Smiling Jack Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 (edited) I too would like to have a PHEV but range limits its benefit for me. Did the $4k include installation? Also if a hybrid warranty issue develops, the dealer will likely blame the add-on even though it may not have contributed to the issue. IMO, the last thing I would want is to fight for a high cost warranty repair. Second, for me I wouldn't be able to justify $4k+ for a 20 miles EV range. I would need close to 40 mile range to break even with a reasonable payback. When I bought my C-Max the PHEV was over $2000 more after the tax credit. Payback based on maximum miles and reasonable spread between electric and gas costs was way too long.+3: Actual list price was closer to $3800 for a 4-KWH add-on. Installation was additional. A 2-KWH add-on was about $2000. I did not pay list price. I got mine at a heavy discount beacuse I was the first pilot tester for the Camry installation. I not only did my own installation, but I worked out all of the Camry-specific installation details for the manufacturer. There are other similar add-on units, but they were even more expensive. The same unit was used very successfully by Ford Escape Hybrid owners. From a fuel economy standpoint, and from the standpoint of integration with the car, the unit was a dream, but reliability problems with the battery balancing and control electronics were nightmarish. The manufacturer was good for the replacement of bad components, but the down time and hassle were hard to bear. Unfortunately, the manufacturer ultimately went out of business. Some of us thought that the coet of warranty replacement of components may have contributed to this outcome. Some users were concerned about the warranty impact, but most, like me, were not. To deny a warranty claim, the auto manufacturer must (per Federal law) prove that the add-on actually caused the problem. The way the system worked it was difficult to see how it could possibly have an adverse effect on the car's OEM hybrid system. If anything, it should have (logically) prolonged the OEM HV battery life. The experience absolutely sold me on the PHEV concept, but the reliability problems, the death of the manufacturer and the hassle of the add-on made me want a complete OEM PHEV. The possible price difference between a C-max Hybrid SEL and a C-max Energi will of course vary from time to time. I was originally looking at the same sort of price difference as you were, but the dealer then cut the price for the Energi by $3000, and that did the trick. Honestly, though, at that point I was emotionally so committed to the PHEV concept, that without that discount, i probably would have bought a lesser equipped Energi I was shopping at another dealer. And, of course, original price aside, every buyer needs to weigh the total fuel cost according to their own pattern of use. In my case, I figured that with only a few mpg difference in Hybrid mode, I would need to drive about 200 miles per charge before the extra fuel cost in the Energi would outweigh the savings in the first 20 miles of EV. Edited July 27, 2014 by Smiling Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 (edited) I too would like to have a PHEV but range limits its benefit for me. Did the $4k include installation? Also if a hybrid warranty issue develops, the dealer will likely blame the add-on even though it may not have contributed to the issue. IMO, the last thing I would want is to fight for a high cost warranty repair. Second, for me I wouldn't be able to justify $4k+ for a 20 miles EV range. I would need close to 40 mile range to break even with a reasonable payback. When I bought my C-Max the PHEV was over $2000 more after the tax credit. Payback based on maximum miles and reasonable spread between electric and gas costs was way too long.When I looked at it when I had my Escape Hybrid, most people doing the conversions had there warranty up already. :) Paul Edited July 27, 2014 by ptjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiling Jack Posted July 27, 2014 Report Share Posted July 27, 2014 When I looked at it when I had my Escape Hybrid, most people doing the conversions had there warranty up already. :) Paul Way back when, when I did the Camry conversion, there were no factory PHEVs; so, if you wanted to plug-in a hybrid, the aftermarket conversion kit was the only way to go. Now, it's a different story. As soon as I saw the C-max Energi I was hooked. ptjones and C-MaxSea 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrelld Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 (edited) Good information about the PHEV C-Max Energi charging the 12v battery when plugged in. I am seeing the Ford Partner site listing the C-Max Energi at prices equivalent or below the regular C-Max. If you live in a state that offers additional incentives for plugins this may not be calculated in the Ford site discounts. I know in Texas there is an additional $3,000 credit available Ford did not calculate. Edited July 28, 2014 by darrelld ptjones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 28, 2014 Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 Scott ... an SE under 20k may happen. Just rec'd an offer for SEL for 23,600. Would imagine they'll bump the rebate up next time as well. And I'm not sure how dealers can have 2013 s and 2014s??? Aren't 2015s out in 60 days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottwood2 Posted July 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2014 Scott ... an SE under 20k may happen. Just rec'd an offer for SEL for 23,600. Would imagine they'll bump the rebate up next time as well. And I'm not sure how dealers can have 2013 s and 2014s??? Aren't 2015s out in 60 days?I did not check with the dealers here but they have ads for under $20K. Some dealers just above $20k. I did talk to a dealer today and she said the deals were better last month. Not sure why she would say that? I think more deals might be coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 WILL there be a 2015 C-Max Hybrid? a) Every search I do on 2015, either comes up blank, or ultimately states that the content/image really refers to the 2013 or 2014.b) At FORD site, any research indexing, lists this for 2015s ..... (below) What's missing? C-Maxc) it's too early to get ANY info for 2015 C-maxd) I'm missing "it" (not the first time) My apologies in advance :hat_tip:for my oversight. What 2015 vehicle are you driving?E-150 E-250 E-350 E-450 Explorer F-250 F-350 F-450 F-550 Fiesta Fusion Fusion Energi Fusion Hybrid Taurus Transit Transit Connect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kostby Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 I suggest that you always search for information about C-MAX within the Search box in these forums first.Not every major search engine (Bing, Yahoo, Google) is equally adept at crawling the web for updated content within forum threads. On June 1st, 2014 I posted a link to the 2015 C-MAX Fleet Buyers order guide for 2015's and other information about production schedules in this thread. Here's a direct link to the 2015 C-MAX brochure http://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/brochures/2015/2015_C-MAX_Hybrid.pdf Production of 2014 Model Year C-MAX is scheduled to end on September 14th, 2014.Production is scheduled to begin on 2015 in September 15, 2014, according to this thread. Fleet(?) order forms were to be available on June 13th 2014.Scheduling the build dates of 2015 production vehicles was to have begun on July 17th, 2014.I have not tried to order a 2015, and in any case, I'm not a fleet buyer, so I can't confirm or deny that dealers are now taking orders from individuals for the 2015 models. Rick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 Thanks, I ordered the 2015 Kingsford edition. ptjones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wnuk Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 I want one too! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 Thanks, I ordered the 2015 Kingsford edition. Are those STP colors? LOL :) Paul Rick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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