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Ford's first full electric passenger car driving to the UK

The Ford Focus Electric will make its way to British roads next year, and can go 100 miles before needing a recharge.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
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Joe Svetlik
2 min read

Electric cars are about to go mainstream, as the Ford Focus Electric will find its way onto UK roads from next year.

It'll initially be offered in a limited run, but Ford has promised to respond to consumer demand. So if you care about the environment, and have a spare £33,500 lying around, maybe give it a look.

Ford already has a range of hybrid vehicles, but the Focus Electric is the company's first full 'leccy model. Its electric motor and lithium-ion battery powertrain gives you a power output of 142PS (PS is the continental version of horsepower, and translates as roughly equivalent). It won't leave you lagging behind on the motorway either, with a top speed of 85mph. And a range of 100 miles means you won't have to stop and recharge too often.

It features some pretty nifty tech inside, too. Thermal management technology uses heated and cooled liquid to regulate the battery temperature and help it last longer, meaning fewer stops to recharge. It works to optimise performance no matter what the temperature outside.

Smartgauge, meanwhile, lets you keep tabs on how much energy the car is chomping through, helping you drive more efficiently. Drive in an eco-friendly manner, and butterflies will appear on the display, to let you know you're being kind to mother nature. It'll also tell you how long you've got until you need to juice up, which should prevent you getting stranded miles from the nearest plug.

Are electric cars the future of motoring? Or are they nowhere near as eco-friendly as their manufacturers make out? And what do you think of the Ford Focus Electric? Would you take it for a spin? Park yourself in the comments below, or whizz on over to our Facebook page and let me know.