Page 15 - ElectriCar Magazine

MSRP: $30,000 Range: 115 miles
Horsepower: 143 hp (107kw)
Motor: 107kW
Battery Capacity: 107kwh LithiumIon Curb Weight: 3,640
charge their vehicles remotely. The specialized version of the
MyFord Touch technology for the Focus Electric offers an innovative presentation of vehicle information, such as battery state of charge, distance to charge points, range budget and expected range margin. The system’s MyView feature allows drivers to access even more vehicle data including the electrical demands of vehicle accessories such as air conditioning, which can impact driving range. This feature would be used to plan multiple-stop journeys within the car’s range and to locate charging stations. The improved MyFord Touch system will also allow drivers to customize the display on a case-by- case basis according to the owners daily, weekly or monthly driving needs.
Inspired in the Ford Fusion
Hybrid growing green leaves of first-generation SmartGauge with EcoGuide, the Focus Electric cluster display uses blue butterflies to represent the surplus range beyond the drivers’ charge point destination, as more butterflies are shown the greater the range is, and the blue butterflies gradually disappear as
the car’s battery is depleted. Ford says the designers were inspired by the butterfly effect, a phenomenon
in which a small change, such as choosing to drive an electric vehicle, can have an enormous impact. At
the end of each trip a display screen provides distance driven, miles gained through regenerative braking, energy consumed and a comparative gasoline savings achieved by driving electric.
The display cluster is integrated with the MyFord Touch map-based Navigation System using the car’s center stack 8-inch touch screen. After the driver adds destinations, including their next charge point, into the Navigation System, the system provides coaching advice about driver behaviors such as optimizing regenerative braking and accelerating without drawing too much energy; or on how to achieve the desired range, or if travel plans need to be adjusted. The on-board Navigation System
provides an EcoRoute option based on characteristics of efficient EV driving.
Ford began production of the Focus Electric destined for the European market in Saarlouis, Germany.
The Focus Electric was available initially only in 19 metropolitan areas including Atlanta, Houston and
Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York City, Orlando, Florida, Phoenix and Tucson, Portland, Oregon, Raleigh-Durham, Richmond, Virginia, Seattle, and Washington,
D.C. The first production vehicle was incorporated in the company’s GFleet car sharing corporate service. Initially sales were limited to California, New York and New Jersey.
Ford began taking online orders with pricing starting at $39,995; including
a $795.00 destination charge, but before the $7,500 US federal tax credit, along with other state and local incentives available for eligible buyers of Plug-In Electric Vehicles. The Focus Electric was eligible in California to
a $2,500 rebate through the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, and
was granted free access to California’s HOV lanes for solo drivers.
The Focus Electric was priced significantly higher than a conventional gas-powered Focus, which listed
a base price of $16,500, rising to $30,692 when fully loaded with
all available options. Thus after accounting for all available government incentives, in some locations the Focus Electric may be net-priced similar
to a fully loaded gas version. When compared to other Plug-In Electric Vehicles available in the U.S., the Focus Electric has basically the same price as the Chevrolet Volt Plug-In Hybrid, and it costs $3,945 more than the base-model Nissan Leaf. Available options included leather-trimmed
seats and two special paint options, blue candy and white platinum.
heated liquid warms the batteries, gradually bringing the system’s temperature to a level that allows it
to efficiently accept charge energy and provide enough discharge power for expected vehicle performance.
Ford conducted research to define the optimal location of the charge port for the Focus Electric and the Ford C-Max Energi Plug-In Hybrid. The carmaker decided to locate the port in the left front fender as such location is more convenient for home charging, which Ford found is what most customers would do. Also the side location avoids areas with high risk of damage in the event of small crashes. Ford says this fact was a driving factor in the choice of the side location rather than the rear or the front.
The Ford Focus Electric introduced features of a high level of technological connectivity including a unique version of the MyFord Touch driver connect system adapted for electric vehicles,
a new value charging feature powered by Microsoft and a smartphone application called MyFord Mobile
that owners can use to control and
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