This is a busy week for the automotive industry with the opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show, one of the most anticipated shows in the automotive industry. It is also a busy week for Ford with their announcement on Monday of the first markets that will see sales of the company’s first all-electric passenger car—the Focus Electric. Even more impressive are the 19 markets targeted by Ford for sales of this new vehicle.
If you are a frequent reader of AllSmallCars.com, then you might remember that we test-drove the prototype Ford Focus Electric in Boulder, Colo. earlier this year. Then we were impressed by the experience and now we look forward to seeing and driving the production model. Before you get your hopes up, the production model is set to arrive in dealer showrooms in late 2011. This brings us to the 19 markets announced at the beginning of the week:
Atlanta, Austin and Houston, Texas; Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Orlando, Fla., Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Portland, Ore.; Raleigh Durham, N.C.; Richmond, Va., Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
Being based in Denver, Colo. I can’t help but be excited that I might have the choice of two completely electric zero-emissions vehicles—the Nissan Leaf and Ford Focus Electric. The thing that we are still unsure of his how the new Ford Focus Electric can be used in real-life situations. AllSmallCars.com, for one, would love to test the vehicle on longer commutes to see the versatility of the car, especially if highway commuting is involved.
Never the less, the announcement is exciting and punctuates Ford’s “aggressive strategy” to deliver the next-generation of automotive technology to market. The electrification strategy includes the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van, two next-generation lithium-ion battery hybrids and plug-in hybrids and now the Ford Focus Electric. “There is a great deal of excitement for the Focus Electric across America and Ford wants to build on this enthusiasm by making our first all electric passenger vehicle available in as many pilot markets as possible,” said Mark Fields, President of the Americas, Ford Motor Company. “This is the first step in rolling out the Focus Electric. As the country continues to build up its electric vehicle infrastructure and demand for the Focus Electric grows, Ford will continue to evaluate additional markets and consider making this vehicle available in more cities across the country.”
Bottom line—the Ford Focus Electric should be stiff competition for the 2011 Nissan Leaf with an expected range of 100 miles on a single charge. Now we will just see who comes in with the better price point. Stay tuned for more information as we get it right here at AllSmallCars.com.
[Source: Ford]
