Ford Focus Electric – Click above for high-res image gallery
The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf may have stolen the plug-in vehicle show in 2010, but Ford aims to make a splash in 2011 with its Focus Electric. The "zero-emissions" hatchback made its official debut at this year's Consumer Electronics Show and the automaker says that the car will officially launch at the end of 2011 in the U.S., with European deliveries scheduled for late 2012.
Unlike Renault, which will offer a battery-leasing option on its electric vehicles sold in Europe, Ford says that the Focus Electric will be sold like a conventional car, meaning the hatchback's battery pack will be included in the price of the car. Ford's UK managing director, Nigel Sharp, told Autocar that:
The Focus Electric is powered by 100-kilowatt electric motor with a 23-kWh battery pack. Ford says the plug-in can hit a top speed of 84 miles per hour, travel up to 100 miles on a full charge and recharge in three hours when plugged into a 240-volt home charging station. Official pricing for the Focus Electric, either in the U.S. or in Europe, has not been determined.We're waiting to see how the market reacts to other electric cars, but we are sure leasing batteries is not the way to go, even if it would bring the initial price down. The Focus must be sold as a conventional car would be.
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