Ford Focus Electric Hatchback Will Cost $39,995
New EV is priced higher than the Nissan Leaf, same as the Chevy Volt.
On Tuesday, Ford announced pricing and began taking orders for its 2012 Ford Focus Electric hatchback. The vehicle will cost $39,995, including destination charge. That puts it on par with the Chevrolet Volt, which saw a price reduction in June from $41,000, and $3,900 more than the base Nissan Leaf. Those prices do not include a $7,500 federal tax rebate, for which all three vehicles are eligible.Some details of the vehicle remain unreleased: Ford has yet to officially state its estimated range, for example, though the manufacturer says it will be comparable to competing vehicles. Some known specs are less than impressive. Top speed for the hatchback EV, which is powered by a 92-kilowatt electric motor putting out the rough equivalent of 123 horsepower, is a mere 84 mph; in addition, the vehicle is not compatible with DC fast chargers, though it can re-juice using an optional 240-volt charger in "just over three hours," according to Ford.
Ford will roll out the Focus Electric next year, first in California, New Jersey and New York, with other markets following shortly thereafter.
[Source: Wheels.]
a huge percentage of people do not drive over 100 miles round trip to and from work. Your everyday driving is where the savings is. The long range driving is for your second car.
You are right most people do not drive 100 miles to and from work.
You say for long range driving is for the secound car, So now we need three cars?
I need a truck or SUV and we need a car that gets more than 200 mile range.
Why would most people spend $40,000 for a grocery getter or a putt around car?
It just is not worth it, what it would cost you to buy is far more than what it would save you.
I agree that the price is high, but the idea behind cars like this is that a huge percentage of people do not drive over 100 miles round trip to and from work. Your everyday driving is where the savings is. The long range driving is for your second car. Personally I wouldn't want to travel very far in a small vehicle like this; I want the big luxury car (comfort) or the sports car (more fun) for longer trips.
I also agree that the styling of the American cars are (and always have been) much more appealing. I don't care how much I save in gas or $, I will never own a Prius or Leaf!
$40,000 for this thing is not worth it.
You can buy a Focus SEL for $20,000 which is a difference of $20,000.
Say gas is $7.00 per gallon so 20,000/7=2857 gallons.
The SEL gets between 27/37 so the middle of 32 is what we will use.
32x2857=91424 miles worth of gas.
Now say you drive 15,000 miles per year you could drive the SEL for a little over 6 years @ $7.00 per gallon from just the initial purchase price, and you can get much cheaper Focus's than the SEL.
With the SEL you also do not have to worry about getting somewhere and then trying to find a place to plug in at for a 22 hour charge.
If your trip is 300 miles it may take you over 5 hours to drive it in the SEL, but with the EV it would take you 3 days or more.
Wow that would be a smart move, lets buy the EV to save 2900 gallons of gas in 6 years.
Cold weather affects the batteries, well hell even hot weather affects them, A/C, and heater draws power from them, wind, and terrain will all affect the range one will get.
If it is rated for 100 miles than the common would be 75.
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