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Ford Focus Electric 2011

T

Tboomer57

Guest
I took a net look at the Ford Focus Electric 2011 online.

Most of you maybe saw the same flags?

Not that I could afford anything for $40,0000.

But....

I am left not interested...........still 100 miles range for $35,000 to $40,000.

I guess it is a proof of concept..........price and range will improve with the proper funding for advancement......and a step toward fuel cell techno.....

Untill then, I will hang onto my 1999 gas burner.
 
Well, after all this time with several different attempts by manufacturers, I am thinking the the Prius is the best available technology for both range and efficiency. Since 99.9% of my driving is to work and back 5.5 miles (twice daily), an EV would be great but cost and immature technolgies costs will keep me away as well. And the very best solution for me is likely the inexpensive 38-40MPG 2011 Fiesta.
 
Electric/hybrid cars are not for me. Having driven diesels for the past 8/9 years I'm seriously considering get a large engined petrol guzzler as my next car........life is too short. ;)
 
Watching Jay Leno,and his STANLY STEAMER...impressive ....all these assaults on the internal combustion engine seem to fail...and for good reason....America has a love affair with our cars...in all areas,looks,speed,symbolism.....Grown because of many years of relative inexpensive fuel....we Remember the long fuel lines,and the$4. a gal gas!..we now are experiencing a scramble for alternative fuel...electric,,,many will go that route...In inner cities seems OK..but in Texas,or those states where going up the road a piece may be 400 or 600 miles...no where near practical....for limited electric use...the Price for electric technology is very prohibitive...most American drive cars with some age on them...the wealthy will buy Green Technology,park them in their driveway..and go get a Pizza in their Ford Expedition......soon and it will be so...our fuel,in all area's will rise in cost as it has till today...$4.,5.up to 7 bucks a gal...Only then ,as always thru individual entrepreneurship will answers come.....Now with transportation,Air,Rail Ship, that's a challenge..there are no solar 747s...or ocean liners running on windmills......Those costs reflecting fuel use ,will be passed along with our transporting,heating,cooling,and Food...all dependent on our currant requirements for POWER!....Challenging times.....Other world powers are going full blast with Coal,Drilling,Nuclear. for energy now!...Others looking for future alternatives...However ..as that commerical yells.."I NEED IT NOW"...The Debate goes on here in the USA!...."NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION".....I Hope they hurry up!!?
 
Good post beana51. You can bet as the economy improves that gas prices will go up. I wish I had a horse.
 
kilo delta said:
Electric/hybrid cars are not for me. Having driven diesels for the past 8/9 years I'm seriously considering get a large engined petrol guzzler as my next car........life is too short. ;)
Click to expand...

If I can't use my car in 20 to 30 years because your gaz guzzler used up all the petrol on the planet, I'll find you in your retirement home and beat you up. :icon_lol:



(Just kidding. But seriously, think about the younger ones here...I wanna have fun, too!)
 
Beana51 pretty well nailed it. Vehicles that do not use fossil fuels will be developed as consumer demand for them grows, not by government dictate. Electric cars are a nice idea, but their range is still very limited and recharging the batteries usually involves fossil fuels.
 
I wish I could locate a photo my late father took in North Africa (Tunisia?) during WWII. It was a Jeep that had been converted to run on steam, with the wood fed boiler welded to the rear frame...
 
Bjoern said:
If I can't use my car in 20 to 30 years because your gaz guzzler used up all the petrol on the planet, I'll find you in your retirement home and beat you up. :icon_lol:



(Just kidding. But seriously, think about the younger ones here...I wanna have fun, too!)
Click to expand...

:d

I do think of the young 'uns. For an example..my son's first foray into "driving" was at the wheel of my Golf GTi when he was 3 weeks old ;D. I bought him a petrol Quad for his sixth birthday and was almost strung up for suggesting to his mother at xmas that I wanted to get a car for him at to learn in (off road..on private land).
Considering that diesel is costing me ~€1.40/litre! and petrol is now cheaper to buy...and as I now do very small mileage..it makes sense to an old petrolhead to buy a big engined petrol car.
 
It will certaintly be interesting to speculate what the future will bring. I don't know if this is a proper discussion on here as it involved a lot of politics in trade, and such. I honestly expect fuel prices to go up anyway even if the economy doesn't improve either due to deflation, or additional taxes on it. Personally I have a bicycle that I ride 12 miles to work and back normally, and drive the car/truck when it rains. I don't think electric vehicles will ever prosper due to their ineffective range, and battery weight. My money is on hydrogen fuel cells since you can convert any gasoline car to run on it, but then it wouldn't sell new cars. So I doubt we will see that. Plus the infrastructure to make it/transport/sell it would be very difficult to implement. Not to mention its volatility.
 
GM made a fantastic electric car years ago, and they couldnt sell much parts for it as it didnt need oil changes, filters, fuel bits, pumps, etc, etc, etc, etc.... Just wipers and a top off on the batteries, check the tires.

What they want is some rediculous monster that will need lots of maintenance so they continue to make money off of you after you buy it.

That GM car was FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And sharp looking. And GM crunched them up into stacks of garbage out in the Arizona desert. Shows their intelligence level. The American people BEGGED to keep that car, and GM would not have it. I am glad to see Toyota has ears that hear, a brain that thinks, and factories in America. ;)


EDIT: By the way, I had the privilege of driving a new Ford Focus the other day to the Grand Canyon and it was a brilliant, sharp, nicely made car. I had a blast in it. Handles awesome. I can only imagine a nice, quiet, 'whirring' electric version. That would be pretty cool.
 
Lionheart said:
GM made a fantastic electric car years ago, and they couldnt sell much parts for it as it didnt need oil changes, filters, fuel bits, pumps, etc, etc, etc, etc.... Just wipers and a top off on the batteries, check the tires.

What they want is some rediculous monster that will need lots of maintenance so they continue to make money off of you after you buy it.

That GM car was FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And sharp looking. And GM crunched them up into stacks of garbage out in the Arizona desert. Shows their intelligence level. The American people BEGGED to keep that car, and GM would not have it. I am glad to see Toyota has ears that hear, a brain that thinks, and factories in America. ;)


EDIT: By the way, I had the privilege of driving a new Ford Focus the other day to the Grand Canyon and it was a brilliant, sharp, nicely made car. I had a blast in it. Handles awesome. I can only imagine a nice, quiet, 'whirring' electric version. That would be pretty cool.
Click to expand...

I thought you drove a Ford Fiesta, to the Grand Canyon??
 
My daughter bought a new car a month or so ago. I tried talking her into a VW Jetta Diesel, but her husband is stuck on Toyota, so she got a Prius. They drove it here from PA for Christmas and raved about the gas mileage. I just hope they don't ever have to replace those expensive batteries.

Me? I'm thinking about getting a wagon for the horses.
 
kilo delta said:
Considering that diesel is costing me ~€1.40/litre! and petrol is now cheaper to buy...and as I now do very small mileage..it makes sense to an old petrolhead to buy a big engined petrol car.
Click to expand...

Make that small engined and we're back on good terms. ;P



Lionheart said:
EDIT: By the way, I had the privilege of driving a new Ford Focus the other day to the Grand Canyon and it was a brilliant, sharp, nicely made car. I had a blast in it. Handles awesome. I can only imagine a nice, quiet, 'whirring' electric version. That would be pretty cool.
Click to expand...

I've had a Focus as a rental car twice to this day. Once as a 1.6L three door hatchback, which was great fun to drive and then a factory fresh 1.9L diesel station wagon for a trip to Sweden. Got good (gas) mileage out of the latter, but it didn't look *that* factory fresh when I was returned two weeks later (swedish countryside roads, whee!).



beana51 said:
There is a LOTTA of Coffee in Brazil,and it seems a Lotta FORDS also...This is interesting!...Makes one wonder..Do One?
Click to expand...

A lot of cars in Brazil run on ethanol, which I find vary good combustible. If you don't mind getting blind, you also have free booze in your car's tank. :d



Lionheart said:
oops. I wonder if the Fiesta is the Focus in Europe?
Click to expand...

No.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_fiesta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_(international)
 
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