2013 Ford Focus Electric

2013 Ford Focus Electric

2013 Ford Focus Electric

2013 Ford Focus Electric

2013 Ford Focus Electric

2013 Ford Focus Electric

Electric vehicles are the hottest and smallest niche market at the moment, and the 2013 Ford Focus Electric intends to join the fray. Its features begin with an electric motor and extend all the way to your smartphone.

Focus Electric, Ford is aiming at a global market for its first in-house–engineered EV, so it makes sense to base it on the Ford Focus C chassis. Motivation begins with a permanent-magnet electric traction motor delivering 123 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque and a single-speed transmission. The motor draws electricity from two liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery packs mounted under and behind the rear seats with a total of 24 kilowatt-hours of power. The combination tops out just above freeway speeds at 84 mph and should be peppy off the line owing to the torquey nature of electric motors.

The official range has yet to be announced, but preliminary figures indicate frugal drivers should see around 100 miles before the car has to hit the charger. Speaking of charging, that's where things start to get interesting with the Focus Electric. Ford has partnered with Best Buy, whose Geek Squad will provide in-home installation of an optional Leviton-sourced 240-volt–outlet charger, which will be able to charge the batteries in just 3 hours, currently best in a rather nebulous and small class. Without that high-voltage charger, it's a painful 16 to 20 hours for a full charge. This makes the charge-station finder delivered to the navigation system through MapQuest a very important feature.

The Focus Electric also works to address one of the biggest problems with EVs: range anxiety, the concern that the car won't be able to make it to a destination. Each key stores the driver's unique style of driving—what Ford terms as Zippy to Zen. The zippier the driver, the lower the total range will be. The car takes this into account when predicting how far it will go with its current state of charge. If you're on the edge of reaching a destination or charge station, the SmartGauge LCD screens flanking the speedometer will encourage smoother driving, maximized regenerative braking and lower speeds. Amusingly, the green leaves from the Fusion Hybrid's SmartGauge have been replaced with blue butterflies—an homage to the butterfly effect the driver might cause by piloting an electric vehicle.

The Focus Electric is still pretty far from production, with an intended sale date sometime in 2012, but it will be the flagship in Ford's push for vehicle electrification. What we see in this effort is a holistic approach to an electric car that will pay dividends as the number of charging stations increases and battery technology improves. For now, the electric car is still limited to a position as secondary, around-town city car, but as charging times continue to diminish, that problem will begin to disappear.

2012 Ford Focus Wagon

2012 Ford Focus Wagon

2012 Ford Focus Wagon

2012 Ford Focus Wagon

INTRODUCTION:
* Next-generation global Ford Focus 5-door model makes European debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show; Global debut for attractive new wagon derivative
* European-developed Focus spearheads Ford's new generation of global C-cars, and will be sold in more than 120 markets globally
* Focus wagon is the latest of at least ten vehicles from Ford's new global C-car portfolio.
* A global performance version of new Focus using Ford EcoBoost engine technology is promised.
* New wagon derivative will account for more than one third of total Focus sales in Europe. Five-door share expected to reach around 60 per cent
* Stylish next-generation Focus range provides customers with class-leading new technologies and high levels of craftsmanship
* New Focus targets outstanding fuel economy, low CO2 and further advances in acclaimed levels of driving quality
* European and North American production starts simultaneously in late 2010 and go on sale from early 2011.

SPECIFICATION:'The Focus wagon is the next model to be revealed, and is particularly significant for the European market as more than a third of our C-car customers here prefer a wagon bodystyle.'
At Geneva, Ford is also confirming that a global performance vehicle will be developed as part of the next-generation Focus range, and that it will be powered by a version of the 4-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engine family.
'A key strength of the Ford Focus range in Europe has always been its wagon, and its popularity is second only to the five-door,' said John Fleming, Ford of Europe Chairman and CEO. 'These customers want the extra space and flexibility a traditional wagon provides, yet they still expect all of the technology, great driving dynamics, and superb styling. We believe the new Focus wagon will more than satisfy their requirements in every way.
six bodystyles will cover 85 per cent of customer requirements in the §egmènt in Europe - the four-door sedan, the five-door hatch, the wagon, the five-passenger MAV, seven-passenger MAV and the small SÚV.