Ford calls C-MAX Energi a "hybrid-plus" because it not only operates just like C-MAX Hybrid, but also features an external charge port and larger lithium-ion battery pack so owners can plug in the vehicles to fully charge the battery using either a standard 120-volt outlet or the available 240-volt charge station.
ENGADGET: Ford C-Max Energi pricing: $29,995 after a federal tax credit, available this fall
Because owners plug in to charge the advanced lithium-ion battery in C-MAX Energi, the vehicle is able to achieve increased electric mode and total range.
ENGADGET: Ford's 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, arrives later this fall
We can imagine the day when you'll be able to charge the battery on your plug-in hybrid car at night, because your smart meter reminded you that nighttime electricity is cheapest.
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Electric cars can also only go 70 to 100 miles on a single charge before the driver has to plug-in and power up again.
Your average EV owner needs to plug into a grid to charge up.
What's interesting is the GM technology would allow you to actually plug it into the wall, charge up oversized batteries, and run almost exclusively on battery power while you're commuting.
C-MAX Energi operates just like a traditional hybrid with two key differences - owners must plug in the vehicle using its charge port and C-MAX Energi has a larger battery pack.
ENGADGET: Ford's 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, arrives later this fall
Focus Electric, Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid all have an LED charge port that displays a circle of light directly related to battery life.
American automakers, who sit on the SAE advisory panel, say they like a combo plug better than CHAdeMO because it will allow a single charge port hidden behind what used to be the gasoline filler.
Stopping to get a charge away from home is a small price to pay, said Scott, the Plug In America vice president.
But in vehicles that run for long periods on electricity only, like plug-in hybrids and all-electrics, engineers need to fully charge batteries to maximize driving range, the drawback to electric vehicles.
It acts like a giant spark plug, busting apart a tiny portion of the diesel fuel with an electric charge so that the molecules rearrange themselves into carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
If we get plug-in hybrid cars, you can plug it in at night and sell back electricity to the utility, and then charge up your car again in the morning before you leave.
The salesman said that the bike would run for twenty to thirty miles, depending on how fast I went, before I would need to plug its cord into the wall for eight hours or lug the batteries inside to charge.
The Tesla Model S is a plug-in electric luxury sedan than can travel between 160 and 300 miles on a single charge, depending on the type of battery chosen.
PowerJolt Universal with ChargeSensor sports a low profile plug for the car's 12 volt accessory outlet and a powerful 10 watt charging circuit to charge mobile devices quickly and safely.
ENGADGET: Griffin launches PowerDock 5 multi-device charging platform and ChargeSensor adapters
Not only can these units be used to charge EVs, but it means that tens of thousands of Stockholmers are already comfortable with the routine of connecting a plug to their vehicle at night or early in the morning.
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