Lyle Dennis is a huge supporter of the Chevy Volt: he founded a website dedicated to the Volt, owned the eighth unit off the production line and drove it for 14,000 miles. So why did he recently make the switch from the Volt to the Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid?
“It all started really when my wife decided she wanted a Nissan Leaf to replace her SUV,” he said. “Since the Leaf could only go 75 miles, and we have three kids, I needed a car that could operate on electricity for my short commute but also have the capability for long drives with the whole family.”
The ability to seat five people comfortably came to the forefront for him during a trip over the summer. At that point, the family owned a Leaf and a Volt, and they planned on renting a larger car to transport the entire family for a road trip. But that didn’t work out quite the way they expected.
“Due to an error at the rental company, we found ourselves without a rental car on the day of our trip,” he said. After that he decided to pursue the C-MAX Energi to make sure they owned a car that could seat five and make long drives when needed.
As a close follower of the automotive industry in general and electric vehicles in particular, Dennis had known about the C-MAX Energi since 2011 when Ford announced it at the North American International Auto Show. The five seats and utility of the C-MAX Energi appealed to him.
He put in his order, and he has been driving his new C-MAX Energi since December. The car’s EV-only range and top speeds impressed him so far. “It is fun to drive, technical and utilitarian,” he said. “It has lots of cool features and things to try. It handles my commute to and from work without gas, which was my main goal. And now I have peace of mind if my family needs to go on a long trip.”
You can learn more about this story by visiting insideevs.com, where Dennis goes in depth on his first impressions of the C-MAX Energi.
Here at Ford Lincoln of Ocala, we are eager to help you receive all the necessary information on your next vehicle purchase.