Ford Motor Company today began a new chapter in its vehicle manufacturing history with the start of production of the all-new Focus Electric – the first full-electric vehicle to be built by Ford in Europe – in Saarlouis, Germany.
The zero-emission Focus Electric is spearheading Ford’s line-up of electrified vehicles, and will be joined in Europe by the C MAX Energi plug-in hybrid next year, followed by the all-new Mondeo Hybrid soon after.
Developed as a “One Ford” global vehicle, the Focus Electric features an advanced electric motor and lithium-ion battery powertrain that produces 143 PS and achieves a top speed of 136 km/h. Focus Electric has been manufactured in North America since December 2011 and the Saarlouis-built Focus Electric will reach European customers from August this year.
Ford has invested €16 million to integrate Focus Electric production directly into the established Focus production line at Saarlouis, delivering the flexibility to react to market demand with increased production volumes.
The all-new Focus Electric is the first full-electric vehicle to be manufactured in Germany directly from a volume production line. Each Focus Electric is equipped with a 6.6 kW fully integrated onboard charger that can deliver around 100 km driving range with 2-3 hours charging, and around 150 km driving range with 3-4 hours charging from a 32 A power supply.
Focus Electric features a new user interface called SmartGauge which calculates and displays range based on remaining energy; the driver’s unique vehicle use, across braking and acceleration inputs; and the use of accessories such as climate control and audio systems.
The Focus Electric’s powertrain uses regenerative braking to capture up to 95 percent of kinetic energy normally lost during the braking process, while the innovative Brake Coach feature encourages gradual braking to help return more energy to the battery.
