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2011 Ford Focus To Be Built in Michigan--Including Electric Version

 
6,025 views May 6, 2009
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2011 Ford Focus - European model

2011 Ford Focus - European model

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Moving steadily forward on its plans to build and sell its global small cars in North America, Ford Motor Company announced it would spend more than half a billion dollars to retool its Michigan Assembly Plant, in Wayne, MI, to produce the 2011 Ford Focus that will go on sale late next year.

The company will invest $550 million to build not only standard versions of the 2011 Focus, but also the battery-electric version in 2011. Prototypes of the Focus EV are now being tested, using bodies from the current 2009 Ford Focus, a model that is unique to North America.


Among other updates is a flexible body-shop operation that uses reprogrammable tooling, standardized paint-shop equipment, and a common build sequence in final assembly. This lets Ford switch quickly and efficiently among any future models that have been engineered for assembly in the same order of steps. Similar equipment will be installed in a Louisville, Kentucky, truck plant that will build further, unspecified models on the Focus platform starting in 2011.

First opened in 1957, the 2.9-million-square-foot plant formerly known as Michigan Truck sits on 140 acres and employs roughly 3,200 workers. It has built bodies for stations wagons (remember those?), as well as assembling the Ford Bronco, Ford F-Series pickup truck, and until last year, the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator full-size SUVs.

It's one of three truck or SUV plants being converted to produce Ford's global car designs in North America. Early next year, the Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico will begin building the 2011 Ford Fiesta subcompact. Ford is already letting young drivers test European versions of the Fiesta.

The Focus EV is being developed with Magna International, which first proposed the program to Ford. Its high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack powers an electric motor that drives the front wheels, and Ford estimates the range to be roughly 100 miles between recharges.

As well as the Focus EV, Ford will collaborate with Smith Electric on a small electric commercial van, based on its upcoming 2010 Ford Transit Connect. The electric van will hit showrooms next year, and is to be built by Smith at a plant in Kansas City.

Ford Focus EV

Ford Focus EV

Enlarge Photo

[SOURCES: Ford Motor Co.]





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Comments (4)

  1. John Napoletano Posted: 5/11/2009 12:49am PDT

    "Electric Car Conversions Now"

    I don't understand why the states or fed does not push electric car conversions. On green TV shows and Youtube they show electric car conversions for popular used cars like a Ford Mustang or Jeep. Tell me where I can convert to electric and do something real now, not when I am ready to buy a new car for $25,000. Electric car conversions will make the change happen much faster. Please get the word out that supporting only the big auto manufacturers is not the answer.
     
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  2. Larry Posted: 10/25/2009 7:42pm PDT

    Electric cars are not the answer. Electric cars in large numbers will overburden our already weak electrcal grid, and with electrcal deregulation coming soon, it will not even be close to being cost effective. Then the goverment will have to rasie your taxs for driving such a car as you would not be paying highway use taxs. Battery production for hybrids and electric cars are far more hazordous to the environment than normal cars. Nice dream! Ford built a diesal Tempo in the 1980s that got up to 50 mpg. No body bought them! It does not pay to buy any hybrid type vehicle. It would be cheaped for you to buy a regular engine vehicle of the model line your interestd in, and drive that instead.Why not keep the car you have take care of it drive slower and combine your trips.
     
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  3. Mike Posted: 11/19/2009 4:08pm PST

    Larry you are full of CRAP. In most places the grid is capable of handling this extra load. Oil is the real enemy. Their is clean coal but NOT clean oil. You will get 100miles out of the new focus at roghly, on my current grid cost $1.60. $1.60 for a 100 miles that is a no brainer. I am so fed up with the swings in oil prices that oil has to go and go NOW. At least coal is produced in the U.S. and the extra coal use to generate electricity for theses cars is still less pollution then the gas burning equivelent. I love the concept of an electric car and quess what, I hunt, I fish, nad I live in Michigan. Yup not a tree hugger just a oil hater. Down with the oil industry. Oil tried to kill the auto industry with these high prices well look whos fighting back, Go Ford! I buy as soon as available.
     
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  4. fb_1580581880 avatar Brian Clark Posted: 5/21/2011 10:33pm PDT

    Many people who buy electric car will also use solar
    on the roof to offset carbon footprint.the % of people who will buy the focus electric is small compaired to all the car and trucks on the road.the power grid will be fine.
     
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