Ford Launches the Focus Electric
The car market continues to change, as car companies explore with various models that are designed to minimize the use of traditional fuel. In a move that seems concentrated on competing with the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, Ford has announced the 2012 Focus Electric, which is their entry into the full electric market. The Focus Electric will have a price of $39,995, which is the exact price of the Chevrolet Volt. Added options add to the price slightly, but Ford seems to be positioning the Focus Electric to compete directly with the Volt as both companies compete for the electric market. Ford will also compete with the all-electric Nissan Leaf, which will arguably be the car that is most similar to the Focus Electric in terms of features.
Specs
According to some reports, Ford claims that the Focus Electric will be able to go up to 100 miles on a single charge. These numbers will need to be verified by the EPA before the car is released. This is somewhat different than the Volt, which can travel a shorter distance with electrical power but supplement overall distance with the use of the gas engine. The all-electric Focus represents a bold step in an overall car market that has struggled to sell models in a tough economy.
Cost of ownership
Consumers are certainly enamored with the idea of driving vehicles that do not depend on gas, but there is typically a cost threshold that they are not necessarily willing to cross. Almost $40,000 for a vehicle is still a fairly steep amount of money in America, and when the car is a limited-range electric vehicle, there may not be widespread interest right away. Car companies have continued to build fuel-efficient cars, but this doesn’t change the reality that people still like trucks, SUVs and other roomy vehicles.
A tough sell
Despite the fact that Americans talk about a desire to move away from a dependency on fossil fuels, the Chevrolet Voltnot sold particularly wellin 2011. Americans like cars that are large, powerful and can travel far distances. The problem with electric cars is that they tend to be compact, underpowered and limited in range. One would assume that technology will improve some of these features, but it seems reasonable to assume that the electric car may remain in a niche market until consumers start getting serious about saving gas.
Sources:
http://www.ford.com/electric/focuselectric/2012/
http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/29/autos/chevrolet_volt_sales/index.htm
