My Perfect Automobile » Focus

Electric Car Myths Still With Us

Larry Bell — Fri, 03 May 2013 23:58:02 +0000

Electric cars (Pictured: Ford Focus Electric interior)

As hybrid and electric vehicles continue to carve out market share, several electric car myths persist, according to new marketing surveys. Range anxiety tops the list. GM even applied for a trademark on the term, while uninformed consumers continue to list range as the number one reason they would hesitate to purchase an EV. The facts are contrary to the fears. While most electric cars offer a per-charge drive range of at least 70 miles, the average U.S. adult drives less than 40 miles per day. Ford’s C-Max and the Chevy Volt are but two range-extended electric cars that address the challenge head-on. Such cars pair an electric motor with a combustion engine.

Electric Cars: Video

Even Ford enthusiasts will learn something new from the video clip above, which discusses the Focus Electric. An official company production, the piece is the most thorough walk-through of a vehicle in recent memory. The narrator starts out with basics like range, battery size, exterior styling and other key characteristics of the Focus EV. From there, the five-minute rundown unravels a long list of other standard and optional features. Ford has put a lot into the Focus Electric, hoping to differentiate it from other EVs on the market. Overall size and interior styling are two of the more obvious qualities. In addition, Ford’s first all-electric car is equipped with an astounding array of safety and communications technology.

Electric Cars

Besides range, the two most common myths about electric cars are related to charging and cost. Consumers who are unfamiliar with EVs tend to view charging as a hassle, not realizing that plug-in electric cars and hybrids can use standard outlets or quick-charge docks. There are now almost 6,000 public charge points in the U.S., and that number is growing rapidly. Consumers who say cost will keep them from purchasing an EV typically think that electric cars cost $100,000 or more. In the last two years alone, EV costs have entered the realm of normalcy, with the upcoming Smart Electric Drive carrying a sticker price of $25,000 before federal and state tax credits.

For more about the Ford Focus Electric, see the automaker’s official site for the car:
http://www.ford.com/cars/focus/trim/electric/

Larry Bell

Larry Bell + is My Perfect Automobile’s Genius Author, but we call him ‘The Expert‘. Here is his full Blog: My Perfect Automobile. Larry lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Expert Author. Larry is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars…

Ford EV Dealerships Will Be 900 Strong

Larry Bell — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 14:20:28 +0000

Ford C-Max Energi

Ford Motor Co. announced this week that it plans to have at least 900 dealerships certified to sell the company’s plug-in hybrid and electric cars by mid-year. Ford will be selling three alternative-fuel vehicles in 2013, all of which are versions of cars it already sells. The Focus Electric will be joining the C-Max Energi plug-in and the Fusion Energi plug-in models as the U.S. automaker attempts to play catch-up in the green niche, which is already heavily contested by General Motors, Nissan, and others.

Ford EV: Video

The official Ford video clip below walks through several of the newest features on the Fusion Energi, primarily the car’s ability to learn an owner’s frequent destinations after a few weeks of driving. You can clear the memory at any time or disable the entire system if you wish. The Driver Assist mode allows the use of traction control. A driver can switch into ECO Cruise mode, or the EV+ mode. ECO Cruise operates like normal cruise control but works to save fuel by carefully modulating uphill speed and acceleration.

Ford EV Dealerships

Fusion Energi will be joining Ford’s first plug-in, the C-Max, before summer. The company’s plug-in hybrids utilize similar drivetrains, while the Focus Electric is a fully electric vehicle. Sales for the C-Max hybrid stand at about 2,700 units since that model’s debut. The carmaker is facing stiff competition in the EV segment, with Nissan’s Leaf priced significantly below the Focus Electric’s $40K entry sticker. Nissan has just recently announced a major price reduction for its Leaf electric car, which some say will spur Ford to offer even more financial incentives on the Focus Electric. When the Chevy Spark EV comes into the marketplace later this year, the U.S. will see at least a four-way battle for EV market supremacy among Focus, Leaf, Spark, and Mitsubishi’s iMiEV.

For more about Ford vehicles, see the automaker’s official corporate website:
http://www.ford.com

Larry Bell

Ford Focus EV Rates 5 Stars for Safety

Larry Bell — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 20:18:24 +0000

Ford Focus Electric

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given the Ford Focus Electric its top safety rating, a five-star designation. NHTSA’s New Car Assessment program measures diverse parameters of vehicle safety, including side-impact and front crash testing. The Focus Electric is the first all-electric model Ford has produced. The car has a unique system of airbags which react to individual passengers and include air vents to prevent collateral injury from the bags themselves.

Ford Focus Electric: Video

For a fascinating look behind the scenes at Ford, check out the video clip below, in which a Ford engineer shows exactly how the company came up with the instrument cluster design in the new Focus EV. After many hours of surveys, researchers sat people down in a simulator and recorded their reactions to various road conditions. In order to decide what to show on the readout screen, Ford’s team looked for a way to tell drivers not only how much charge was remaining, but how to manage stored electricity from regen braking. The “brake coach” system on the Focus tells the driver what percentage of energy has been captured for re-use. As the engineer explains, after a few driving sessions, people are very motivated to get 100 percent of the available energy, which can only be done by gradual braking. In essence, the brake coach on the Ford Focus teaches drivers how to operate the car in an efficient manner.

Ford Focus EV

Ford Motor Co. now offers a full array of alternative fuel vehicles. Besides the all-electric Focus, the automaker offers the Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, as well as the C-Max. The company’s popular plug-in vehicle, the Fusion Energi rates 100 mpg-e, which is one of the highest fuel-efficiency marks in the industry.

For more about Ford Motor Company, see the U.S. automaker’s official corporate website:
http://www.ford.com

Larry Bell

Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen Battle for Top Spot

Larry Bell — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:11:09 +0000

Ford’s electric version of top-seller Focus, the Focus EV

Ford Motor Company’s Focus automobile is expected to outsell last year’s global sales champ, Toyota Corolla, for 2012. Based on data for nearly the entire calendar year so far, it looks like the Focus will sell almost one million units compared to Toyota Corolla’s 966,00 cars. The latest numbers also show Volkswagen’s Jetta coming in at third place in the battle for top-selling car on earth, with about 822,000 unit sales for 2012.

Ford Focus EV: Video

For an objective (non-narrated) look at Ford’s electric version of the mega-seller Focus, the 2013 Focus EV, view the video clip below. Silent, but powerfully descriptive footage of a driver taking a Focus EV for a short spin in city traffic, stopping to perform a quick-charge, and then parking the vehicle. This simple, brief film features detailed up-close shots of the EV’s interior and exterior, control panel, electric port, dashboard, and upholstery. When Ford decided to produce an EV, they wisely chose to base it on one of the world’s top-selling cars, their Focus. This year, the gasoline version of the model is expected to be the number one selling automobile on earth, surpassing former champ, Toyota Corolla.

Ford, Toyota, VW

The Ford Focus is not anywhere near being the top-selling car in the U.S., but like the Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Jetta, it has enjoyed wide acceptance around the world, especially in Asian, European, and South American markets. The year 2012 was something of an oddity as overall sales statistics go. While Asia and Europe were slightly down, the U.S. market picked up so much that it carried worldwide car and truck sales to a milestone of just over 80 million vehicles sold for the calendar year. The U.S. alone accounted for about 20 percent of that total, logging 14,500,000 vehicle sales for 2012.

For more about rivals for the number-one spot in worldwide sales, see the official websites of Ford, Toyota, and Volkswagen below:
http://www.ford.com
http://www.toyota.com
http://www.vw.com

Larry Bell

Ford’s EV, Hybrid Dealers Booming

Larry Bell — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 22:23:54 +0000

2013 Ford Fusion Energi

Ford Motor Co. announced this week that it has tripled the number of dealerships qualified to sell its hybrid and electric vehicles. The company now has 200 storefronts that sell Ford alternative fuel vehicles, which will soon consist of C-Max hybrid and C-Max Energi (a plug-in), Fusion hybrid and Energi, and the Focus EV. Ford will very soon be upping the 200-dealership count to something approaching 900 sales facilities. Dealers who want to sell the new cars must go through rigorous training, as do most of their employees.

Ford EVs and Hybrids: Video

Hybrid fans, as well as Ford and Toyota enthusiasts, will thoroughly enjoy the following video clip, which features a match up between two of the better-known hybrids on the market today, the Toyota Prius and the Ford C-Max. Longer than most clips we feature on MyPerfectAutomobile, at just over 11 minutes; the piece really delves into the technological aspect of hybrid science. It also spends time comparing the two cars, especially highlighting the differences between the drivetrains. In an era that seems to be witnessing hybrid-drive vehicles gaining significant market share, this educational competition between two of the industry’s giants is informative, fun, and suspenseful. C-Max vs. Prius. Place your wagers.

Ford EVs and Hybrids

The most recent month for which data is available showed Ford’s C-Max Energi outsell Toyota’s flagship hybrid, the Prius. That fact, plus an all-consuming desire by Ford to dominate the hybrid market, has led the U.S. automaker to devote massive amounts of capital and energy toward getting dealerships ready in every state. Within two years, it is conceivable that Ford will have close to 1000 dealers selling hybrid and electric cars.

For more about all the vehicles made by Ford Motor Company, see the company’s official corporate website:
http://www.ford.com

Larry Bell

Green Jobs for Ford Workers

Larry Bell — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:15:13 +0000

Green job creator: Lincoln MKZ hybrid

At long last, Ford Motor Company’s hybrid vehicle offerings are causing a burst of green job growth, especially in the area of transmission manufacturing. Late last week, Ford announced that the company would begin building transmissions for its C-MAX Hybrid and Energi plug-in at the Van Dyke plant in Michigan, just north of Detroit. In all, the automaker will pour $220 million into the facility in order to ready it for its new task of making thousands of hybrid transmissions.

Green Jobs: Ford

Ford’s C-MAX hybrid is one of the company’s hottest new vehicles along with its plug-in version, which is called Energi Hybrid. Both are built on the Focus platform, but are specifically designed for drivers who want better mileage and more room. The video clip below takes us on a thorough tour of several of Ford’s new hybrid offerings, specifically the C-MAX and the Energi. Each of the cars is intended to compete head-on with Toyota’s Prius V. According to the Ford representative in the video, C-MAX hybrid and plug-in Energi will both outperform their rival at Toyota.

Green Jobs: Investment

In all, Ford looks to be investing about $630 million over the next three years to increase capacity at three separate North American transmission assembly plants. Now that the Focus Electric is part of the Ford lineup, the venerable automaker will have a full portfolio of alternative fuel vehicles for the first time in its history. The Van Dyke plant has already added 125 new jobs, all of which can be considered green, by government standards. The HF35 transmission is historic for the company, as it is the very first transmission that has been completely designed and built in-house.

For more about all the green projects going on at Ford, as well as the full lineup of the company’s newest vehicles, including the exciting Ford Focus Electric, see the official corporate website:
http://www.ford.com

Larry Bell

Ford Focus Electric: Myth vs. Reality

Larry Bell — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:34:25 +0000

Ford Focus Electric

Ford’s Focus Electric has been the subject of much media speculation, mainly comparing it to the non-electric version of the car. Many automotive online magazines assumed the EV would be a toned-down version of the gasoline Focus in both style and substance. The reality: Ford’s new electric car looks almost identical to the Focus we already know, and there has been no skimping on the power, with an 84 mph top speed and a 100-mile range. When the EV model becomes available nationwide by the end of 2012, people will be talking about the comfortable interior, smooth ride, and consistently strong motor.

Ford Focus Electric: Review

Instead of relying on what other drivers have said, why not take a virtual test drive? The short video link below follows a typical urban jaunt, a quick recharge, and all the standard fare of a brief city errand.

One recent reviewer called the new Focus Electric the best mass-produced EV on the market. That is saying a lot, considering that the competition is pretty stiff. Most who have driven the car refer to it as sleek and quite comfortable, even roomy. There is almost universal praise for the Focus Electric’s apt handling and solid build. Unlike many other cars of the same size, both electric and non, the new Ford’s steering is sure, without the tiniest bit of slippage.

Ford Focus Electric: The Facts

Some things you might not be able to see in the video are specs for the car. The Ford Focus Electric, which will be in showrooms nationwide by late 2012, is a front-wheel-drive hatch that seats five. Its base price of $39,200 can be reduced by several thousand dollars depending where you live. The car’s 100-kilowatt motor cranks out 184 foot-pounds of torque and 143 horsepower. The attractive EV features a 100-mile range and charges up in four hours on a 220-volt system, and about 20 hours on a standard outlet.

More:
www.ford.com/electric/focuselectric/2012/

Larry Bell

Battle Begins: Focus Electric vs. Volt

Larry Bell — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:59:29 +0000

Ford Focus EV

Both Ford and General Motors are ramping up the competition between their main alt-fuel vehicles, the Focus Electric and the Chevy Volt. While one is a hybrid and the other a so-called “pure electric,” that is beside the point, as the two auto giants pull out all the stops and go head-to-head in a high stakes retail war.

On the Chevy side of the trenches, Volt commercials are set to get quite cocky, with testimonials from owners who praise life without gasoline stations. With a 40-mile range, Volt drivers who do moderate daily commutes rarely have to use the gasoline engine, and the commercials will trumpet that fact to great advantage.

General Motors has spent considerable cash and sweat equity on the Chevy Volt, and has obviously decided to dive in with an aggressive ad campaign.

Ford, on the other hand, will be delivering the message that green means clean, and electric means no tailpipe emissions, at all, ever. Ford has pulled a time-tested marketing ploy with the Focus Electric, pricing it within a few dollars of the Volt. Each car sells for slightly under $40,000 before rebates and incentives. Unlike many other high-end electric cars already on the market, Ford’s marketing for the Focus EV will emphasize its reasonable price, the Ford name, and the fact that owners will never, ever have to purchase gasoline. In order to differentiate itself from rival GM, Ford will also tout the fact that Focus is a model already known to consumers in traditional, non-electric versions.

Focus EV’s back seat

Electric cars are “ready for prime time,” as many reviewers like to say, but now the catch phrase is becoming reality, as two of the best-known automakers in the world will be offering both hybrid and electric cars for sale to the public.

For more about the Ford Focus Electric, see the official website for the car:
www.ford.com/electric/focuselectric/2012/

Larry Bell

Is This Ford’s ‘Best Engine’?

Larry Bell — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 18:22:56 +0000

Ford Focus hatchback

Ford Motor Company is betting that its EcoBoost engine will be a big hit when the small, 1.0-liter version comes to the U.S. in 2013. Currently used in European models but not in the U.S., the EcoBoost was front and center at the company’s ride-and-drive exhibition in Michigan last week. The European version of the Focus uses the three-cylinder EcoBoost engine, known for its quite operation, power, and stability.

When the small powerhouse made its debut in Europe, it quickly ramped up to account for a full 25 percent of all Focus sales. As for now, no one knows what U.S. models will be getting the new engine, but the Fiesta is a safe guess, based on what some automotive sources are saying.

The diminutive powerhouse has impressive numbers: 32/41 mpg, 1.0 liter, 123 horse power, and 148 foot-pounds of torque at 1,400 rpm. Currently, the Focus is selling quite well for Ford in the U.S., but the Fiesta is not. If industry insiders are correct, and Ford puts the new EcoBoost into the Fiesta, then it is likely that sales for Fiesta could eventually match those of Focus.

Ford EcoBoost race car

Ford has recently been on a surge of alternative fuel and high mileage efforts, as the company readies the Focus Electric for production and gets ready to bring the small EcoBoost to American showrooms. The company’s internal marketing data caused the Michigan automaker to jump into the fuel efficiency fray with electric drive and high mpg products. Once the Focus Electric makes its sales debut, Ford will have all bases covered, since the company already offers hybrid vehicles. Widespread release of Focus Electric is planned for the third quarter of 2012 in the U.S., and a bit later in the European market. Focus EV will have a 76-mile range and uses lithium-ion batteries.

For more about Ford’s EcoBoost engine, see the following resource page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_EcoBoost_engine

Larry Bell

Focus ST: Is it Really Green?

Larry Bell — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 12:51:23 +0000

The sporty Ford Focus ST

Ford Motor Company has made something of an art out of blurring the line between green and mean. Such is the case with the Focus ST, its gorgeous 2-liter, Eco-boosted wonder car. So, is it a green car or just a really sporty model that gets decent mileage? A case can be made either way.

This will be the first time that Ford sells a Focus ST in this country, and to the delight of drivers everywhere (and especially to the delight of Ford enthusiasts) the ST is loaded with racetrack DNA. The four-cylinder, direct injection engine is a turbocharged Ecoboost model. According to Ford, the 2013 Focus ST will feature overboost as well. To understand that concept, just think of a short, quick increase in power (but no longer than 15 seconds).

This car is actually a high-performance, third-generation Focus, which the automaker is calling the first global performance Ford. In fact, it will be marketed all over the world, from Europe, to North America to Russia. Overall, the marketing idea is called “One Ford,” which is another way of saying that the auto giant is trying to simplify things a bit by reining in the number of models offered.

Soon to be: Focus ST

In terms of green credentials, Ford has made the cut with a completely redesigned engine that is fuel efficient, considering the power of the ST. To get 21/30 mpg out of a car with this much muscle is a pleasant surprise. So perhaps the Focus ST is not strictly defined as a green vehicle, like so many of the hybrid and electric cars on the road, but it comes pretty darn close. Again, this is the artistry of Ford. The company has a unique ability to produce a car that is on the borderline between green and not green. Either way, the Focus ST will almost certainly be a hit with consumers.

For more about Ford’s Focus ST, see the special page the company has set up for the vehicle:
http://www.ford.com/cars/focus/focusst/

Larry Bell

Future Fords Will Monitor Heart Rate

Larry Bell — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:38:04 +0000

Ford Focus

Along with MPG, RPM, MPH, the Ford of the future will also measure BPM, as in beats-per-minute, of your heart! Ford is quickly building a reputation for itself as the highest of high-tech auto manufacturers. The Evos concept car features applications which are not only “cloud based,” but can do all sorts of amazing things, like shut off your alarm clock each morning, monitor your heart rate, and talk to other cars on the road. Though the Ford Evos is strictly a concept car, its cutting-edge science is about to show up in a host of models from the Detroit automaker.

Back down on earth, take a quick tour of Ford’s Michigan assembly plant, where the company’s new Focus Electric is built alongside the non-electric version. Soon, the same facility will be making the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid. The Michigan plant is something new in the industry, noteworthy for its flexibility. There are plenty of “auto plant tour” videos out there, but this one is especially informative, well organized, and interesting. Though it is only three-plus minutes long, each short section is narrated by an actual worker on the line, who explains exactly what is happening.

If you have ever wondered just how an electric battery is installed on the assembly line, the video has a close up shot of several Ford workers doing just that, to a Focus Electric as it rolls down the conveyor. The D-brace install is fascinating if you have never seen the process. The narrator for that section of the film is especially adept at explaining complicated technical processes in understandable language. Whether you are a technically inclined person or not, this is awesome footage. So sit back and watch an electric car being assembled before your very eyes!

For more about all the amazing future technology coming from Ford Motor Company, as well as its current offerings, see the official corporate site:
http://www.ford.com

Larry Bell

Ford Focus Electric to Star in Reality TV Show

Larry Bell — Thu, 31 May 2012 00:15:51 +0000

Ford Focus Electric

Beginning this week, the Ford Focus Electric car will be the new star of Yahoo’s online reality show, Pluggedin. The program features the popular EV as it is driven by celebrities who talk up the car’s features while they take part in all kinds of challenges and games. This will be the second such show for Ford, having already participated in another Yahoo-produced show called Escape Routes, which featured the 2012 Ford Escape. No word on whether the Focus Electric will be up for an Emmy award.

Reality shows aside, Ford and Microsoft execs had much to say about the high-tech Focus Electric at last week’s Future in Review conference in Laguna Beach, California. Front and center was the car’s high capacity on-board charger, which juices up the Focus in about half the time it takes to charge a Nissan Leaf, the car’s major rival.

Focus Electric owners can use their smartphones or computers to monitor charge status, get alerts, find stations, or even plan trips. The EPA estimated MPG-equivalent for Ford’s first electric offering is 110 mpg-e. At the conference, Ford officials were fast to mention that the Focus Electric not only has more passenger room and standard features than the Nissan Leaf, but offers more motor power as well.

Focus Electric, soon to be a TV star

The Future in Review conference was the perfect venue for Ford and Microsoft to jointly announce an array of technological data, mostly because the audience was made up of experts in the automotive field. Spokespersons for both companies touted the vehicle’s recharging science and its connectivity as ways to beat traffic congestion and petroleum dependency. One of the major topics at the conference was “global gridlock,” the result of poorly planned urbanization if car ownership numbers continue to increase at present rates.

For more about the amazing Ford Focus Electric car, see the official corporate website:
http://www.ford.com/electric/focuselectric/2012/

Larry Bell