Review: The Ford Focus Electric

[n2doc]

Ford is preparing for an era when choosing whether a new car is powered by gas, electricity, or both is as simple as choosing its color is.

All future models from the automaker will be designed so that they can be produced with gas, electric, or hybrid drivetrains, a strategy embodied by the Ford Focus Electric, made available for the first press test drives last week. While GM and Nissan designed their first all-electric mass production cars from scratch, Ford is essentially using a 2010 design with the gas guts switched for electric ones.

That made strolling up to a Ford Focus in San Francisco last week slightly underwhelming: from the outside, the car looks familiar (unless you're looking for the tailpipe). From the inside, though, in the driver's seat, the Focus Electric is distinctive. I found it well-suited to San Francisco traffic, a game of real-life Frogger that rewards those who can quickly zip between lanes and enter gaps that open and close in an eyeblink. The eager response of the electric motor when I put my foot down was a big help, and all the more distinctive due to the near-silence, which also allowed me to hear more of what was happening around me.

The Focus Electric's zip is something all-electric cars can offer. Electric motors can provide their full torque instantly, from any speed, while gas cars must rev up their engines before delivering extra torque to the wheels.

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http://www.technologyreview.com/business/40205/?p1=MstRcnt

Great. Except that $30K+ for a second car is a bit steep for most people, I think.

[tinrobot]

1. Consider the entire cost of ownership

Great. Except that $30K+ for a second car is a bit steep for most people, I think.

You have to consider not only the purchase price, but operating costs and the resale price. When you do that, the car gets pretty affordable when gas is $4-5/gal.

My only gripe is that Ford really isn't marketing these cars. Nissan, GM, Mitsubishi, and BMW are all pursuing electric cars fairly aggressively. Ford could get left behind.

[NYC_SKP]

2. True. Also prices will fall as production increases. Also true about the marketing.

Toyota did a shitty job, too, over the years marketing the Prius, even making it look like a sissy or hippy car, not at all appealing to the sound economics or sustainability of hybrids.

After all, Ford and Toyota still see a lot of profit in their light truck and SUV offerings.

Enough that they dropped the very utilitarian Camry and Corolla wagons from their line ups-- for the American market. These were still sold in other countries.

Bastards.