Ford focuses on the electric vehicle (photos)

Ford CEO Alan Mulally took the stage at CES 2011 in Las Vegas today to introduce the manufacturer's new zero-emissions vehicle, the Focus Electric.

Due out later this year, the car can reach a top speed of 84 mph, but most notably Ford has reduced the charging time of the vehicle to three hours. An internal charger is better able to take advantage of the 240-volt lines, making charging twice as fast as the competition.

Alan Mulally kisses the Focus as it is rolled out on stage at CES 2011 during the keynote address today.

Mulally said Ford is working closely with utility companies to handle the added load which the electrical grid will need to carry.

Mulally said that, in all, Ford will introduce five electric vehicles in the U.S. by 2012.

"Efficiency isn't the only thing that makes the Focus Electric green," Mulally said.

From end to end, Ford says it is moving toward more sustainibly produced automobiles, using lots of reclaimed materials in construction, such as recycled blue jeans as car insulation.

The battery meter will be represented by different characters. Here, the remaining energy is depicted by butterflies. The regenerative braking system recaptures spent energy, adds power back into the system, and increases the number of butterflies on the display, drawing parallels to the butterfly effect--small choices equate to big changes.

The home screen can show the range of the car with the remaining battery, and will show the available recharging points along the way.

MyFord Mobile is a new mobile app that enables Focus Electric owners to find charging stations, determine the best charging times, unlock the car doors, and even post electric-driving achievements to social-networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Mulally said that recognizing achievements and rewarding efficient driving is something people really like to see, and it helps to reinforce positive driving habits.

MyFord Mobile awards points, shows what type of driver you are, and even shows you money saved and CO2 emissions prevented as compared with gasoline-powered cars.

The iPhone MyFord Mobile app shows users how much driving time they can expect to get from the current charge depending on their typical driving style.

The SmartGauge display technology coaches owners to drive more efficiently and see a "range view" to determine how far they are from a charging station.

A partnership with Mapquest, the trip planner helps to determine how much battery will be needed to get between locations, and also shows where the nearest charging stations are.

Want to know if you can get there with the current charge? Just check in with the MyFord Mobile app.

MyFord Mobile app keeps track of many of the car's stats, and also reminds you of maintenance appointments and the best times to charge. Users can also use the app to remotely turn the charging on or off.

Mike Tinskey, the manager for Global Electrification Infrastructure, discussed the charging station that the Ford Focus Electric will use.

By using a two-part charge point for in-home installations, the charging stations are made to be easily removed, giving customers greater access to the charge points for maintenance or to take them along in a move.

Mike Tinskey and Alan Mulally on stage with a charging station for the Focus Electric.

Calling the calling the shift toward zero emissions electric vehicles a holistic vehicle ownership experience, Ford is calling the electricfied vehicles a platform for innovation. Rather than one vehicle, Mulally draws parallels to the Android platform, calling Ford a technology company as well as a car company.