This electric version
of the Focus four-door hatchback joins the Coda, Honda Fit EV, Mitsubishi
i-MiEV, Nissan Leaf, and Tesla Model S as the only dedicated all-electric cars
on the market. We bought our Frosted Glass Metallic five-door in mid-July, and
have been spending a lot of time on the road as our testers commute and live
with the car.
Ford Focus Electric
Our $40,995 Focus
includes the only available option - $995 for leather seats. Consumers are
eligible for a $7,500 electric-vehicle tax credit
Driving impressions
The Focus Electric
drives a lot like the conventional version, only quicker and quieter. It rides
comfortably and handles with agility. The electric motor delivers 143-hp at
peak and a strong 184 ft.-lbs. of torque from a standstill. Compared with the
gas Focus, the car feels snappy-perhaps too much for maximum frugality. This
combination of responsiveness, smoothness, and quietness delivers a distinct
and effortless driving experience.
The Focus Electric drives a lot like the
conventional version, only quicker and quieter.
Under the hood
The Focus Electric is
EPA-rated at the equivalent of 105 miles per gallon (MPGe). But so far, we’ve
been doing even better, getting about 3.65 miles on every kilowatt-hour of
electricity, which is the equivalent of 123 mpg. This is excellent even for an
EV. We’ve also been averaging 81 miles on a charge, which is about 6 miles
longer than we got in our Nissan Leaf
We’ve also been averaging 81 miles on a
charge, which is about 6 miles longer than we got in our Nissan Leaf
The 23-kWh lithium-ion
battery pack has two parts: one located under the rear seat where the fuel tank
would normally be, and the other occupying a fair amount of the cargo space.
The car uses a 6.6-kW
on-board charger, and on average it has been taking us about four hours to
charge the car on a 240-volt, Level 2 charger.
Inside the cabin
To help drivers get
the most out of the car, Ford has put a lot into the electronic gauges and
displays. Once you program a route in the standard navigation system, for
example, it will calculate your trip buffer, letting you know how much extra
energy you have to make a detour during your trip.
To help drivers get the most out of the
car, Ford has put a lot into the electronic gauges and displays.
A regenerative braking
gauge shows how much energy you’ve recaptured after very brake application.
Butterflies collect on the right–hand screen of the instrument cluster to rate
you’re driving from an environmental perspective. But the multiple displays and
buttons to control them can be overwhelming.
Apps are available for
Android and Apple devices that allow drivers to preheat or cool the car and set
charge times remotely. The apps also include games to encourage competition
among different Focus drivers through social media.
CR’s take
So far, the Focus
Electric is the most refined and sophisticated EV we’ve driven. It provides the
most range and has relatively quick charge times. We’ll see if these
impressions hold up as we complete our tests.
|
Focus specs
·
MSRP: $40,990
·
Engines: 107 KW electric motor (143 hp)
w/23-kWh lithium-ion battery
·
Transmission: One-speed direct drive.
|
