Official Ford Focus Electric Thread

[Boomer23]

There are no CARB EV hard requirements...

That is not correct. New CARB requirements from 2012 (or 13 ?) require certain # of zero emission vehicles. This "floor" can't be met with ATPZEV as the manufacturers do now. That is the reason all auto majors are coming up with some EV for CA in the next 2 years.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/levprog/cleandoc/clean_2009_my_hev_tps_12-09.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(1) 2012 through 2014 Requirements. A manufacturer must meet the total ZEV
obligation with ZEVs or ZEV credits generated by such vehicles, excluding NEVs and Type 0
ZEVs, equal to at least 0.79% of its annual sales, using either production volume determination
method described in section C.2.1(b) No more than 50% of the total obligation may be met with
PZEVs, No more than 75% of the total obligation may be met with AT PZEVs. No more than
93.4% may be met with Enhanced AT PZEVs, Type 0 ZEVs, and NEVs, other than limits
described in section C.7.6. The entire requirement may be met solely with ZEVs.

So how are the automakers that don't have EVs, like Mazda, Chrysler, Subaru, etc going to qualify to sell cars in CA? And Toyota's plug in Prius and Chevy's Volt don't qualify, either. I guess Toyota is going to use the RAV and Chevy is making that Spark. Are Audi, Mercedes and BMW going to have ZEVs in time? Last I heard, BMW's i3 is going to be an EREV with a gas generator.

 

[Herm]

Maybe they can buy ZEV credits from other manufacturers

 

[evnow]

So how are the automakers that don't have EVs, like Mazda, Chrysler, Subaru, etc going to qualify to sell cars in CA? And Toyota's plug in Prius and Chevy's Volt don't qualify, either. I guess Toyota is going to use the RAV and Chevy is making that Spark. Are Audi, Mercedes and BMW going to have ZEVs in time? Last I heard, BMW's i3 is going to be an EREV with a gas generator.

- Chrysler/Fiat will have 500 EV.
- BMW i3 will only have optional range extender (which may be released later). In any case they have Active E.
- Hyundai/Kia, Audi, VW, Merc will have to buy credits as their EVs won't be ready in time. Small manufacturers like Mazda, Subaru may be exempt.

 

[rnkepler]

Who would seriously consider buying a 40K car from a company that has no faith in its (contracted out) product? And why the assumption that it would handle better that a Leaf?

 

[Herm]

Well it looks faster and more agile, so it probably out-handles a Leaf. Think of the Foci as a premium sport Leaf..The question I have is how do they handle the remaining range estimation?.. and the battery warranty?

 

[TimeHorse]

My 2 cents, for what it's worth:

While driving me Nissan dealer back to the dealership, one thing we discussed was how the mark-up over invoice for Nissan was about 5% but for GM and Ford, it was more like 15% and thus allowed them to haggle more. If true for the focus, and I'm inclined to thing it true in small part, maybe 7% but not 15%, it would put the FFE invoice around a LEAF SL.

As for handling, when some of the EVA/DC members test drove the Focus Electric they were demonstrating at the Capitol, they said it had awful handling.

Finally, I could never find the FFE price poll but I'd have guessed $40,000 exactly (higher, not $5 lower) so I'd have lost, but at least now we know the price.

 

[KeiJidosha]

FFE @ $40k = no competition for LEAF = no pressure on Nissan to hold price or install 6.6kW charger.

 

[evnow]

Finally, I could never find the FFE price poll but I'd have guessed $40,000 exactly (higher, not $5 lower) so I'd have lost, but at least now we know the price.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6602" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[evnow]

Well it looks faster and more agile, so it probably out-handles a Leaf. Think of the Foci as a premium sport Leaf..The question I have is how do they handle the remaining range estimation?.. and the battery warranty?

"looks" more agile ? That is hardly a reason to think it would handle better than Leaf.

It is possible, the steering is tuned in a different way (i.e. to feel more rigid) - but that is not handling. Considering the weight distribution, it is very unlikely FFE handles better than Leaf.

 

[SanDust]

I'm glad to see another car out on the market. However, if I was in the market with $40k to spend, I may try to stretch myself to $50 and get a Model S. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks the leather pattern is pretty horrendous. Doesn't the Volt come with 2-tone leather in bright colors?

The Volt comes in a red and a blue and some other colors. I think you can get red leather too (if you want to go there). Keep in mind that the Signature Series Model S, the ones that you'd be able to buy sometime next year, will cost $90K. Even when the base Model S rolls out sometime later the best case is that it will cost $57K. You're comparing the Focus sans rebate with the Model S after rebate. The difference in cost would be at least $17K and no doubt will end up being more.

Elon Musk must be able to hypnotize people. :roll:

 

[evnow]

Elon Musk must be able to hypnotize people. :roll:

Lazy Press has confused the issue by mentioning 300 mile range & 50K price together, often in the same sentence, without writing about multiple models. Tesla has been guilty of not trying to correct them.

 

[edatoakrun]

Well it looks faster and more agile, so it probably out-handles a Leaf. Think of the Foci as a premium sport Leaf..The question I have is how do they handle the remaining range estimation?.. and the battery warranty?

"looks" more agile ? That is hardly a reason to think it would handle better than Leaf.

It is possible, the steering is tuned in a different way (i.e. to feel more rigid) - but that is not handling. Considering the weight distribution, it is very unlikely FFE handles better than Leaf.

The Focus EV weighs 3691 lbs.

Want to know how it will handle?

Put 337 lbs. in the trunk of your LEAF, and take a road test.

 

[mitch672]

Elon Musk must be able to hypnotize people. :roll:

Elon is the "Steve Jobs" of electric cars

 

[Herm]

"looks" more agile ? That is hardly a reason to think it would handle better than Leaf.

Look at how many threads we have on lowered Leafs, tinted and so on.. they all look much faster so obviously looks are very important. I forgot to mention that the Focus is obviously more aerodynamic, great for hwy cruising.. its obvious just by looking at it.

 

[mwalsh]

Hyundai/Kia, Audi, VW, Merc will have to buy credits as their EVs won't be ready in time. Small manufacturers like Mazda, Subaru may be exempt.

They can also quit selling cars here. Hard to imagine, I know. But without some alternative in place, there might be no other choice for them.

 

[evnow]

They can also quit selling cars here. Hard to imagine, I know. But without some alternative in place, there might be no other choice for them.

They would find it far more cheaper to buy some credits from Tesla/Nissan.

 

[mksE55]

I hate to be a realist but you know there is now way you can get the car at suggested sticker. I promise it will have some kind of crappy interior sealant. window tint. undercoating, mudflaps. interior mats, window etching, pin striping , paint protectant ect... so the cost will be over 40,000 before you try and negotiate the price down. just to be fair to all the people who voted it over 40,000 my self included. they always throw out the lowest sticker price and then the dealer pads it up.

:shock:

 

[philaphonic]

Elon Musk must be able to hypnotize people. :roll:

Elon is the "Steve Jobs" of electric cars

. . . and rockets! http://www.spacex.com/

 

[mwalsh]

They would find it far more cheaper to buy some credits from Tesla/Nissan.

I would have thought that Tesla will have committed (all?) theirs to Toyota. Unless Toyota is going to generate their own with the RAV4EV? Do you think it likely that Nissan would sell theirs to a near competitor? I'm having a hard time imagining that. Unless by then they've got more than they'd ever know what to do with?

 

[JPVLeaf]

FWIW, the title of the poll was "Base model Focus EV will be priced pre-tax at ..."

And, the question was, "What do you think will be the price of the base model of Focus EV before tax credits ?"

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6602

I hate to be a realist but you know there is now way you can get the car at suggested sticker. I promise it will have some kind of crappy interior sealant. window tint. undercoating, mudflaps. interior mats, window etching, pin striping , paint protectant ect... so the cost will be over 40,000 before you try and negotiate the price down. just to be fair to all the people who voted it over 40,000 my self included. they always throw out the lowest sticker price and then the dealer pads it up.

:shock: