Was This a Giant Mistake? | 5,000 km, 3 Month Update

Was This a Giant Mistake? | 5,000 km, 3 Month Update | 2018 Ford Focus Electric

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Күн бұрын

5,000 kilometers and 3 months later we're looking at my daily driver, the 2018 Ford Focus Electric to see how my opinion might have changed about this car, and if I made the right decision to buy it.
This video was made possible with the support of Elmec and their EVduty Smart Home Charger. You can schedule, control access, and even see your estimated charging costs from the EVduty smartphone app. Use public charging stations and grant access to your own all from the app. For more information about the EVduty Smart Home Charger visit: www.elmec.ca/language/en/
One of the things we like to do on TestDrive is talk about long-term ownership of a vehicle. Our 2018 Ford Focus Electric was purchased back in September 2021 and we've driven 5,000 kms in that time. We're spending some time to talk about the numbers, including the cost of ownership to drive this car including the comparative cost of a fuel-burning vehicle. We also talk about the charging experience including how fast this vehicle can charge at a DC Fast Charging station.
We then go on a road test to talk about some of the other impressions we've had over the months and how this vehicle has been preforming in the colder months are we get into winter. With temperatures getting consistently below 0 degrees we're able to see what's to come in the winter with this vehicle.
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Пікірлер: 102

@lkeil84 6 ай бұрын

I have had my 2017 Ford Focus Electric for just over 6 years now and I still love it. I live near Charleston South Carolina, so no really cold weather and pretty warm in the summer. When it does gets around 0-10c, my range drops down to about 200 km range, 120 miles. In the summer, it goes up to almost 250 km, 140 miles range. I rarely use the heater and almost always use the AC in the summer. My car currently has about 100,000 km on it or 63,000 miles. Although I have used level 3 fast chargers, I only use them a few times a year. I have found that charge point only goes up to about 40kw and is a timed service. The Electrify America chargers will give me the full 50kw some of the time, but most of the charge is about 45kw. They also charge by the kw, so much cheaper. I am going to drive this thing until it dies, I like it that much. My wife's car is a Honda Clarity, so that is the long range cruiser that is electric most of the time. I would like a Tesla, but I got both of these cars for less than the price of a single Tesla and enjoy all the benefits of electric cars.

@PRNTestDrive 6 ай бұрын

Interesting that you get such high range from this! At around 120 kms in winter this was getting difficult to daily, since my commute was about 100km and there wasn't a convenient charger. I'd have liked to have kept mine, I really enjoyed it.

@daveincanada785 2 жыл бұрын

Congrats on 40,000 !!! Well deserved, I love your videos! I think your experience speaks to the limitations of the charging network in Quebec. If I do go full EV, I will get one with at least 400 km of range.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! We still have it very good here in Quebec compared to the other provinces when it comes to EV drivability, but I'm starting to see the holes in the system.

@user-Dave67 Жыл бұрын

You might have to buy a self supported heater for the winter that way you can charge it at school and home

@Sc0rpy 2 жыл бұрын

welcome back mate it's been a while ... very informative video thanks for sharing

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it, thanks!

@ccroy2001 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. I think it shows that as drivers we kinda take the gas infrastructure for granted b/c it's had 100 years to develop. Since I only own 1 car at a time I see myself moving to a PHEV 1st before going all electric.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

I hear that for sure! I had considered a PHEV for this instead, but I'd be in a similar situation, although the gas engine as a backup would help quite a bit.

@JustWasted3HoursHere 2 жыл бұрын

Jay Leno reviewed his Chevy Volt PHEV a while ago and something he said really stuck with me about it: He said that when they hit 100,000 miles with it they analyzed the usage data and found that, out of that 100,000 miles, only about 2500 of it (about 2.5%) was on gas. _ALL_ of the remaining miles were on pure electric. This shows that _most_ of the time people don't drive more than 40-50 miles in a day, but when they do it's nice to have that gas engine backup just in case. Anyway, used Volts used to be a real steal but now they (and all used cars) have gone way up in price because of the availability of newer cars being limited (chip shortage, etc). When things calm back down this is what I would recommend for people who are driving less than around 50 miles a day. For my own situation I opted for a fully electric Kia Soul EV+ which I found used for under $13000 with less than 18000 miles on it. It has an EPA 93 miles of range but for me that's perfect because I work only about 10 miles from where I live and rarely drive more than 40 or 50 miles in a stretch. Luckily I got it just as prices were starting to increase. They're about $4000 more expensive on average now.

@user-Dave67 Жыл бұрын

Hi I have a ford fusion PHEV a 16 I love it yes I hyper mile as much as I can, Florida, Oct to now I have used little AC to and from work is 24.2 to 24.5, 3 miles of highway the rest is city. 5:15AM work 6 to 6 and home at 7:00 December was stupid, traffic!! But January and February I did real well around 130 to-140 MPG those months but it seems to be coming to an end with the AC on I at pm around 120 for now, till AC in the morning. I still change my oil every 4500 to 5000 miles it starts to smell like gas to much. Tomorrow is Monday 5-21 I am going to get a Focus E with 13,000 ml. Was a corporate car, I hope it's a good deal, y this you ask, My son is 17 and getting him a car. If it doesn't work out for me then he can have the Focus and I'll have the Fusion, either way I plan on paying less for gas.

@leeprice937 2 жыл бұрын

My 2018 focus electric was showing 191km range this am. Level 1 plug in the non-heated garage. 5°C in Saskatoon Sk this am. I find I'm getting 30% additional range from regen on a consistent basis with city driving. I have 38K kms on my car. Best city commuter - so happy with it.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Not bad at all! I wonder why you're seeing better range than I was, but the in-city driving could definitely be the main factor. These cars aren't ideal if you're using them almost entirely on the highway like I was.

@leeprice937 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive It needs to be entirely city. Staying clear of any freeways. No rapid acceleration, etc. Definitely an adjustment to my older driving style. Absolutely love this car.

@jimcabezola3051 2 жыл бұрын

Welcome back! I like the stealth EV vibe of this car. It's not shouty.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Definitely is! Many people don't know it's an EV, the license plate gives it away but even people in the industry are surprised to hear there was a Focus EV.

@benhaze1010 2 жыл бұрын

Congrats for getting to 40k! It is so well deserved. It is very interesting to learn from a real owner's perspective. I too think I would go the PHEV first if the vehicle has less than 250-300 Km range in Quebec. But of course the purchase cost would be an entire different game for either a full electric or a PHEV with that kind of range vs your Focus.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

That's very true! I had thought about a PHEV, my top choice would have been the Fusion plug-in that we drove back in 2020. I really liked that car.

@user-Dave67 Жыл бұрын

I love mine 😂

@wody21 2 жыл бұрын

Nice, informative video, thanks for sharing!

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@dave11686 2 жыл бұрын

Congratulations on 40k

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@infernovideo 2 жыл бұрын

You were brave to buy such a small battery car when you have to drive so far in winter! Thanks for your thoughts, good to know about the 3G update. If I could find one in good condition for under $20k in Western Canada I'd likely buy it.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Let me know if you end up finding one! I definitely feel like my decision was *something* haha. Not sure if it was brave or stupid at this point.

@SamiaHalab5315 Жыл бұрын

I have one

@user-Dave67 Жыл бұрын

@@SamiaHalab5315are you happy with it. Tell us more.

@dave11686 2 жыл бұрын

Very cool

@jwhdesign 2 жыл бұрын

I just bought a 2018 FFE 🥳

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! How are you enjoying it so far?

@jwhdesign 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive love it so far! Great for my long distance commute. The ride seems very sophisticated and reminds me of a Volvo.

@fahim86 7 ай бұрын

Can you give a one year update? I’m looking at a 2017

@jwhdesign 6 ай бұрын

@@fahim86 my 2018 Ford Focus Electric has roughly 75k miles now. It’s been great for commuting and running errands. Motor and battery are well engineered and show no signs of degradation. The power to the front wheels can at times be hilariously too powerful. The suspension is well tuned and luxurious but wonder about its longevity. For one pedal driving shift to “L” instead of “D”.

@Huso9922 2 жыл бұрын

Stealth and ok car. Can't say I want to keep my FFEV 2018 much longer, seeing all the issues I've had with mine

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

What sort of issues have you had if you don't mind sharing? So far mine's been good, I noticed some 2018s seem to have gotten a Sync update to add Android Auto/Apple CarPlay which mine is missing, not sure if that's part of the 3G to 4G upgrade I talk about. But in terms of actual problems, I'm certainly interested in hearing about them.

@Huso9922 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive Figured out my issue. It was the 12V batteru (which you find in every car) Replaced both the charging port and the main battery pack. My Focus EV (As far as I know) dosen't have the 3G/4G upgrade, but it do have Android Auto and Apple Carplay. I can make a video for you on that if you want to. Expalaining everything in detail.

@user-Dave67 Жыл бұрын

Do the battery replacement if you could do something with that, that would be really interesting!!!

@Huso9922 Жыл бұрын

@@user-Dave67 Both the 12V and the Hight Voltage battery has been replcaed :) Been running great for a year now (50k km since january 22 when the 12V was replaced).

@yizhang2646 2 жыл бұрын

Congrats

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@cuddlesxyz 2 жыл бұрын

They have the solar generators that come with car charger ports. They are more expensive but i think itll be worth it if u do have an electric vehacile. The concern would be charging it and someone stealing the generator if ur not close by to watch it.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Interesting!

@johnnelson5083 9 ай бұрын

Tires are "low rolling resistance" to get better mileage. I loved the FordApp because it would text me when my car was charged (we have 4 chargers at work and you need to move your car once charged so others can use it). Mine is a 2013 so I can't upgrade the modem 😞 I'm assuming the FordPass app will do the same but not sure. Also, I always find that with high speed chargers, I usually only get to 99% whereas on my home charger at 110v I always get to 100%. In the winter, after snow I drive my SUV until the roads get cleared.

@PRNTestDrive 9 ай бұрын

More like no rolling resistance. The winter tires worked out ok, but there's no weight on the front of the car compared with the rear. I ended up selling this because I moved, but I definitely would have loved it out where I am now, less snow, warmer winters. It just wouldn't have made the 750km drive that I took in my ICE vehicle to finalize the move.

@delo_mastera_boitsa Жыл бұрын

Hello! On my 2013 Ford Focus Electric, the battery stopped charging. Charging turns on and after 1 minute a flashing error ring appears. Don't know what to check? The car is running, but the charge is low.

@PRNTestDrive Жыл бұрын

It’s possible there’s an issue with the battery or the charging cable. How many kms are on the car?

@delo_mastera_boitsa Жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive Vehicle mileage 101000 km. After heating the car in the garage, charging started working!

@Tonyx.yt. 2 жыл бұрын

100ish km of range in winter? damn... so awfull. btw, the biggest EV charging station company in Europe is Ionity and they charge, if you didnt had a montly plan, 0.79€/kWh yes, you hear that, over 1 CAD/kWh charging at home is around 0.20€ kWh i think

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

I ended up using one of Electrify Canada's charging stations a few weeks ago, they charge per kWh used rather than time used. It seems like we'll be switching to that system in February across the board as the laws are changing here in Quebec. I don't think it's quite as expensive as that, I would not want to pay $20 to charge this up.

@JustWasted3HoursHere 2 жыл бұрын

That really is hard to believe that your auto mechanics school doesn't have even a level 2 charger, considering how easy it would be to install one. Heck, you wouldn't even need an EVSE (the thing that plugs into the wall) at the school, but just a 240V outlet that you can plug your own EVSE into! I'm sure you're not the only student there who is driving or considering driving an EV (especially since the school offers an EV repair course!) so it's a bit of a mystery why they don't have the level-2 ability there.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

I was thoroughly disappointed by this, and it doesn’t sound like it’s something that will be addressed anytime soon as the other site for the school that teaches the EV repair course also doesn’t have any charging infrastructure.

@JustWasted3HoursHere 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive I saw in another comment that you no longer have the Focus Electric. Did you get a different EV with a longer range or did have to go back to a gas car? (Whenever I have to drive my wife's gas 1997 Toyota Camry it's like getting back together with a chain-smoking ex-girlfriend. Yuck.)

@AndrewKarpyszyn 2 жыл бұрын

Maybe the Chevy Volt would have been a better fit for your driving lifestyle?

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

I did think about one of the long-range PHEVs like that or the Honda Clarity, but 80ish kms wouldn’t have gotten me to Montreal fully electric. It’s possible my consideration for one would have been greater had I known about the lack of charging solutions on site before buying.

@GO-wb1gf 2 жыл бұрын

Would you say this is a good car for someone who lives in San Diego and only wants to use it for a 40 mile commute to work & back ? (Yes there's charging stations at my work) ?

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Should work out very well for you!

@GO-wb1gf 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive awesome. It's 17 miles there and back, really needing to save on gas. Was hoping something like this would work hoping the battery doesn't become an issue ever

@user-Dave67 Жыл бұрын

Ooo man I wish mine was 17 round trip, mine is 24.2 there and 24.2 back home. But I can charge her at work to so it's going to work either way I just hope that it works for there and back on one charge, I pay 6.50 a pay check to charge my fusion

@kenanderson318 2 жыл бұрын

Do you still have this car? Would love to hear your thoughts after a couple of years. Looking at a 2017 but worried about battery life.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

So unfortunately I’ve sold the Focus and moved on to something else, I’ve had some personal changes going on behind the scenes here and I had to make a decision to sell the Focus while I could. I really liked this car, and would have loved to continue to do more on it over the years.

@JustWasted3HoursHere 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive Hopefully you were able (or will be able) to get into another EV. It's hard to go from EV to ICE, I know. Every time I have to drive my wife's 1996 Toyota Camry it's like getting back together with my ex-girlfriend. Yuck.

@user-Dave67 Жыл бұрын

Yeah but you can't give up a Camry they do last forever

@lesliegweir 2 жыл бұрын

I'm curious, do the back seats fold down?

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

They do! You end up getting a bit of extra rear space if you need it.

@lesliegweir 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive I drive a 2018 Nissan Leaf and I'm a member of the Electric Vehicle Society and try to keep up on other models to be able to advise people who are looking to get into a used EV. There is currently a low mileage 2018 Focus at a dealer in Belleville, Ontario if you know someone looking.

@chrisw443 2 жыл бұрын

Is there an electrical outlet? just plug it into a wall outlet at your school.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

There wasn’t unfortunately. Even a basic one.

@khaledabdelwahab Жыл бұрын

Is ford still servicing these vehicles? What would you say is the batter lifetime? I'm considering a used one with 60,000km on it?

@PRNTestDrive Жыл бұрын

60k kms is still pretty good, the older one I first drove on the channel was higher mileage and still had a good amount of usable battery capacity. You can help extend the life by charging up to 90% and driving it no lower than 15%. Id have loved to keep mine! I do miss it.

@MM-gi3qj 9 ай бұрын

Nice car. I have a fusion hybrid. These are solid vehicles.

@PRNTestDrive 8 ай бұрын

I really liked the Fusion Energi, and I'm sure the regular hybrid was also great on gas. It's a car was considering before getting this.

@cyberpvnk 10 ай бұрын

I have a 2014. I drive mine everyday. I still like it but I only drive 65km/day.

@PRNTestDrive 10 ай бұрын

Glad to hear it!

@JustWasted3HoursHere 2 жыл бұрын

Mazda's plan with the MX30 is a bit confusing and I'm wondering what their game plan is with that. To introduce an EV _now_ with only 100 miles of range just makes no sense, especially for $35000US. If they're testing the waters, so to speak, to see how popular EVs are for them, then they will not get an accurate number because of the poor specs of this one. Five or six years ago that might have been acceptable, but now with so many much better spec'd choices out there it is almost a guaranteed fail. And if they are really offering this as a an entry in the EV market space then that's not very smart either, at that price. If they were offering it for, say, $25000US then they might have some success. But for $35K, no way.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

I feel the MX-30 is much like the Focus Electric, a compliance car. It allows Mazda to say they have a zero emission vehicle and pay less tax/fines while using the vehicle as a test bench for their EV technology. They’re pretty much the last manufacturer to get into the electric game, they have a lot of catching up to do.

@JustWasted3HoursHere 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive Oh for sure it's a compliance car (so is mine, but I love it!)* but as you say, a little late to the game. What they should have done is partner with Ford (who they are already technically a part of anyway!) to help spread the costs out, but they definitely have a lot to prove. Doug DeMuro's review of the MX30 is kind of lukewarm, which is not good for Mazda. Here's Doug's review if anyone is interested: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Y6dxp6ioup7ImKM.html * It's a 2016 Kia Soul EV+. It's a compliance car, but since that time Kia and Hyundai have jumped into the EV arena with both feet and are showing themselves to be among the best.

@jeanforget992 2 жыл бұрын

Things will get better . Did you try charging at The Rona on Nobel just before the tunnel on your way to school. I have a Spark ev I service innste Hyacinthe ine the dead of winter and i live in Laval Ouest! So from ste Hyacinthe I stop at.Rona and then Im ok to go home.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

I have used that one several times, although on my return trip as I'm on the correct side of the highway for it. What I did learn was the ABB chargers located near Galaries Anjou at the Esso station are NOT true 50 kW stations, they only charge at about 20 kW compared to the other stations I've used. The issue I've been dealing with is construction, when the city closes the tunnel I'm stuck on a 25km detour on top of the extra time it takes getting through the city.

@jeanforget992 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive yea, I feel you man. Check on Plug share if someone around your school would let you plug in. But dont give up it is worth it on many level.

@jeanforget992 2 жыл бұрын

there is 2 x 50k at 6270 boul. Louis-H. Lafontaine, Montréal, Québec H1M 1S8 Canada

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

That's the Esso I was talking about, it's advertised as 50 kW but didn't charge anywhere close to that. Barely was faster than a L2 charge considering I had the heat running.

@10tenman10 2 жыл бұрын

I suspect they didn't design this vehicle with a cold climate in mind. Also this sized car is too small for an extended battery

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

Probably not, however it does have a heat pump which seems to be hit or miss on new electrics sold today. I’m getting expected range reductions so far based on other EVs I’ve driven in winter.

@MIA7Xthies 2 жыл бұрын

@@PRNTestDrive I was under the impression it doesn't have a heat pump

@justinparker4656 11 ай бұрын

Why would you buy a car without checking to see if you had a charging station?

@PRNTestDrive 11 ай бұрын

I had bought this car months before I started my classes.

@jfhandfield Жыл бұрын

I'm looking into buying a used Ford Focus EV 2018 with 112 000km on the dash. The dealership is showing me that the car won't pass the 82% mark on the battery with a 95km is that normal or I should be afraid ? I live in Québec too so that's why your video was really interresting Btw great video on the Ford loved it. Grats on passing the 40k

@PRNTestDrive Жыл бұрын

The cluster should still show 100%, even if the cells have started to wear out, the total rage will be affected though. The older one we drove prior to buying this was high mileage and would still show fully charged, but had less range than it would have had new.

@user-vr9zm2gg2u Жыл бұрын

you didnt say how much miles you get on a charge

@PRNTestDrive Жыл бұрын

I was getting roughly 115 to 120 km per charge in winter.

@SamiaHalab5315 Жыл бұрын

I have 2013 for sale

@PRNTestDrive Жыл бұрын

Hope you can get a good price for it!

@user-Dave67 Жыл бұрын

Just wanted to know how much did you get for it

@brycedrumm4012 7 ай бұрын

A car like this you don't use the charging network. This is for charging at night at home and doing all your daily driving on a charge and If you can't do that, this car isn't for you. I would say yes, you made a giant mistake. But I do think the FFEV is a great car, more so today than they were new since now you can actually get one for super cheap.

@PRNTestDrive 7 ай бұрын

Based on what I was using it for I would have skipped this, but I'm glad I had it for the time I did. I really liked the Focus Electric and would own one out here in Ontario.

@Inflator82 2 жыл бұрын

The notion of every shopping mall, school or office providing charging points for everybody is unrealistic.

@PRNTestDrive 2 жыл бұрын

That’s certainly true, at least at this point in the game based on our understanding of what a zero emission vehicle is. 20 years down the road the landscape for these vehicles will be vastly different. It all depends on the individual property owners though, in my little town of less than 4,000 people we have a number of public L2 chargers, and DCFC station, and private business have chargers available for their customers, like the Ford dealer, bank, and pharmacy.

@jwhdesign 2 жыл бұрын

Shops and restaurants are slowly figuring out the benefits of installing EV charging stations to increase revenue. EV drivers plan trips to these stops and buy goods and food while charging.

@Inflator82 2 жыл бұрын

@@jwhdesign how many charging points can a restaurant provide and who is going to pay for it?

@jwhdesign 2 жыл бұрын

@@Inflator82 no one worries about how many dryers a laundromat can install. Much easier to wire a parking lot with 240v than dig a huge hole for a gas tank.