Ford Motor is accepting orders in advance of manufacturing its new electric 2012 Focus sedan, its first electric car.
Buyers can configure their Focus Electric online and place their orders with certified EV dealers in California and New York/New Jersey markets, where it will first be available. Ford plans to make the vehicle available in 15 other markets next year.
Ford says it chose the initial launch markets based on "commuting patterns, existing hybrid purchase trends, utility-company collaboration and local-government commitment to electrification."
The Focus Electric comes standard with a mobile app to remotely monitor and schedule battery charging with owners’ smartphones; ambient lighting; a rear camera with a rear parking sensor; a voice-activated navigation system; and electronic traction control.
Its battery can be charged in about three hours using a 240-volt charging station, which Ford says is nearly twice as fast as Nissan’s Leaf. The battery can be topped off in a standard 120-volt outlet. And Ford will offer a solar-powered charger to customers when they buy an electric Focus.
The Electric Focus is the first of five electric cars planned for launch in North America over the next year. It will be followed by a plug-in hybrid and an electric version of its new, sporty five-seater C-MAX.
25% of Ford’s global fleet will be electric by 2020, says the company, which is also working toward making "intelligent" vehicles that communicate via Wi-Fi and GPS. And in 2010, Ford launched a dealer sustainability program to increase energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint.
Ford has a dedicated Electric Focus website, where you can configure the car and locate your nearest certified Ford EV dealer:
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