELR's rear bucket seats are nearly unusable unless your passengers are shorter than 5'6" and not claustrophobic. The Fusion has comfortable rear seating for two adults and a child (or smaller third adult). The Fusion's seats are more comfortable than the ELR's, but I like the ELR's headrests better. The Volt also only seats 4, but more comfortably than the ELR.

 

6) Trunk: Both cars have a small trunk, but the Energi's is ridiculous. The Chevy Volt is a hatchback, so there's oodles of room.

 

7) Software Updates: Cadillac only issues TSB (technical service bulletin) updates that must be performed at the dealership. While Cadillac had initially promised to continually update C.U.E. in existing models to keep it current, that language was removed from its website last year and no C.U.E. feature update has happened since March 2013. Compare that to the Fusion Energi which can connect to your home's wireless network and download regular MyFord Touch software improvements. Ford easily wins this one!

 

8) Adaptive Cruise Control: The ACC in the ELR is full-range, so it will bring the car to a complete stop and then start moving again when traffic moves. The Ford's system is only effective down to about 12 mph, and it's not nearly as refined. Still, for the majority of driving the Fusion's system is adequate. But the ELR's ACC system is much better.

 

9) Everything Else: The ELR has a lot of annoyances, like an incessant triple-honk that sounds if the driver dares to step out of his/her currently running vehicle with the keyfob. It sounds when the driver's door is closed, the trunk is opened/closed, the passenger door is opened/closed, etc. I found nothing like that in the Ford that even came close to being so infuriatingly unnecessary and intrusive. Both the ELR and Fusion Energi have memory seats and mirrors. The Visibility in the Ford is much better than in the ELR and Volt. Overall, I didn't feel like I was missing anything ancillary in the Ford. I'm sure I forgot some of the other feature similarities and differences I noticed during the test drive, but I think I've written enough at this point.

 

So in conclusion, I was very impressed with the Fusion Energi and am very seriously considering replacing my ELR with it. Driving the Fusion Energi on the 405 felt like I was in a Lexus - quiet, comfotable, and smooth. It's a well-made car, and should embarrass the heck outta Cadillac.

 

I just have to decide if I can get past the disappointing acceleration and limited range. Oh yeah - the Fusion is half the price of the full-priced 2014 ELR (and at least $10-15k less than the current fire sale prices at Cadillac dealerships), so maybe half the range and acceleration isn't so bad. :)

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How timely - today I went to see the 2016 Volt in person, and took lots of pics.  I think the 2016 Volt is great looking on the outside (as is the Fusion) but the inside was OK but a bit "plasticky" - but for someone who is looking for more EV range, it has an HVB more than twice the size of the Energi so depending on a person's priorities they may care a lot more about that than the finer points of the interior.  So as the OP said, it's all about one's priorities -- range, acceleration, sound system, navigation, wheels, cup holders, and the list goes on...

Not a great day to make a trip to downtown DC, since holiday weekend coming up and everyone wanted to skip town and probably take Friday off:
Traffic_20150521_zpso5nitarj.jpg

This color is the Iridescent Pearl... was a nice color but not sure it's worth a premium price (on 2015 model it's an extra $995), however it was overcast so maybe be really comes to life in the sunshine.
Volt_20150521_01_zpskp6nstia.jpg


There was also a guy there to help demo the car, he was wiping down the outside every few minutes -- it was  bit disconcerting that when one Volt owner wanted to open the hood and was having trouble finding the secondary latch, that the demo guy said "it doesn't have a latch" (I always thought a secondary latch was required for safety reasons) and then told the owner that "maybe they (Chevy) don't want it to be shown since this is a pre-production model" -- however 10 minutes later a different owner went and found the secondary latch and opened it up -- so the secondary latch is yellow just up and to the left of the bowtie.
Volt_20150521_14_zpsx0he5pgo.jpg

Here are the other pics I took -
Volt_20150521_13_zpsd6dibo7w.jpg
Volt_20150521_10_zpsitbyqqjv.jpg
Volt_20150521_09_zpswnl8cio5.jpg
Volt_20150521_08_zps0kkf0auc.jpg
 

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What I truly don't understand about the 2016 Volt is that Chevrolet had an amazing opportunity to silence its critics by making the Volt a premier vehicle from the base model to the fully-loaded upper trim. But even though the base model will start at $33,995 and the upper level LTZ version will start at $38,345, you still can't get automatic memory seats, cooled front seats, adaptive cruise control, or any number of features found on a similarly-priced Ford Fusion Energi.

 

Sure the 2016 Volt will go 46-55 miles on a single charge and not require any engine assistance to accelerate confidently at any speed up to 100 mph (unlike the Fusion Energi), but why couldn't Chevrolet have also included the option to also add some of the impressive features we find on Fords, Buicks, Nissans, and other competitors? Does Chevrolet really think that 50 EV miles is enough to sell a car with manual seats and basic cruise control?

 

If the Volt had a third trim level (say, a Volt Titanium, to borrow Ford's nomenclature) that included memory seats, cooled seats, adaptive cruise, etc. and priced that at $43k, I'd totally buy it instead of the Fusion Energi! But right now, the only way to get that on a GM PHEV is to buy the two-door ELR of which an improved 2016 model is arriving late this year, but that car will start at $64,995 before adding the $1,695 Luxury Package and $1,995 adaptive cruise package.

 

So I can buy a $68,685 2+2 coupe with 39 miles of all-EV range with memory seats, full-speed-range adaptive cruise, and no cooled front seats, or I can buy a fully-loaded Ford Fusion Energi Titanium with 18-20 miles of EV-only range (and the need to use gas to assist at higher speeds) for about $43,000 that has memory seats, reasonable adaptive cruise, and cooled front seats.

 

But on a fully loaded $42k+ 2016 Volt LTZ? Can't get any of those features. And that is ridiculous.

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To keep the price reasonable, it seems they decided to skimp on a few fancy features and give you even more battery range.  It's a balancing act.  For someone like me, memory seats are a useless feature since I'm the only one who drives my car.  I don't have cooled seats so I don't know what I'm missing there - and as a result, I wouldn't miss them.  It depends on what is more important for you.

 

How much money do you think a Fusion Energi would be with more than double the battery capacity?  Just doubling it would jack the price up by an estimated 9k.  At the 2013 prices, that would put the car at 52k, and people were already saying how absurd the price is for a Fusion Energi at 43k.  So, they dropped the price... 4 grand was it?  So a 15kw battery pack would put the price of a similarly equipped 2015 Fusion Energi around 48k.  Ford is already having problems moving these cars at the current set price.  For those of us who have already bought, that might cause a few people here pause, but others would be OK with it.  Still... it's a 22k (base) car selling at 48k (all options) at that point - more than double.

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In regards to acceleration: The ability to accelerate for an electric vehicle is related to the size of the battery.  You can only draw power out from each cell so fast, so to get more power in the same time you have to add cells (assuming the same battery technology).  Given this, there's no way a 20 mile range vehicle will be able to compete with a 50 mile range vehicle.  This is also why the Tesla has a 5.6 0-60 for it's 70D and a 3.2 0-60 for it's larger model w/ more batteries. It's kinda like saying "I wish this 3 cylinder could accelerate like that 8 cylinder", from a physics perspective. I get why it's a factor from a buying perspective, but it's worth understanding why the "problem" exists.

The power seat mechinism is heavy and it definitely looks like they were trying to trim weight as much as possible... the cooled seats probably just don't sell enough to bother with.  The fusion probably got the option because they are the same seats as the non energi version and therefore they have a larger potential market... I think the Volt's seats are only for that car and therefore manufacturing them for the smaller need means they would be more expensive than the ford option ($400) and even less people would buy them.

 

Really, when comparing options available you should look at the same class/size vehicle and compare it to the C-Max Energi which has a lot less features (no blind spot, no adaptive cruise, no active park, no cooled seats). While I personally wish I could have gotten a C-Max with all of the technology I wanted, it wouldn't be fair to compare the C-Max to the Honda Accord that had that technology because the right comparison is Fusion to Accord.  Similiarly, the Civic doesn't have a comparable plugin option to the C-Max.
 

Still... it's a 22k (base) car selling at 48k (all options) at that point - more than double.

Where are you getting a $22K base?  After the federal rebate the article says $26.5K base, the LTZ will be just under $31K and the Fusion Energi base (with current battery) is $30.5K (all prices after federal rebate and delivery).

On the Chevy, let's say memory/cooled seats are an extra $750 (our cooled seat upgrade is $395 but they're already power/memory... but memory/power seats shouldn't be too expensive).  Then let's pretend drivers assist, adaptive cruise, nav and active park is the same as the ford $1.2K, $1K, $1K and $1K, so an extra $5K (ish) bringing it to $36K, a difference of $9.5K from base (nowhere near double)

A base energi starts at $30.5K after destination and federal rebate and tops out at $41K, a difference of $9.5K from base. Even if you include the rear inflatable seatbelts and heated steering wheel, it's about a $10K diff.  So now you just add whatever the battery cost is, but it's going to take a LOT to get it to double the base cost (an additional $20K).

 

Is an extra $10K difference a bigger deal when you're starting at $26K rather than $30K a factor? Sure, but you're also getting a different class/size vehicle so we're already at apples to oranges.
 

Doesn't it have adaptive cruise though? I drove a 2014 Volt recently to check it out since I'd never driven one before. It had adaptive cruise & the system appeared to have more configuration options than the Ford system.

 

I think that option has collision notification, automatic braking and distance display in one of the packages but for some reason (liability risk? something to differentiate it from the Caddy?) it doesn't have adaptive cruise.

Edited by Doug0716
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Where are you getting a $22K base?  After the federal rebate the article says $26.5K base, the LTZ will be just under $31K and the Fusion Energi base (with current battery) is $30.5K (all prices after federal rebate and delivery).

On the Chevy, let's say memory/cooled seats are an extra $750 (our cooled seat upgrade is $395 but they're already power/memory... but memory/power seats shouldn't be too expensive).  Then let's pretend drivers assist, adaptive cruise, nav and active park is the same as the ford $1.2K, $1K, $1K and $1K, so an extra $5K (ish) bringing it to $36K, a difference of $9.5K from base (nowhere near double)

 

A base energi starts at $30.5K after destination and federal rebate and tops out at $41K, a difference of $9.5K from base. Even if you include the rear inflatable seatbelts and heated steering wheel, it's about a $10K diff.  So now you just add whatever the battery cost is, but it's going to take a LOT to get it to double the base cost (an additional $20K).

 

Is an extra $10K difference a bigger deal when you're starting at $26K rather than $30K a factor? Sure, but you're also getting a different class/size vehicle so we're already at apples to oranges.

 

 

The Energi is an option.  So is the Hybrid.  The Ford Fusion starts at 22k.  And I wasn't considering the Federal Tax Rebate either.  I'm talking about the sticker, which is the first thing a person sees.

 

So the Ford Fusion Energi is a 22k vehicle with 20k in options, and then you can staple on a tax credit, which isn't going to last forever.  The replacement battery pack is 9k on Fordparts... so theoretically, if you doubled the size of the pack, you double the price of said pack, and add 9k to the sticker.  The rebate would increase from 4007 to 7500.

 

This is what makes me insane when they compare the Ford to a 43k Mercedes or BMW that starts at that price or another luxury brand.  It is NOT apples to apples at that price point.  Find a BMW or a Mercedes that starts at 22k and then pile on options.  Then it's apples to apples.

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Doesn't it have adaptive cruise though? I drove a 2014 Volt recently to check it out since I'd never driven one before. It had adaptive cruise & the system appeared to have more configuration options than the Ford system.

 

No Volt has Adaptive Cruise Control, even the new Gen II 2016 model. But some of the more recent model years have added Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist (2016 only), Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Front Braking, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (2016 only).

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This is what makes me insane when they compare the Ford to a 43k Mercedes or BMW that starts at that price or another luxury brand.  It is NOT apples to apples at that price point.  Find a BMW or a Mercedes that starts at 22k and then pile on options.  Then it's apples to apples.

 

The whole point of my review was that a fully-loaded Ford Fusion Energi Titanium model at $43k is a better car than a 2014 Cadillac ELR which originally sold for a base MSRP of $76k (or $79k with Adaptive Cruise and Luxury Package). It never even occured to me to test drive a Ford Fusion since I was in Mercedes, Infinitis, and Cadillacs, but now I'm a convert! Why GM can't appoint its top-end plug-in hybrid with features found in a $42k Ford tells me everthing I need to know about GM. I might not get the same range and acceleration in a Fusion Energi as in an ELR, but I get everything else!

 

The power seat mechinism is heavy and it definitely looks like they were trying to trim weight as much as possible... the cooled seats probably just don't sell enough to bother with.  The fusion probably got the option because they are the same seats as the non energi version and therefore they have a larger potential market... I think the Volt's seats are only for that car and therefore manufacturing them for the smaller need means they would be more expensive than the ford option ($400) and even less people would buy them.

 

Sure automatic memory cooled front seats would drop the 2016 Volt's range a bit, but who cares? The car gets 50 miles per charge! So what if the upgraded seats caused that to only be 45 miles? My 2012 Volt only got 35 miles to the charge, and that was more than enough. If a customer preferred range over luxury comforts, they wouldn't order the trim with the extra weight (which is a moot point since those features aren't even available).

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The whole point of my review was that a fully-loaded Ford Fusion Energi Titanium model at $43k is a better car than a 2014 Cadillac ELR which originally sold for a base MSRP of $76k (or $79k with Adaptive Cruise and Luxury Package). It never even occured to me to test drive a Ford Fusion since I was in Mercedes, Infinitis, and Cadillacs, but now I'm a convert! Why GM can't appoint its top-end plug-in hybrid with features found in a $42k Ford tells me everthing I need to know about GM. I might not get the same range and acceleration in a Fusion Energi as in an ELR, but I get everything else!

 

That is true, but your final two points (range and acceleration) are extremely important to a lot of people.  :)  I wasn't directly attacking the ELR review though - I was going after those who say, "I would NEVER spend 40k on a Ford Fusion."

 

I never even really looked at the ELR due to that absurd price point, however, I would've expected it to excel past the Fusion in many, many aspects.  Honestly, your review seems more favorable to the Caddy than it does the Ford, but you have experience with both, so you have an educated and respectable opinion.  The Caddy should elevate everything that the Volt has to justify that price.  Sort of how Lincoln is a more upscale version of their Ford counterparts.  However, Lincoln doesn't command a 30k price premium like the Volt vs the ELR.  The ELR should've had double the range over the Volt to command that kind of price.

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The Energi is an option.  So is the Hybrid.  The Ford Fusion starts at 22k.  And I wasn't considering the Federal Tax Rebate either.  I'm talking about the sticker, which is the first thing a person sees.

 

So the Ford Fusion Energi is a 22k vehicle with 20k in options, and then you can staple on a tax credit, which isn't going to last forever.  The replacement battery pack is 9k on Fordparts... so theoretically, if you doubled the size of the pack, you double the price of said pack, and add 9k to the sticker.  The rebate would increase from 4007 to 7500.

 

This is what makes me insane when they compare the Ford to a 43k Mercedes or BMW that starts at that price or another luxury brand.  It is NOT apples to apples at that price point.  Find a BMW or a Mercedes that starts at 22k and then pile on options.  Then it's apples to apples.

One thing that is incredible about that is that the price of a Ford ESP is the same whether you have a $20k Fusion S or a $45k Fusion Energi Titanium.

 

No Volt has Adaptive Cruise Control, even the new Gen II 2016 model. But some of the more recent model years have added Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist (2016 only), Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Front Braking, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (2016 only).

Hmmm... the uneducated saleswoman told me the 2014 Volt had adaptive cruise control. Something on the dash showed seconds of following distance. What was that then?

 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. She told me that it got 50 MPG when the battery is depleted and that it would get 60 miles of EV range. She also said that power memory seats were available on the Volt. I knew that all those things weren't true. I didn't know that she was also mistaken when she said it had adaptive cruise control.

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The Energi is an option.  So is the Hybrid.  The Ford Fusion starts at 22k.  And I wasn't considering the Federal Tax Rebate either.  I'm talking about the sticker, which is the first thing a person sees.

 

So the Ford Fusion Energi is a 22k vehicle with 20k in options, and then you can staple on a tax credit, which isn't going to last forever.  The replacement battery pack is 9k on Fordparts... so theoretically, if you doubled the size of the pack, you double the price of said pack, and add 9k to the sticker.  The rebate would increase from 4007 to 7500.

 

Buyers that only look at the price tag and don't consider the total cost of ownership probably won't buy this car, but they probably also won't buy a volt or any other electric car.  They will buy the cheapest vehicle that has some/most of all of the options they want in the size (Focus/Fusion) and luxury status (Ford/Lincoln) that can and they're not really worth considering in pricing of anything outside of the base models anyway.

 

That would be like comparing a $55.6K Base Corvette to the $98.6K 3LZ Convertible loaded with all the options and pretending it's still the same car with the same target buyer because they're both a Corvette. They may be very similiar buyers because they want a sports car, but they are drastically different in their budget and expectations.

 

Hmmm... the uneducated saleswoman told me the 2014 Volt had adaptive cruise control. Something on the dash showed seconds of following distance. What was that then?

 

It's literally just a display of the following distance.  So they have the information, they just don't do anything with it, how dumb is that?

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Buyers that only look at the price tag and don't consider the total cost of ownership probably won't buy this car, but they probably also won't buy a volt or any other electric car.  They will buy the cheapest vehicle that has some/most of all of the options they want in the size (Focus/Fusion) and luxury status (Ford/Lincoln) that can and they're not really worth considering in pricing of anything outside of the base models anyway.

 

That would be like comparing a $55.6K Base Corvette to the $98.6K 3LZ Convertible loaded with all the options and pretending it's still the same car with the same target buyer because they're both a Corvette. They may be very similiar buyers because they want a sports car, but they are drastically different in their budget and expectations.

 

Some of the arguments I have seen against the Fusion Energi say that they'd rather spend 40+k on a luxury car (Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Acura, etc).  They're locked in the mindset that the Fusion is a budget car and it should never be that expensive.  Thing is, they're missing the point that it is a powertrain option that makes the price skyrocket like it does.

 

Your comparison of the models of Corvette is exactly what I'm saying - they think it is a CORVETTE, no matter what options are available to it.  At 98k, I'm sure there are now arguments that say, "I would NEVER spend that amount of money on a Corvette when I can get a Porsche, Mercedes S Class, or some other car for that kind of money.  It's just a Corvette!"

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Does it update live to show what your actual following distance is? It seemed like it was something I could configure with buttons on the steering wheel.

I don't know if there are options to change anything, but just distance display in seconds between 0.5 and 3. You might be able to configure when it alerts for your closing speed being too fast, but that's just random guessing at things you might be able to adjust.

 

No adaptive confirmed here:

http://insideevs.com/2016-chevrolet-volt-q-volt-engineers/

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The Volt is really lacking a lot of features!!

It's missing:

  • power seats
  • memory seats
  • sunroof option
  • adaptive cruise control
  • efficient heating
  • faster charging (only 3.6 kW rate)
  • auto-up on windows
  • lumbar support
  • limited usefulness of Chevy's version of "value charging" since it's only good for 90 days
  • colder ERDTT setpoint

This really shows areas where Ford's engineers did a great job. In EV Now the Energi won't force the ICE on as often as the Volt. The Fusion also offers all the other features that the Volt is missing. I really hope that Ford will soon introduce a redesigned Energi with an EV range of at least 38 miles like the original Volt.

 

For those who aren't aware, the Energi strategy for turning on the ICE in winter with heat running is this (Larry can correct me if I don't have it quite right):

  • If the ambient temp is > -10 F the ICE won't turn on until the coolant inside the ICE drops below 15 F in EV Now
  • If the ambient temp is < -10 F then EV Now is disabled
  • When in EV Auto the ICE will turn on if the coolant inside the ICE drops below 60 F
Edited by Hybridbear
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The Volt is really lacking a lot of features!!

It's missing:

  • power seats
  • memory seats
  • sunroof option
  • adaptive cruise control
  • efficient heating
  • faster charging (only 3.6 kW rate)
  • auto-up on windows
  • lumbar support
  • limited usefulness of Chevy's version of "value charging" since it's only good for 90 days
  • colder ERDTT setpoint

 

From that list above, the $76-84k Cadillac ELR is missing sunroof option, faster charging, efficient heating, and colder ERDTT setpoint. Both the Volt and ELR are also missing cooled front seats.

 

I'm not sure what you mean about the Volt/ELR's "value charging" being only good for 90 days - it's significantly more programmable than the Ford, and never expires. I can have a different schedule every day of the week, with each day split into three values (high peak, mid-peak, low-peak), and then be able to set the car to charge in three different ways (immediately, at non-high peak, or only at low peak). From what the salesperson showed me, the Fusion only has weekdays & weekends, and the earliest time to start charging (or immediate charging).

 

In EV Now the Energi won't force the ICE on as often as the Volt.

 

The Volt/ELR doesn't force the ICE on at all in EV Now (i.e., Normal) mode. The Volt/ELR has 38 miles of EV-only driving with full acceleration at all speeds under 100mph. Whereas the Fusion Energi needs the gas engine to provide reasonable acceleration above 45mph. So I don't understand your statement.

 

Perhaps you're thinking of EV Later in the Fusion vs. Hold Mode in the Volt/ELR?

Edited by Blastphemy
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From that list above, the $76-84k Cadillac ELR is missing sunroof option, faster charging, efficient heating, and colder ERDTT setpoint. Both the Volt and ELR are also missing cooled front seats.

 

I'm not sure what you mean about the Volt/ELR's "value charging" being only good for 90 days - it's significantly more programmable than the Ford, and never expires. I can have a different schedule every day of the week, with each day split into three values (high peak, mid-peak, low-peak), and then be able to set the car to charge in three different ways (immediately, at non-high peak, or only at low peak). From what the salesperson showed me, the Fusion only has weekdays & weekends, and the earliest time to start charging (or immediate charging).

The link posted above by Doug says that the new Volt will have location based charging (implying that the current Volt does not) and says that it will be good for 90 days. The Value Charge Profiles on MFM and saved charge locations have no automatic expiration that we have experienced. There is a limit to how many Value Charge Profiles you can have (I think it's 10 or 12 IIRC).

 

The Ford Value Charge setup allows you to set different electricity cost configurations only for weekday or weekend but then you can set up to two Go Times for each day of the week which will affect how/when the car decides to charge. You can also set the car to charge immediately at any saved location.

The Volt/ELR doesn't force the ICE on at all in EV Now (i.e., Normal) mode. The Volt/ELR has 38 miles of EV-only driving with full acceleration at all speeds under 100mph. Whereas the Fusion Energi needs the gas engine to provide reasonable acceleration above 45mph. So I don't understand your statement.

 

Perhaps you're thinking of EV Later in the Fusion vs. Hold Mode in the Volt/ELR?

I'm referring to how the Volt/ELR force the ICE on because of cold temps with ERDTT more frequently than the FFE will force the ICE on due to cold temps.

 

I completely disagree that the Energi needs the ICE for acceleration. You have upwards of 65 kW of power available in EV Now from the Fusion. I've never revved our ICE higher than 40 kW and that was when climbing the mountains.

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I completely disagree that the Energi needs the ICE for acceleration. You have upwards of 65 kW of power available in EV Now from the Fusion. I've never revved our ICE higher than 40 kW and that was when climbing the mountains.

 

On my three test drives so far, the first two with fully-charged EV and Hybrid batteries, acceleration in "EV Now" mode from 0-35 was stellar, probably just as good as my 2012 Volt and 2014 ELR. 35-50 was OK, but not quite as good as the Volt/ELR. And flooring it at 60mph was a complete joke - nothing happened! Whereas flooring the Volt/ELR at 60mph in EV-Only mode has robust acceleration that would leave the Fusion in the dust.

 

But in EV Auto mode where the gas engine assists, the Fusion was every bit as fast as the Volt/ELR for the most part. However, it didn't feel to me that even with engine assist the Fusion was as muscular as the Volt (and especially not the ELR) above 75 mph, but then I shouldn't really be driving so fast anyway! When I do pass at those speeds, it's usually because someone is driving 65 mph in the carpool lane, and the only way to pass in the short amount of time available is to quickly get from 65 to 80. I tried that three times in the Fusion and failed, but in the ELR it's no problem at all.

 

Still, in comparing the Volt/ELR to the Fusion Energi Titanium, that's just about the only criticism I have (well... the tiny trunk too). And if it means I need to drive a bit more conservatively in the Fusion, then so be it. Overall, the Fusion is a much better value than the Volt/ELR (unless you're a fanatic about only using electricity), and has features Chevy/Cadillac owners only dream about having in their PHEVs.

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Still, in comparing the Volt/ELR to the Fusion Energi Titanium, that's just about the only criticism I have (well... the tiny trunk too). And if it means I need to drive a bit more conservatively in the Fusion, then so be it. Overall, the Fusion is a much better value than the Volt/ELR (unless you're a fanatic about only using electricity), and has features Chevy/Cadillac owners only dream about having in their PHEVs.

I've found that I drive the Fusion way more conservatively than the Focus Electric. I guess I'm one of those fanatics who wants to use only electricity. Well, I'm that way when I know that I don't need to use gas. Because the Fusion has a gas engine that I want to keep off I drive it more conservatively. In the Focus Electric I accelerate faster and drive faster on the highway because I'm not worried about running out of electric range. Hahaha now that I think about it it's rather funny... :hysterical:

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I've never revved our ICE higher than 40 kW and that was when climbing the mountains.

 

When I floor the accelerator in the Cadillac ELR in EV-only mode, I get about 130kW at the peak. Cadillac refuses to disclose the torque and horsepower for EV-only driving, and I didn't find a single car review that disclosed it, so who knows what it really is. But in extended range mode with the ICE assisting (because the battery was mostly depleted), Cadillac claims a combined 295 lb-ft of torque and 207 horsepower.

 

The combined system output of the FFE is 188 horsepower (because the engine and battery make peak power in different ways). I don't know if the 117 lb-ft of torque from the battery and 129 lb-ft of torque from the engine actually combine to equal 246 lb-ft of torque, but it sure doesn't feel like it. But that just means I'll have to drive more safely!

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The total output power of the FFE in EV Auto mode (charge depletion mode) is 195 hp.  I assume 188 hp applies to hybrid and EV later modes.

 

You can see a torque vs rpm and power vs rpm curve for the motor here:

 

http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/3179-ev-dynamics-physics-experiment/?p=20696

 

The maximum output of the HVB is 68 kW.  In the chart, it was only outputting 56.5 kW.  So the curve is not quite the maximum power output of the motor.  Maximum torque is about 230 N-m or about 170 lb-ft, when rpms are below 2000. 

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  • 1 month later...

Blastphemy - I must say I have no problem accelerating at 60 in EV only mode in my FFE.  It easily hits 70 (sometimes over, oops) on my relatively steep Minnesotan on-ramps around here and hitting the juice is still noticeable even at 70.  With engine assist, I've actually had it yank the steering wheel on me with the sudden burst of acceleration/torque steer.  Mine is quite fast, I wonder if it's atypical.

The other thing I've noticed compared to my wife's volt is that the FFE is much more efficient in city driving with me driving both identically (miles/kWh), even though I have a dragging brake on the rear the dealer is fixing when they do the steering bolt recall.  I can easily get 4.5 miles/kWh, even with my admittedly lead-footed tendencies. 

 

Also, the sound system sounds vastly better once it breaks in than it does initially.

Edited by Rhynri
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