Honda Fit EV - The Agony and the Ecstasy of Electric Motoring

My Fit EV fills up at the Blink Network charging station.

The Honda Fit EV is a great example of everything that’s wonderful — and terrible — about living with an electric car. I just spent a week with a Reflection Blue FIT EV and it took me on a real adventure.

Let’s start with the upsides first. Nobody can argue that electric cars aren’t cleaner than gasoline burners. Of course, how much cleaner depends on how the electricity that you use is generated (coal-fired plant? Hydro-electric dam? Nuclear power plant?). But you aren’t burning anything in the car itself — there isn’t even a tailpipe.

The EPA’s green ratings for the Fit EV are a perfect 10 for Smog and Greenhouse Gas. The window sticker says you’ll save $9,100 in fuel costs over five years compared to the average new vehicle.

Electric motors are quiet and smooth. My tester made a little high-pitched whine when it gained momentum, but otherwise all I heard, even at freeway speeds, was a little hum from the tires and a very minimal bit of wind noise. Being a Honda, the car was well built and rattle- and buzz-free.

The price of electricity is significantly less than gasoline, especially if you generate it from your own rooftop solar panels. I don’t have any yet, but my research showed that to go 30 miles in a gas version of the Fit would take one gallon of gas at $4.00; an Electric fit would use about $1.00 worth of electricity.

How about the negatives? At this point, the biggest problem with electric cars, including the Fit, is range. Imagine if you had to put gas into your car’s tank three gallons at a time. With a 73-mile range like the Fit, you need a daily charge, if not twice a day. Charging at home in reasonable time means installing a 220-volt charger in your garage. Otherwise, at 110 volts, it could take longer to fill an empty battery than overnight. A 220-volt public charger takes about four hours.

Another range-related issue is usage. If you plan to drive your EV only for commuting, and your daily mileage fits comfortably within the car’s range, then you can charge it up at night and the cycle works. However, if you want to come home after work and then take your car out again, you may not be able to do it. Also, forget those 150-mile round trips to visit the grandkids or long vacation excursions. In these cases, you’d better take the other (gas) car.

Another problem is price. The Fit EV drives very nicely, is well finished, and comes pretty well equipped, but it’s still based on the Fit, which is Honda’s cheapest car. You can buy the basic gas-powered Fit starting at $16,215, while the price of my test car was $37,415! And despite their wildly different drivetrains, the two versions look nearly identical, except for a chrome smile up front and EV badges on the electric.

Nissan’s, the pioneer in the mainstream EV market, created a new model — the Leaf — to avoid this kind of comparison between basic gas model and upscale electric. Honda, along with Ford, Fiat, and Chevrolet, is using available platforms — a cost-saving move but one that may be harder to sell to the public.

There are significant federal and state rebates that can take up to $10,000 off the price of an EV, but it still costs a lot more than a gas-powered model. Good leasing deals are out there. Currently, you can lease a Fit EV for three years at $259 a month, although availability is very limited.

Of course, the Tesla Model S is another case entirely. It’s very expensive, starting at $71,070, but the range is not an issue, at 208 or 265 miles, depending on model. Most of us, though, will have to opt for the more ordinary EVs.

The challenge of driving an EV is learning how to live carefully on your meager energy budget. The Fit’s instrument panel has a Power/Charge gauge on the left that shows you if you’re using electricity or generating it and on the right is a full/empty gauge for the battery.

There is also a digital estimated range display front and center. You can make this figure larger or smaller depending on whether you choose Econ, Normal, or Sport mode on the left side of the steering column. With, Econ, the 100% full range is 73 miles. Pushing the Normal button drops that to 62, and Sport drops further to 56. These are approximations, and they can vary tremendously depending on how you drive.

Econ is the most frugal setting, but during the cold snap of my test week, I found that it reduced the heater function to nearly nothing. Switching to Normal restores normal climate function, and also makes the car much quicker off the line when you press the accelerator. Sport mode gives another boost to acceleration, but seems unnecessary otherwise.

My real adventure and educational experience was in getting the car charged up. My first day, I was surprised to drive my 30 miles to work and see the range drop from 59 to just 48. I had recovered a lot of the electricity because I was in terrible stop-and-go traffic. Secret: EVs do exceptionally well in these conditions, because speeds are low and there is plenty of opportunity to recharge the battery with regenerative braking.

With this success, I figured I was safe to take the trip back without a recharge. However, by the time I got close to home that Tuesday evening, the instruments were displaying a worrisome 11-mile range and a Low Battery warning light came on as I approached my house.

To avoid stress, on Wednesday, I went looking for a charging station near my office. I had used one before that was a 20-minute walk away, but it was a Blink Network site and I only had a ChargePoint card from the press fleet. So, I went to the nearest ChargePoint station — more than a mile away — and found that I couldn’t use it. It was on a major software company’s campus, and it was reserved.

However, I made a call to ChargePoint and was able to get connected — but I had to use the personal ChargePoint account I had set up months ago. I enjoyed a vigorous 35-minute walk back to the office, but I’d hate to have to do that every day. I got a ride to pick up the car later.

The following day, I decided to try using the ChargePoint chargers right across the street from my office. Although they were in front of a well-known video rental company, I thought that maybe the wizards at ChargePoint could open them up for me the way they had on Wednesday. The polite woman on the other side of the line did her best, but it was a no go. I then decided to try the Blink Network station again, hoping for a miracle.

I got my miracle. When I called Blink, Dustin told me that they have a Guest User plan. So, in five minutes, my hungry Fit was charging up. One more day was taken care of, and I got my nice 20-minute walk back to work.

I was beginning to feel like I had it together. I was much more relaxed having the security of a full charge morning and night. So, I drove in Normal instead of Econ mode and enjoyed the warmth and responsiveness that the Fit offers. That’s when I realized how much I enjoyed the car. The Fit is absolutely stable and feels light and taut, although my driving was not on exciting roads. The motor’s torque pulls you forward nicely, and the expansive glass greenhouse and long dash make it feel spacious. The silvery panels and light gray plastic (none of it padded) helped, too. I was able to play the audio system without any apparent impact on my electricity budget.

Charge companies keep in touch with you. I received text messages from ChargePoint telling me when the car was full — and also when I removed the charger from the car (in case it was someone else!). Blink Network sent me emails with the same contents. After my experience with them, I signed up for a free membership, so I’ll be ready when the next electric test car comes along.

The bottom line is, if you are willing to put up with the obvious issues of range and price, an EV may be for you — and the Honda is nice to drive and handy to use, with its hatchback. If I owned one, I would be sure there was a charger at my workplace and install one in my garage. I would also be sure to have a reliable second car that burns petrol available for longer trips.

There are other options. Besides the several EVs on the market, there are plug-in hybrids, which allow you limited all-electric driving and then switch to efficient hybrid operation. The Toyota Prius Plug-In and Ford C-Max Energi are good examples. Another choice is the Chevrolet Volt, which is an electric car with a built-in gasoline engine that’s used only as a generator to charge the battery for extended range.

These cars eliminate the range issues, but are still more expensive than comparable gasoline vehicles. They are even more expensive than their regular hybrid versions. And, they still use some gas.

The electric-only range for plug-in hybrids varies from about 13 miles for the Prius to 21 for the C-Max and 38 for the Volt. These models, like the current EVs and standard hybrids, are all interim steps that will eventually lead to what we really want — electric vehicles with a useful range, quick and convenient charging, and an affordable price.

Ford C-Max Energi - Partway to a Pure Electric Future

For numerous reasons, more new alternative fuel vehicles are arriving in the marketplace. I hope it's because we really are tired of (and worried about) burning fossil fuels and wrecking our planet, but some of it is because the manufacturers have to meet stricter U.S. Government standards. And, manufacturers are competing with each other.

Toyota has claimed the green mantle so far with its popular Prius hybrid. In fact, Toyota currently has two thirds of the market. Ford is second--way down at about 12 percent--but it's growing. And a major reason is its new hybrid C-Max models.

In the U.S., you can get the C-Max only as a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. Designed in and for the European family minivan market, it is available as a normal petrol-powered car there, but here, Ford is creating a new specific model to go head-to-head with the Prius, while still offering the same engine/motor combination in the midsize Fusion sedan.

The plug-in hybrid is a step between an all-electric car, such as the Nissan Leaf, and a normal hybrid. Hybrids use a gasoline engine coupled with an electric motor and a larger battery. The battery, not associated with the 12-volt one used to start the engine or power your radio or air conditioner, generates all of its power by regenerating it whenever you use the brakes. This works well, because hybrids never require plugging in. The system uses computer brainpower to know when to use the engine or the motor--or both.

A pure electric vehicle is great, until you run out of juice. Charging stations are few, and it takes a while, normally hours, to recharge a depleted battery. So, you could end up stuck somewhere, or be forced to limit the use of your car. A plug-in hybrid allows you to charge up for a limited amount and then, when that battery is dry, you automatically switch to hybrid mode and keep going.

Charging is easy, but you have to spend a couple of minutes every night pulling out the cord and connecting your car to your home's power supply. The durable cord coils up onto a portable holder that is stashed neatly under the driver's seat. It's enough of a bother to put it back there that I left it out on the rear floor during the C-Max's stay, only returning it to its hidden home when I gave back the car.

On the left front fender, the round plastic door flips up and over and you plug in what looks like a gas nozzle without the tube into the socket. Then, a circle around the filler glows in a clockwise moving circle. As you charge the car, it displays, in  quarters, what percentage the battery has charged. When it's 100 percent charged, the light goes out. It worked overnight on 110 current; a 220-volt system would presumably be much faster.

The C-Max is a very pleasant car to drive, with responsive steering, a firm, but not harsh ride, and an airy and attractive interior. You sit high, almost like in a crossover SUV. And, the electric charge is effective--until it runs out. But the transition from smooth, silent electric to gas/electric is virtually undetectable.

I commute 30 miles to my office each day, so my real-world experience was that I enjoyed about 21 fuel-free miles, and at about 2/3 of the way there, the car became a regular hybrid. Even then, part of my driving, even on the freeway, was electric, so, the first day, I ended up driving 23.6 miles on pure electricity for a 29.4 mile trip. That's excellent. I verified a similar performance on subsequent days.

Of course, with no chance to charge, my trip home was simply as a hybrid, but even then, I had 13.5 miles in "EV" (electric vehicle) mode.

The ideal case for this car would be to have a shorter commute, with a charger at both ends. Then, perhaps, my commute would use no gas at all.

One weekend day, I ran several errands around town, to the dry cleaner, bank, pet food store, and realized when I pulled into my driveway that I had done it all on electricity alone. And that feels good.

The C-Max combines a 2.0-liter gasoline engine with a motor to get 188 horsepower combined. The engine accounts for 141 of that. The battery is a Lithium-ion type rather than the older style nickel-metal-hydride, which means it's more efficient and can be smaller. As it is, the plug-in model must steal several cubic feet of rear cargo space for the battery. I was still able to open the hatch and slide in a variety of substantial items. 

The C-Max's accommodations look just like today's Fords--lots of angles, nicely finished surfaces, and a a lot of activity combined with a strong, solid feel. You also live with Ford's SYNC system for attaching your phone and devices, including voice activated phone and navigation system commands. There is a learning curve, but after several cars like this, I know how to use the quartered home page screen and to touch the corner to open up that feature, such as Audio, Navigation or Climate.The voice commands are usable for dialing someone while you're underway.

The instrument panel features Ford MyTouch, which gives you the power to change what you see on the right and left sides of the simple round speedometer. The left side displays fuel economy information and gives you insight into which powerplant is working and how hard it's working. There are several different views, but I liked the one with a double rainbow of bars that at a glance told the story. Of course, there are numbers available--the average miles per gallon being the one I cared most about. And the left side automatically gives a report after each trip on how efficiently you drove.

The right side of the instrument panel shows entertainment and other features, but is most fun as the Efficiency Leaves display. Drive gently and electrically and you can add various-sized leaves to the plant. When you're stomping on the gas on the freeway, the leaves fall off and disappear. You begin to feel guilty about "killing" the plant. This strategy may work for some drivers.

How does the EPA calculate fuel economy on cars that sometimes drive without fuel? The agency issues an MPGe number that is an "equivalent" value. So, the numbers for the regular hybrid are 47 for City, Highway, and, naturally, Combined (although I and others have not achieved that in real world driving). The official figures for the Energi are 108 City, 92 Highway, and 100 Combined. That sounds spectacular, but it will vary greatly depending on your driving. Driving only about a third of my miles in pure electric mode, I averaged a still good 49.5 miles per gallon (equivalent) over the test week. If you kept your driving more local and stayed on battery power, then the number would be closer to 100 MPGe.

And that's part of what you need to consider when looking at the C-Max--or any other hybrid, plug-in, or electric car. Hybrids normally are most efficient in town, so if you drive primarily freeway miles, a very efficient standard gasoline car might make more sense, particularly considering the price premium for hybrids. Certain, the Energi is great to drive, but I always was a little disappointed when the three-dimensional representation of a battery morphed before my eyes into the two-dimensional battery-shaped image used by  the hybrid drivetrain. I wanted it to last longer.

Prices for the C-Max Energi start at $33,345; the regular hybrid begins at $25,200. That's a significant difference for what could turn out to be an incremental fuel savings. These numbers are competitive with the Prius, and especially with the Prius v, the more wagon-shaped version in Toyota showrooms. If budget is your top priority, a gas-powered Ford Fiesta subcompact gets up to 41 miles per gallon on the freeway and starts at just $14,000.

If you're interested, in a C-Max, drive it and the Prius back to back. The numbers are close, but the Ford feels more fun to drive and the Energi's pure-electric range is greater than the plug-in Prius. I expect, in the near future, to see an improved electric range in the Energi--and probably a C-Max all-electric vehicle in what is shaping up to be an epic battle for green buyers.

Getting a Charge out of the Chevy Volt

The Chevrolet Volt is unique in the world of hybrid and electric vehicles. It is powered by an electric motor all the time, unlike a hybrid, in which the gasoline engine powers the car part of the time. However, an on-board gas engine is called in to service the charge the battery when the car runs out of electricity, which, in my case, was when the 32 miles worth of power was exhausted. The engine itself never powers the wheels directly.

This gas engine is meant to remove "range anxiety," a malady suffered by owners of all-electric cars like the Nissan Leaf. The Leaf can go up to 90 miles on a charge, but when you're out, you're stranded.

The Volt is a compact sedan--not a large one--and will hold four people--not five. The rear seat has a console along the middle to prevent that. I'm not sure why, but I'm guessing today that it limits the weight the car must bear, thereby increasing the range of the electric powertrain.

Chevy showed a concept car of the Volt several years ago and it was much more angular than today's car. However, it was "futuristic" and the production car is, too. Styling is a little bit advanced and different from end to end. Especially notable is the silvery "grille," through which no air can pass (it comes in under the bumper for the engine--a common setup today). The dark strips below the side windows are an iteration of a design concept from the original show car and make the smallish windows look--but not feel--larger.

The interior is where the Volt goes wild. Despite being finished in hard plastics throughout, it is very evocative of modernity and even a little adventurous. The twin cockpit theme--from as far back as the original Corvette, is in evidence, and the shiny plastic door inserts convey the old painted feeling of those cars. But of course this car is built like a fortress and has umpteen airbags to protect you.

The instrument panel has two rectangular screens-one directly behind the steering wheel and one in the center spot on the dash Both convey, in brightly colored graphics, what's happening with the car, and you can make numerous selections to monitor such functions as where the power is coming from, how the battery is being charged, and recent fuel economy. It tells you after every charge how well you did--and what proportion of your mileage was powered by electrons and how much was thanks to hydrocarbons.

I was thrilled to be able to drive my Crystal Red test car the entire 23 miles to work each day on pure electricity. The car feels strong, pulls eagerly away from stops, and sails down the road in blissful silence. My car's stereo was happy to put out the music, although one time, I sat and let it play for about 20 minutes and I could see that it was draining my battery!

Everything you do affects range, and you learn to behave carefully to maximize that. You can monitor your habits to see how efficient you are. And, there's a little gadget you can select for the panel directly in front that shows you visually, using a rising or falling sphere, whether you're rolling along fine or are accelerating or braking too much. The goal, for economy, is to keep the ball in the middle, and it stays there if you are just rolling along. Hard acceleration or braking make the ball stop move off-center. It's a learning tool, much like the ones in Hybrids, but this is especially three-dimensional--as are all the displays in the Volt.

Charging is easy. You just uncoil the thick orange cord and plug it in the wall. Then, pop open the nicely-finished mini door on the left front fender and plug in the flashlight-sized plug. It has a handle and a built-in light to locate the outlet easily. The lights on the charger glow green, the car chirps its horn once, and a small green light goes on on the dash near the windshield. You can check how it's doing by opening the car and looking at the dash display.

I was happy to see, each morning, that I had a full battery. It's displayed like a row of gold bars in the T shape of the actual battery, which is hidden below the central tunnel and back seat. I enjoyed the quality of the car--despite its non-luxurious interior materials, it felt sold, looked fine, and worked perfectly. The seats, with optional leather in my tester, held me comfortably.

Two regrets. One--I wish the car had a longer range, because it feels great to drive under electric power. Two--the price. My car had a $40,000 base price, plus $4,000 worth of options. At $44,000, I could be looking at a Mercedes-Benz. But--only Chevy makes the Volt. I assume that future versions will increase the electric battery range and, with volume sales, the prices should come down. There is a $7,500 tax credit to help ease the pain, as well.

Electric Car Sightings Update

Well, electric cars are starting to make it onto the roads, but it's still a trickle. As I drive my two hours a day around the central San Francisco Bay Area I am seeing a Nissan LEAF at least a couple of times a week (see photo). I've seen one Chevrolet Volt in the last month.

Last week, I saw two of the $100K + Tesla Roadsters on the same day -- one in the morning and one in the evening -- both with custom plates. I wrote down the first one: NIL CO2. Cute, huh? I also saw a gas-powered car with a bumper sticker that said, "My next car won't have one of these"--and there was an arrow pointing down to its exhaust pipe. The sticker had a Tesla logo on it. That car may turn out to be a Tesla Model S--due next year.

The fact is, it is going to take a while before you see a lot of electric cars on the road. The batteries are still expensive and the quantities of cars that the manufacturers can turn out and deliver is very limited. And, folks want a car that does everything, and electric vehicles still have limitations--mainly range issues.

Meanwhile, Costco is in the news for saying they plan to shut down their electric charging stations. I've heard a lot about this from a surprising number of people. From what I can tell, the stations need to be upgraded and Costco is balking at the cost--because they, rightfully or not, don't believe that there is much call for electric car charging at their locations.

I say, without knowing all the facts, that it is probably a good short-term business decision to shut them down. But, it's a terrible public relations move, and puts the company at the back, rather than at the front, of the wave of the future. I think that public charging availability is part of what will extend the functionality and acceptability of electric cars.

Also newsworthy: The Nissan LEAF all-electric car will have greater availability with its 2012 models. About 4,000 LEAFs have been delivered so far in California, Arizona, Hawaii, Oregon, Texas, Washington (state) and Tennessee (Nissan is based there). Now, Nissan is expanding into Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Also, the new 2012 LEAF will come with a quick charging port (480 volts) and a cold weather package, which includes a battery warmer, heated seats and a heated steering wheel.

Stay tuned!