Official Ford Focus Electric Thread

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April 30, 2012 - First Ford Dealers Certified to Sell Focus Electric – America’s Most Efficient Five-Seater – with National Rollout to Follow
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=36440" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

  • First 67 dealers are certified and ready to sell Ford’s first gas-free, all-electric car – the 2012 Ford Focus Electric – arriving this spring
  • Focus Electric is scheduled to be available nationwide by the end of 2012
  • The 2012 Focus Electric is America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle – certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to offer the equivalent of 110 miles per gallon (MPGe) city
  • Focus Electric will be joined later by the new 2013 Ford Fusion – aiming to be America’s most fuel-efficient gas- and hybrid-powered midsize sedans – to help create one of the industry’s most fuel-efficient car lineups
<snip>
The 67 dealers are in California, New York and New Jersey –markets that account for a large percentage of electrified vehicle sales and will begin seeing the Focus Electric later this spring. By the end of the year, Focus Electric will be available nationwide.
With more motor power, standard features, passenger room and faster charging time than Nissan Leaf, dealers have been eager to start selling Focus Electric.

First, however, they had to satisfy a list of other requirements to become certified, including:
  • One of the two required charging stations at the dealership must be in the customer area and the other must be in the service area
  • At least one Focus Electric must be available at all times for demonstrations and events
  • Of the sales consultant, sales manager, service advisor and service manager jobs at each location, 80 percent must meet specific electric vehicle training certification requirements that cover topics including advanced knowledge of electrification
  • Each showroom will have point-of-purchase display materials including digital assets and window signage
  • Participation in a Ford Go Green Dealer Onsite Facility Assessment to identify energy and cost saving opportunities with a goal of facilitating energy efficiency, lower operating expenses and carbon footprint reduction

PDF with larger graphic: http://media.ford.com/images/10031/EV_Launch_Markets_States.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
focelectmap.jpg
 
scottf200 said:
PDF with larger graphic: http://media.ford.com/images/10031/EV_Launch_Markets_States.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
focelectmap.jpg
how many times that roll out map was updated already, and how many more will be updated?
 
EdmondLeaf said:
scottf200 said:
PDF with larger graphic: http://media.ford.com/images/10031/EV_Launch_Markets_States.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
how many times that roll out map was updated already, and how many more will be updated?
Perhaps they're adjust the 2nd/3rd phases where they see other competition selling cars. Obviously the LEAF and perhaps the Volt.
~10% of Volt owners location: http://www.voltstats.net/Stats/OwnerMap" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Plus they need willing/enthusiastic dealers.

The bullet pointed items seemed be more impressive to me than the rollout map.

Also seems to me that Nissan/LEAF has a clear advantage with ramping up outside of the USA.
 
I will probably go from the LEAF to the FFE as the EV I intend to keep for the long term, but not until QC is standardized. I'm hoping by the time my lease is up, it will be.

The FFE is all around just a better car- from quality to power to efficiency to handling. The only problem I have with the FFE is the leg room (particularly, knee room). The LEAF seemed to be a lot less bothersome than the FFE.
 
EdmondLeaf said:
Wonder how many, if any, Leaf owners ready to switch to FFE once available in their market and why?

Did I miss something? Why would I want a Ford Focus over the LEAF?

Somebody said ChaDeMo was "dead", but then thinks the non-existent SAE quick charger is "better" (and of course not even available on the FoMoCo). Classic head in the sand.
 
kubel said:
The FFE is all around just a better car- from quality to power to efficiency to handling. The only problem I have with the FFE is the leg room (particularly, knee room). The LEAF seemed to be a lot less bothersome than the FFE.

Since you're from the motor city area, I am going to guess any Japanese car is "not quite as good". I'll suggest that Ford hasn't spent but a fraction of the money and effort in this car that Nissan has spent on theirs.

I don't fit in a Focus, and I'm only 6'2". I need a larger trunk space that the Focus doesn't have. There may be slightly more power, and perhaps better handling; both of these are secondary concerns to me.

I don't agree with your thoughts on ChaDeMo, but not a surprising comment for a Detroit centric mindset.

I doubt there is greater real range in the Ford over the LEAF; I would guess they are merely comparable, with perhaps a slightly greater advantage to the Ford at speeds over 60mph if it is more aerodynamic (it should be if done right with a slightly smaller car). The 6.6 charger will be matched by the LEAF in just a handful of months.

The final issues with a converted Focus is weight. I suspect it is significantly heavier than a LEAF.

I don't see a single category that a Focus would be an improvement over a LEAF for me. The Toyota Rav-4 EV is my next choice.
 
TonyWilliams said:
EdmondLeaf said:
Wonder how many, if any, Leaf owners ready to switch to FFE once available in their market and why?

Did I miss something? Why would I want a Ford Focus over the LEAF?
This is my way to gauge demand for FFE. I will not replace my Leaf with anything for long time. Differences in range and efficiency are Ford bragging rights. Bigger charger is great, but not a solution to my remaining 5% of transportation needs, which I believe DC QC is.
 
EdmondLeaf said:
TonyWilliams said:
EdmondLeaf said:
Wonder how many, if any, Leaf owners ready to switch to FFE once available in their market and why?

Did I miss something? Why would I want a Ford Focus over the LEAF?
This is my way to gauge demand for FFE. I will not replace my Leaf with anything for long time. Differences in range and efficiency are Ford bragging rights. Bigger charger is great, but not a solution to my remaining 5% of transportation needs, which I believe DC QC is.

I hope you understand that their claims are mostly marketing hype. Clearly, they couldn't advertise a car that was beat in every category!!!

I seriously doubt that the teeny tiny difference in range, whichever way they may factually be (I guess the government gives them a 3 mile increase over LEAF) will swing anybody from a current LEAF, unless they are a Ford employee family member who gets a big discount, or have a political issue to "buy 'merican". Or they like the look better. Or maybe something else.

Range won't be it for informed consumers.
 
I'm wondering: Could the better EPA figures for the FFE be due primarily to the 6.6 kW charger? If the EPA measures efficiency based on the wall energy consumption, then the faster charger will give slightly better efficiency since the cooling pumps represent a fixed load, just as we see with the LEAF going from 120 VAC to 240 VAC.
 
EdmondLeaf said:
TonyWilliams said:
or have a political issue to "buy 'merican".
you mean assembled here/have "'merican" badge, because nowadays is very hard to track where parts for final product are produced

My parents would fall in this category. So, when I look up their GM pickup truck, it was built in Canada. The GM Cruze is built in Korea. Lots of 'merican cars built in Mexico.

But, it's still a political issue. They aren't going to buy a Toyota pickup made in Texas.
 
TonyWilliams said:
...The 6.6 charger will be matched by the LEAF in just a handful of months...
It will be a wasted opportunity if 2013 LEAF only "matched" the FFE 6.6kW charger rather than adopting Renault “Chameleon” 43kW on-board charger as a clear advantage.
 
TonyWilliams said:
EdmondLeaf said:
TonyWilliams said:
or have a political issue to "buy 'merican".
you mean assembled here/have "'merican" badge, because nowadays is very hard to track where parts for final product are produced

My parents would fall in this category. So, when I look up their GM pickup truck, it was built in Canada. The GM Cruze is built in Korea. Lots of 'merican cars built in Mexico.

But, it's still a political issue. They aren't going to buy a Toyota pickup made in Texas.

Or a 2013 LEAF made in Tennessee; one of my main regrets is that my LEAF wasn't built in the US but in my book the 2013s will be!
 
I have to be honest: When shopping for a vehicle, where it was built is near the bottom on my considerations list... With it being such a global economy today, it is nearly meaningless anyway...

TimeHorse said:
Or a 2013 LEAF made in Tennessee; one of my main regrets is that my LEAF wasn't built in the US but in my book the 2013s will be!
 
TonyWilliams said:
kubel said:
The FFE is all around just a better car- from quality to power to efficiency to handling. The only problem I have with the FFE is the leg room (particularly, knee room). The LEAF seemed to be a lot less bothersome than the FFE.

Since you're from the motor city area, I am going to guess any Japanese car is "not quite as good". I'll suggest that Ford hasn't spent but a fraction of the money and effort in this car that Nissan has spent on theirs.

I don't fit in a Focus, and I'm only 6'2". I need a larger trunk space that the Focus doesn't have. There may be slightly more power, and perhaps better handling; both of these are secondary concerns to me.

I don't agree with your thoughts on ChaDeMo, but not a surprising comment for a Detroit centric mindset.

I doubt there is greater real range in the Ford over the LEAF; I would guess they are merely comparable, with perhaps a slightly greater advantage to the Ford at speeds over 60mph if it is more aerodynamic (it should be if done right with a slightly smaller car). The 6.6 charger will be matched by the LEAF in just a handful of months.

The final issues with a converted Focus is weight. I suspect it is significantly heavier than a LEAF.

I don't see a single category that a Focus would be an improvement over a LEAF for me. The Toyota Rav-4 EV is my next choice.
For you, no. The only area where I see the Focus having a potential advantage over the Leaf is in more extreme climates. The TMS should keep range up in cold weather, and improve battery pack life in hot weather. But for those of us living in coastal California neither of those factors is likely to outweigh the price difference and other disadvantages. In Chicago, Minneapolis, Phoenix or Dallas the calculus may well be different.
 
TonyWilliams said:
EdmondLeaf said:
TonyWilliams said:
or have a political issue to "buy 'merican".
you mean assembled here/have "'merican" badge, because nowadays is very hard to track where parts for final product are produced

My parents would fall in this category. So, when I look up their GM pickup truck, it was built in Canada. The GM Cruze is built in Korea. Lots of 'merican cars built in Mexico.

But, it's still a political issue. They aren't going to buy a Toyota pickup made in Texas.
Chevy Cruze is not built in Korea. It's built in the Lordstown plant in OH (http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/company_info/facilities/assembly/lordstown.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Supposedly it was designed by GM in Germany (Opel) and designed by GM Daewoo (http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2011-chevrolet-cruze-car-news" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) and was first sold as a GM/Daewoo Lacetti for awhile before it appeared as the Cruze here.

Yep, lots of 'merican cars built in Canada and Mexico. But they're both part of North America. ;)

On a related note, people might find http://www.caranddriver.com/features/a-graphic-representation-of-whats-really-made-in-america-feature" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; insightful.
 
cwerdna said:
On a related note, people might find http://www.caranddriver.com/features/a-graphic-representation-of-whats-really-made-in-america-feature" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; insightful.
Cool charts and very informative. Ford Focus at 84%. Volt info appears to be dated as it is footnoted.
Volt Nov 2011 webchat
1:21 - Comment From Patrick
When do you expect to see the battery and engine being made in Michigan instead of overseas?

1:22 - Andrew Farah: Patrick: The battery pack is already made in Michigan at GM's Brownstown, Mich., battery manufacturing plant. Additionally, LG Chem, the company that supplies our battery cells will begin manufacturing cells in Holland, Mich., next year. Also, the 1.4L engine used in the Volt is now manufactured in Flint, Mich.

cwerdna said:
[Chevy Cruze] was designed by GM in Germany (Opel)
It and several cars are based on the same Delta II platform.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Delta_platform" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Delta II is General Motors' future compact car platform, which was developed by Opel in Germany. It is the successor to the GM Delta platform. Internally it is simply known as a new Global Compact Vehicle Architecture or GCV.
The platform features a torsion beam rear suspension with optional Watt's link which improves vehicle handling; such configuration is used in the Opel Astra and the American-market Chevrolet Cruze.[1][2]
GM chose this compact vehicle architecture for its first Voltec application, the Chevrolet Volt. Production began in November 2010 with the first Chevrolet Volts delivered to retails customers in December 2010[3]
Applications
Production vehicles based on Delta II platform:
2008 Chevrolet Cruze, Daewoo Lacetti Premiere, Holden Cruze[4]
2009 Opel Astra, Buick Excelle XT
2010 Chevrolet Volt
2010 Chevrolet Orlando
2011 Buick Verano
2011 Opel Ampera
2011 Opel Zafira Tourer

Announced production vehicles to be based on Delta II platform:
2013 Cadillac ELR[5][6]
 
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