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Is a C-Max right for me?


ffeingol
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I'm looking for a new vehicle and I'm trying to decide if a C-Max is right for me.  I have a very short (2 ish mile) commute to work.  The speed limit on my commute maxes at 40.  I'm thinking that this would be great for a Hybrid vehicle, but I'm not sure as I have never driven / owned one.  I usually go back/forth to work twice each day (as I go home for lunch).

 

Thoughts?  Would this work and I'd get great mileage?

 

TIA

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I suspect a lot of folks here are going to recommend the Energi, particularly if you have the desire and/or ability to plug in at either end of your route.  For such a very short commute I doubt whether you can beat the mileage (I don't like the lack of trunk space but that may not be an issue for you).

 

You should drive one or both of the C-Maxes and see what *you* think -- no one can make a better decision than you can on what you like to drive.  But many of us here feel the C-Max is the best car they have ever owned.

 

(And I really hate to state the obvious but... two mile commute?  Walking not part of the equation?  I know that walking eight miles a day would be not only be easy in good weather conditions, but be VERY healthy for you.  Or if at lunch if time is an issue then a bike even.  I know I'd never buy a car just to commute that short a distance).

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@Kelleytoons I ride a scooter in summer.  I live in Wisconsin, so walking to work in snow and cold is just not an option.

 

I guess I asked the question the wrong way.  I will definately take one for a spin and see if I like it from a driving point of view.  I was thinking more if the hybrid would actually be able to charge in that short of drive.  The Energi looks interesting but it's a lot more $$$.

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I'm looking for a new vehicle and I'm trying to decide if a C-Max is right for me.  I have a very short (2 ish mile) commute to work.  The speed limit on my commute maxes at 40.  I'm thinking that this would be great for a Hybrid vehicle, but I'm not sure as I have never driven / owned one.  I usually go back/forth to work twice each day (as I go home for lunch).

 

Thoughts?  Would this work and I'd get great mileage?

 

TIA

 

No, a hybrid won't help you with a 2 mile commute. Particularly in winter, the ICE engine will stay on until the engine is warmed up (and is needed to heat the car), so the ICE would frequently be on all the way to work. You'll do just as well (and save some money) by going with a Focus or other compact -- or for something a bit larger (though without the hatch), something like the Fusion with the 1.5 Ecoboost engine or the Hyundai Sonata Eco (so long as you drive efficiently, avoiding use of the turbo).

 

A plug-in hybrid would be perfect. Another advantage to the plug-in, you can have the car warm up while connected to electricity, before you go to work, and still be fully charged when you get into drive the car. A new Energi tends to be roughly the same price IF you can use the EV tax credits (your tax bill needs to be as much as the credits) -- and the Energi can be cheaper if you live in a state that gives additional credits. Additionally, depending on what other driving you do, you might go through only a tank of gas per year -- the car will force you to burn off the old gas in the car after a year.

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@raadsel Thank you for the info.  It look like there is an 8K incentive on the energi right now, so that makes it very affordable.

 

The heater part is very interesting.  Is it better only if I let it warm up plugged or is it the same (the heater uses the ICE)?  I have not learned the technical terms for it yet (I think it's type 1 vs 2) but more than likely I'd only be able to 110 volt charging.  We have a decent service at our house, but I doubt it's up to the 240 charging w/o some serious modification.

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@raadsel Thank you for the info.  It look like there is an 8K incentive on the energi right now, so that makes it very affordable.

 

The heater part is very interesting.  Is it better only if I let it warm up plugged or is it the same (the heater uses the ICE)?  I have not learned the technical terms for it yet (I think it's type 1 vs 2) but more than likely I'd only be able to 110 volt charging.  We have a decent service at our house, but I doubt it's up to the 240 charging w/o some serious modification.

 

The heater in the C-Max hybrid uses the heat from the ICE, so you use more gas for the first several miles to keep warm air blowing in the cabin. The heater in the Energi is an electric heater, so it does not need the ICE so long as you are connected to power or have sufficient charge in the battery. From what I know, the heater doesn't need more power than a 110V outlet will provide. 

 

For the few miles you drive daily, plus the fact that it isn't an electric only vehicle, I don't see why you would need the 240V charger. From the miles you say you drive, you should just be able to plug in the Energi in overnight and it will fully charge. In fact, if your workplace has a spot for electric vehicles to charge, I could see where you would not even need to charge the car at home, at least most of the time.

 

Also, if you haven't found it, you can plug your Energi in to the wall when you get home but not have it charge until electric prices go down at night; you can actually schedule the time you want your car to charge.

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For a while during my C-Max ownership I had a 2-mile commute, and while my MPG was still much better than the car I had before, it wasn't ideal because the gas engine pretty much had to run the whole way to get up to operating temperature.

 

To get that lovely no-gas EV mode you might go with a plug-in hybrid instead, like the C-Max Energi, because it's capable of operating as an electric car for moderate distances. But...don't kill me, Energi fans...the Energi's acceleration in electric-only mode is a bit anemic, about 15 seconds 0-60; and handling and cargo space and hybrid-mode MPG are all negatively impacted by the additional weight of the larger battery. The Chevy Volt is a better implementation of the concept, although I suppose technically it's an extended-range electric vehicle rather than a plug-in hybrid.

 

Which brings me to the point: perhaps you need an EV -- a purely electric vehicle!  You'll use no gas at all, and with your short commute you'll never have range anxiety. If you want a quiet, sophisticated, spacious 4-door hatchback, there's the Nissan Leaf, VW e-Golf, Ford Focus Electric, or Mercedes-Benz B-class. If you want a fast, fun little car that'll put a grin on your face, there's the Fiat 500e or Chevy Spark EV. If you want a nimble and affordable city car, there's the Mitsubishi i-MIEV or Smart Electric Drive. If you want a moon buggy, there's the BMW i3. You can find lease deals with low or no down payment and low monthlies, and your state may offer rebates; or you can buy a low-mileage used EV (off-lease or dealer demo) for a great price.

 

...or if your budget is nothing like mine, get a Tesla! :-)

Edited by HotPotato
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Yup, I figured out that an Energi would be a better idea.

If you have state incentives, the energy cost can be about the same as the conventional C-Max. Mine was within a couple hundred dollars, and I didn't need the larger cargo area of the conventional hybrid (the Energi has a big battery back there - check it out).

 

A couple of clarifications. The Energi uses electric heat if the ICE is not running; when the ICE runs, it gets heat from the engine. The electric heater uses a lot of energy.

 

I'd invest in a L2 charger and preheat the cabin in the winter - it will help ensure the ICE doesn't start. And if you can avoid the heater (the seat heaters are nice), you can keep the ICE off in winter.

Edited by stevedebi
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