It’s not surprising to me that the Raleigh – Durham, North Carolina area was one of the first markets that Ford chose to sell the Ford Focus Electric. Markets were chosen based on several criteria, such as commuting patterns, existing hybrid purchase trends, utility company collaboration, and local government commitment to electrification. (Market criteria and vehicle stats credit: media.ford.com) The other cities chosen are Atlanta- GA, Austin & Houston,-TX, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Orlando- FL, Phoenix & Tucson Arizona, Portland Oregon, Richmond – VA, Seattle and Washington DC. I have seen our community take ambitious steps towards becoming more eco friendly. We promote environmentally friendly ways to travel to reduce car use when commuting like carpooling, bike riding, walking and public transportation. When building whether commercial or residential we are using eco friendly and sometimes recycled materials along with solar energy. More local businesses have become eco friendly providing natural products and service to consumers. We’re a city that is going “Green” and recognizes the need for more eco friendly transportation, so the Ford Focus Electric is right on schedule.

I had the opportunity to see the Ford Focus Electric up close and personal at the “Green” McDonald’s Holiday Festival. Crossroads Ford was in attendance with the Ford Focus Electric. The Ford Focus Electric is Ford’s first all electric passenger car with zero emissions and completely gas free. Instead of a traditional gas engine, the Focus Electric’s motor will be powered by a 23 kwh lithium-ion battery. The system utilizes liquid heating and cooling system to maximize battery life and driving range. Focus Electric will offer a mile-per-gallon equivalent better than Chevrolet Volt and competitive with other battery electric vehicles. What’s great is that it’s just not what’s under the hood that makes The 2012 Ford Focus Electric so eco friendly, the materials used inside the vehicle, such as bio-foam seat cushions and recycled fabrics also adds to the eco friendliness. The 2012 Ford Focus Electric offers great standard safety and security features including six airbags, electronic traction control, hands free SYNC, telephone connectivity and My Key for North America. You’ll also enjoy MyFord Touch driver connect technology, aluminum wheels, rear bench seats, push button start, AM/FM/CD/MP3 Sony Audio with nine speakers, Sirius satellite radio with Travel Link, HD Radio, and voice activated navigation system. I can just imagine taking a road trip with this baby, all the features rock!

Let’s talk about charging… Future 2012 Ford Focus owners will be able to purchase the 240-volt wall-mounted charge station that will be sold separately or use the 120-volt convenience cord that comes with the vehicle. When plugged in, the Focus Electric onboard charger converts AC power from the electric grid to DC power to charge the liquid-cooled/heated battery pack. A full recharge is expected to take three to four hours at home with the 240-volt charge station –half the charge time of the Nissan Leaf. The new Focus Electric also offers value charging, powered by Microsoft, to help owners in the US charge their vehicles at the cheapest utility rates. One of my favorite features is the MyFord mobile; it’s a Smartphone app and website for monitoring key vehicle functions and charge settings while mobile. As much as I’m on my phone and on the go this particular feature would be very beneficial to me. Overall, I think the Ford Focus Electric is a great vehicle. Communities are starting to put up charge stations in certain areas and setting aside preferred parking spaces for eco friendly vehicles. I’d say we’re moving in the right direction. For more information on the Ford Focus Electric you can head over to the Ford website.