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With Ford's entry, the plug-in wars are on

The Ford C-Max Energi is looking to unseat the Prius as the plug-in of choice for Americans, while a handful other plug-ins prowl the roads.

By Claire_Martin Oct 17, 2012 1:18PM
Ford C-Max Energi photo by FordWith news that the Environmental Protection Agency has certified the Ford C-Max Energi with an all-electric driving range of 21 miles and a total range of 620, Ford appears to be closing in on its chief rival in the plug-in hybrid category, the Toyota Prius Plug-in. 

The Prius Plug-in logs 11 miles per electric charge and 540 more gas-burning miles. While it lags slightly behind the C-Max Energi, it has one distinct advantage over the Ford vehicle: the Prius name. Toyota's Prius fleet, which also includes the smaller Prius c and larger Prius V models, is on pace to sell a record 225,000 vehicles this year, according to Hybridcars.com.

Plug-in hybrids erase the range anxiety that has so far tempered enthusiasm for electric vehicles. They rely on an electric charge in the initial phases of an outing, typically a commute, before a gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the battery or power the car until it can be fully recharged at an electrical outlet.

The other plug-in hybrids currently on sale are a mixed bag in terms of mileage and pricing.

The Fisker Karma, created by former BMW and Aston Martin designer Henrik Fisker, gets 32 EPA-rated electric miles per charge at a cost of $96,000. The car, which has been plagued by recalls, has a distinct claim to fame: Its gasoline engine only charges the battery and never powers the car. 

The Chevrolet Volt achieves as much as 38 electric miles, and the car costs a more attainable $39,000. But demand for the Volt has been sluggish, and General Motors has put Volt production on hiatus three times this year, including last month when it was suspended until Monday.

Two new plug-in hybrids are on the horizon, neither of which has received an EPA rating yet. The Fusion Energi will go into production in December and hit showrooms in February; Ford hopes to sell 45,000 vehicles next year. Ford has not announced any mileage estimates. The Honda Accord Plug-in, with an estimated 10 to 15 miles of electric range, will go on sale in January. 

But plug-in hybrid sales represent just a fraction of the automotive market, and though the Prius Plug-in is the one to beat out, it has performed below Toyota's expectations. This year just 8,400 vehicles were sold in Japan -- 20 percent fewer than the company's target. As a whole, plug-in hybrids represent less than 0.5 percent of the total U.S. market.


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3Comments
spillerbd
Oct 19, 2012 5:21AM
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Hey Troy, try some research before you start "spilling" facts.... The Prius Plug-in hybrid hasn't been around that long! Toyota introduced it as a 2012 model !
Troy S.
Oct 17, 2012 1:43PM
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Toyota has dominated this market for a decade. Ford and the others have alot of catching up to do.
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