2012 Ford Focus Electric

The key to this car might be the fact that you can barely tell it's different by looking at. Quite the opposite of what happens when you drive let's connect with the -- twelve Ford Focus electric and check the tech. A spotting a bogus EB isn't that easy and that's part of the story on this car seat carmakers fall into two camps that they make electric cars. Either make electric and weird looking C Mitsubishi or make electric and totally stealth C four. The main dead giveaway is this -- this really good looking Aston Martin asking -- It had to -- the -- -- all -- there's a radiator you don't need the air while there's no -- up here just electric motors though this is a solid -- -- -- here's another dead giveaway at. This really slick -- rotating pop up charger port door. I -- grave doubts about it lasting more than a year before you have to replace it or working at all and heavy snow. But I still like it. Now nothing in here is gonna look at the -- engine bay because there's no engine electric motor here of 107. Kilowatt electric motor. What does that equate to about a 143. Horsepower but because electric -- -- torque monster -- 184 foot pounds of torque that is a great number in a car in this class in particular. And equally dissimilar to the focus you may drive is the transmission or basic lack thereof it's a one speed conversion gear box is what it is there's no shifting going on here but there's a gear conversion to match -- the end. Engines RPMs which are relatively high over to the wheels RPM that you want on the road. Now of course an electric car the batteries as. Important or more important than the electric motor and -- -- at the 23 kilowatt hour unit it's a big battery about the same size capacity wise. As that in a Nissan leaf. But it Nissan -- to -- a clean sheet design has the whole thing buried in the belly of the vehicle here on the focus CV you do give up a fair amount of trunk space. -- it's just right there in your way you gotta bear that in mind. In terms of range official estimate about 76 miles on this guy and that's also part of a 110. MPG. EE PA rating. That's that new number the tries to equate. The energy used to power a gas car against an electric car. The charge time and cost our interest to charge this -- is is Ford's big headline on this car. It takes three to four hours using a level two charger that's when the plugs into a 240 volt outlet like the one -- -- uses a Nissan leaf is in the same kind of charger takes roughly twice as long to not only is -- charge just three to four hours for full capacity from zero. But the top ups will go much faster as well and that's the real world charging will be doing more often. Now the cost of that chart about two dollars and 75 cents using a national average cost of electricity. -- -- were about to learn they've got some technology in this car that lets you tell it to charge only when the rates are low which could bring your total charge cost down by more than half. Okay. Pretty standard -- -- -- With a couple of differences. First of all the gear -- here it looks like an automatic and as we mention it's really not -- -- one speed transfer case. Generally gonna be and drive but if you wanna get greater break -- -- that you'll go to low. Now on the left side of the Speedo -- Ford's unique displays here that's controlled by this left hand wing controller. You have a range view. A five minute history view of course you got your battery range in both level and predicted mileage. You've also got something called budget which is the mileage calculation against your destination or the next charging station on the map that you been put. And the interface gives even more interesting when you install the my -- mobile app currently available for iPhone cutting shortly after we shoot this video for Blackberry. An Android. You get a status shows mile range and battery capacity. This next -- here shows you charging stations you can also -- those on the navigation system and the Carl figure out if you're gonna make it or not that also -- and of that budget read out. Here's a trip planner that's also cognizant of can you make it on your current charge and if not it plots that charging stations along the -- you're gonna have to stop back. And some -- -- automatics like remote control to turn the car on or off unlock the doors. Find the thing when you've lost its. And very interestingly set up the most ambitious charging schedule using some data from Microsoft. A database on the back in in the cloud. The takes into account where you are the best times to charge based on your usage of the car though so as not just gonna say I only charged between two and 6 AM if in fact you know for some reason to drive a car lot that time. And the system also lets you take your best green driving performance and uploaded to FaceBook as a challenge to other Ford Focus EV drivers. I won't be doing. The power of the focus -- -- sample but it's not tuned for performance like it could be. I mean there's a lot of torque and power here but it's been tuned for range as well as responsiveness so that's the word I -- -- responsive. But it's not a sports car but by no means -- the feel like a slug it's a nice balance -- it. Another ride quality compared to police are called -- -- feeling a little more. Luxurious little more floating in this car I feel like is a little more. Responsive and slightly toward supporting. What area I'm not entirely a fan of is the regenerative braking on this car when you get on the brakes of any significance. Like. Going downhill -- a short stop in traffic. It's not -- Linear coming kicks in if -- it kicks in it announces that feel a little bit on refined but might just be on guardian a very hilly area and San Francisco. -- this energy gauge here on the my review panel on the left is a little busy for my tastes I'm getting some indications of budgeted mileage predicted mileage. Battery charge. Battery recharge. Five minute time slices of battery usage -- of the things I have no idea what they are. I don't wanna study that much mind to know is how much -- to I have left. And basically. How my recharging -- what -- -- -- generating power and it does that would brake coach. At the end of -- to a full stop it'll show you how much of the energy and the kinetic energy of the car you recaptured by -- -- in the proper -- -- you to -- very -- yearly and very gradually as you come to a stop. Okay rising above this TV at the 40000 dollar car which it takes 7500 off in the tax year that you buy one and doing your federal return. And your state they offer a nice chunk off as well here in California right now it's 2500 bucks and get the nice stickers for the hov lane. Now a -- visiting -- from two to 4000 dollars last depending on trim level this comes in only one trim level. The other thing to consider is -- right dynamics do you like better -- find believe a little more luxurious this -- or sporty if you will. And the last consideration is the charge differences are vastly shorter charging time on this vehicle that's the price you pay both in dollars. -- isn't compromised trunk space. The tax year you buy one do not use there's some -- that's all -- Room. And it. Still running its business keep --