First Electric Focus on charge
POWER UP: The first electric Ford Focus models to be built in Europe are rolling off the production line. Image: Newspress
LONDON, England – Ford’s first electric vehicle for Europe is rolling off the lines in Germany - the Focus Electric.
The zero-emissions model is the first in the brand's Euro range of battery cars; the Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid (petrol/electric) will join the Focus in 2014, the Mondeo Hybrid will follow.
The Focus Electric has an electric motor and lithium-ion battery-pack that produces 106kW and translates to 135lm/h. Each car carries a charger that can achieve a 100km driving range with two to three hours attached to a domestic power supply. Three to four hours will inject power for 160km.
Ford Europe’s product development boss Barb Samardzich said: “The Focus Electric is the dawn of an exciting age of full-electric Ford passenger vehicles in Europe and demonstrates the success of our 'One Ford' strategy in making this sophisticated vehicle available to Europe."
The Electric can calculate and display its remaining driving range; the driver’s braking and acceleration habits and the use of aircon and audio systems. As much as 95% of of kinetic energy production wasted during braking can be recaptured - a "braking trainer" encourages the driver to use gradual braking to get the best return.
The Electric is being built in Saarlouis, Germany, and will be available in various countries (not SA) from July 2013.
Ford’s next new product for SA, arriving in August 2013, will be a new urban SUV– the EcoSport with three engine choices (1.0 EcoBoost and 1.5 petrol/diesel) and in three spec levels – Ambiente, Trend and Titanium.
Wheels24 test drove the then new SUV in Goa, India.