Ford Announces new Electric Focus
Veteran automobile manufacturers Ford, who changed the course of the twentieth Century with their pioneering use of production lines, bringing car ownership within the reach of average consumers, are planning on a range of no fewer than five fully electric cars to be released by 2013 across North American and European markets. The first of these, the Ford Focus Electric 2012, will be available to customers by the end of 2011 according to Ford.
Ford have been showing off the 2012 Focus Electric and releasing some of the technical specifications for their first ever fully electric car. The Focus will be powered by a 100 kilowatt electric motor, with a 23 kilowatt hour battery. Ford are quoting that the engine will give 245 Nm peak torque and 123 hp. With a single-speed transmission and all-electric powertrain, the car will have a top speed of 136 kilometres per hour, and Ford are claiming that its miles per gallon equivalent will be competitive with other battery driven electric vehicles, and better than the Chevrolet Volt, for example.
Recharging is always an issue for electric cars, and the 2012 Focus Electric represents an advance in this regard - with Ford expecting a full recharge to take just three to four hours from a 240 volt charge station. This is significantly less than many electric cars on the market, and half the time of the electric Nissan Leaf.
Promotional literature makes it clear that the Focus Electric is a totally normal car in every respect. It will come with industry standard safety features, including six airbags and traction control. It will have capability for extras such as hands-free telephone connectivity, full nine speaker audio system, voice-activated navigation systems and satellite radio.
Along with the bells and whistles, however, Ford's new Focus will be highly eco-aware. Alongside the electric motor, the seat cushions are made of bio-foam, with recycled fabrics providing much of the rest of the upholstery.
This is an enviromentally conscious vehicle designed with the cutting edge in mind. Along with the latest electric motor and optimised charging times, there is software support both on-board and off-board, including, inevitably, a smartphone app. MyFord Touch (on-board) and MyFord Mobile will allow drivers to monitor the car's battery condition and work out the distance to the nearest charge point.
Electric cars have been slow to gain popular momentum, but with Ford joining the electric market with the 2012 Focus Electric, this could all be about to change in the next couple of years.
