I am considering purchasing either a FEH or MMH this coming fall; however, I might be inclined to wait for a couple years and go with something else depending on when the plug in models will be available. I have only read bits and pieces about the plug in technology, but know there are companies today that can convert the current FEH's, so I figure it's only a matter of time until Ford is able to offer the same thing. Does anyone know when these are supposed to be released, and approx. how much more they will cost than the current FEH's? I plan to purchase my next vehicle and keep it for as long as I can, so I would hate to purchase the current FEH, which I would plan to have for a long time, to then only have something that gets 3 times better gas mileage come out in a year to two years from now. Anyone have any info?

 

There is no set date for the PHEV Escape. It is still in research and field testing. Twenty 2009 PHEV Escape will be built during the 2009 model year for the Electric Company (I can't remember the name but there is a thread and photos on this) in Southern California. I believe A123 is supplying the newest lithium-ion hybrid battery technology.

You can convert an existing Hybrid Escape to a PHEV at Hybrids-Plus in Boulder at the tiny price of $36,000.

 

From what I've read, a PHEV Escape could get up to 30miles @ 40mph before the battery was fully drained. That's probably during warm weather so our Michigan weather will drop it by 20% or so.

If it shows up in under 4 years, I'll be surprised.

It is an interesting technology and I'd buy it if it only added a couple hundred to the cost of the car. For my daily driving (I-75 to downtown Detroit and then back to the 'burbs) it wouldn't be a significant impact and I'm willing to be Ford execs will think the same way.

 

There are no current plans to release a PHEV FEH. The small fleet is for real world usage testing for further development, similarly to the fleet of Fuel Cell Focus' that are out there. The E85 FEH has no production plans either that I'm aware of.

The PHEV Saturn Vue 2-mode, last I heard, would have a disapointing 15 mile EV range, and is targeted for release in early 2010.

The Volt has a target date of 2010.

The PHEV Prius is constantly on the horizon, but it's unlikely to be out until 2010, and the EV range is a great big question mark, especially as all their test vehicles are still using NiMH and not Li-Ion batteries.

Now, you could decide to wait for one of these. But let's face it, if you want to wait for a better vehicle, you'll never buy one. The next years model will always have greater range, better software, or something else that makes it a more refined product.

Personally, I'm more interested in conversion packages, as more companies make them, and new ways are found to produce them, the cost is likely to come down or stay the same but boast far greater range. As mentioned, Hybrids Plus! is one such company. Hymotion will likely have a product as will other new companies. Additionally, there's always the chance that Ford may step in and acquire or add their own conversion kits to the fold as well. If some company offered me a conversion to a PHEV with a 50 mile EV range for ~$10,000, I'd go for it.

 

The cost of the Plug-in Escape conversion ( you provide the car ) at Hybrids-Plus is now $32,400. Down from $36,000 the past year.

I heard somewhere *(don't remember the source, sorry) that the first production model plug-in Prius will have 6 miles of all EV. The Prius has ( and presumably will have ) an EV only button, so you can leave your garage in EV and take the kids to school, or baseball, all in EV.

6 miles does not seem like a lot, but think of MOST trips people make. YMMV
With 6 miles, cost will be low, weight will be low, and time to recharge will be low.

Those people wishing for 50+ miles of EV range should go for an all electric car.
50 miles of battery starts to approach the weight of a combustion engine.
Thus, if you want that much ( or 100 miles ) remove the ICE all together, and go 100% electric.

To have the best of both worlds, you need two cars.
A short trip EV car, and a long trip ICE car.

I am begging Hybrids-Plus (since I live close to them) to make a Plug-in pack for my Insight. A 50-mile PHEV Insight might be possible for $15,000. Some of you may be thinking the Insight does not have EV mode. Well, there is a way to force it into EV mode once you are rolling. It has only a 13 HP (10kW) electric motor, but that is enough to keep you going in most cases. Once you are rolling, you can electronically cut the fuel injectors, and you can keep running with the electric motor only. 13 HP is plenty for an 1850 pound car! ( 2050 with this driver ) Hybrids-Plus is reluctant, since they do not think there is a market for this, since there are so few Insights out there.

 

Toyota keeps delaying the PHEV Prius for a variety of reasons. There have been rumors their lithium ion hybrid battery packs have caught on fire! In early fall 2007, I read a first hand report that the PHEV Prius was being road tested at the Toyota facility in Japan with the existing battery composition but in a dual battery pack. This same article stated the EV range was targeted at 13 miles. In Jan. 2008, the President of Toyota stated the PHEV with lithium ion hybrid battery pack might arrive in 2011 but for fleet sales only and only a couple of hundred of these would exist because Toyota needed "feedback". The 2009 Prius is likely to arrive with the current hybrid battery pack but it may be later able to be fitted with a lithium ion battery pack.

There is a thread in Consumer Report on this issue "2010 PHEV PRIUS" with better details.

I'm on a dial up connection away from home as I attend to a funeral of a family member.

 

With regards to the conversions, has anyone looked into addressing the HP issue? I find it difficult to keep my FEH in EV when in typical traffic. My commute is only a few miles (I know I should bike more!) so if the conversions could include a new motor (or supply more juice to the existing motor?), then I would be more interested. Not at $30k mind you, as it would take decades to make that up at my pace.

Cheers,

rcomeau

 

My condolences about your family member. Thanks for taking the time to post.

 

I always wonder why Ford didn't put a "short range" button on these. You press the button and then you can drive it away without the engine even starting.

Of course, the engine would still start if the battery got below a certain state of charge, but this would be handy for short trips (like down the street and the like).

 

Two reasons:

1. During their consumer test phase, before launch, drivers actually complained about "Not being able to tell if the vehicle was running" when they started it. So much so, that they eventually cut out the EV start and put in the automatic ICE on during key start. Yes, blame the idiot test subjects Ford used for the FEH for that. Thanks a lot, morons. (I and other owners have since complained about that, though it seems that Ford is too lazy to make any changes and still worries about consumer acceptance as a whole.)

2. For a while, there was some government debate about whether or not it was legal to have an EV button. Toyota avoided the issue on the Prius by disabling the EV switch on the US version of the Prius when they ported it to the US market, and it remained a big question mark for some time until it was finally cleared up, though even now it's not getting much use or attention for some reason.