Ford Focus Electric is ultimate ‘mobile device’

Typically, new cars are introduced at the Detroit Auto Show in late January of each year, but Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally roused media attention when he unveiled the electric Ford Focus a couple of weeks early at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (Jan. 6-9) in Las Vegas.

During his keynote speech, Mulally introduced the new electric version of the Ford Focus as "more than just a car." The 2012 Focus Electric extends the driving experience into an eco-friendly, mobile and connected electric lifestyle.

"Just like the iPhone is more than just a phone and a Playstation is more than just a gaming system," Mulally said, "a truly great product not only serves its intended purpose, it reinvents the purpose. … it moves from being a device or commodity to being an indispensable part of our daily lives." 

Mulally acknowledged that electric cars are not for everyone yet, but Ford's goal is to make ownership of the electric Focus as easy as owning a mobile phone.

The Ford Focus Electric is based on its global C-car design that is also available in gasoline and diesel-powered versions worldwide. It will employ a 23-kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion battery pack to propel an electric motor that turns the wheels of the car. Combined with its suspension system, the powertrain will produce a noticeable amount of torque and acceleration to make the car fun to drive.

Top speed is limited to 84 miles per hour to conserve battery range. Additionally, a regenerative braking system can also recapture kinetic energy while the vehicle is coming to a stop or coasting downhill, converting mechanical energy into electric energy that can partially recharge the battery pack. 

However, range is still a concern for the Focus Electric, as the battery pack will need to be recharged about every 80 miles of travel.

If a driver travels less than 80 miles each day, then the five-door Ford Focus Electric hatchback will meet his or her needs quite well. Public charging stations also can partially recharge the Focus Electric battery pack while shopping or waiting to pick up the kids from school.

Fully recharging the Focus Electric in a home garage at the end of the day can be accomplished within three to four hours during late night off-peak times (to minimize utility costs for electricity) via a professionally installed 240-volt AC outlet with a current carrying capacity of 25 amps.

To make it easier for Focus Electric owners to purchase and install a recharging portal within their home garages, Ford has partnered with Best Buy to carry the recharging portal. Installation and technical support will be fulfilled by the Geek Squad, which also provides local support for computers and other electronics.

Ford's Sync driver interface system, developed in part by Microsoft, truly transforms the electric Focus into a driving experience. Sync, which has been installed into more than 3 million vehicles, bundles features that integrate Internet connectivity with a dashboard touchscreen display, voice recognition capabilities, Bluetooth cell phone connection, GPS and other mobile communication technologies. Sync Applink allows for continuous connection to the Internet and an expansive "cloud" of computer applications.

With Sync MyFordMobile and MyFordTouch, a driver's mobile cell phone can now talk with the Focus directly and use some of the same familiar personal cell phone apps on the car's dashboard display touch screen. 

To assist electric car drivers in navigating between 80-mile recharging sites, Ford has partnered with MapQuest to develop a "map app" that works with the vehicle's GPS navigation system and its Charge Command Center display screen to show the location of public recharging. The application can also help drivers plan their route before getting on the road by not only showing mileage between each waypoint on a map, but also by showing how much estimated charge would be left after reaching each waypoint.

Other Sync features are called "coaches." Like video games, these are displayed as real time graphic images that help teach drivers how to intuitively optimize their skills while they are driving, in order to get the best mileage and regenerative braking capabilities out of their electric car.

At the end of a daily trip, a driver can also review a data log of vehicle performance parameters during each part of the journey in order to learn how to maximize travel range when next encountering the same road conditions.

It's clear the Focus Electric is more than just a car. Question is … is the car for you?

Stan Hanel has worked in the electronics industry for more than 30 years and is a long-time member of the Electric Auto Association and the Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association. Hanel writes and edits for EAA's "Current Events" and LVEVA's "Watts Happening" newsletters. Contact him at stanhanel@aol.com.