Another Look at the 2012 Ford Focus Electric Sedan

You know those "spot the difference" side-by-side photos that are commonly reserved for Highlights magazines in a dentist's waiting room? "Can you find seven differences between these two pictures?" Park a 2012 Ford Focus Electric next to its gasoline-powered kin and you'll essentially be playing a three-dimensional version. But that's exactly why we like this zero-emission, battery-powered compact. It doesn't have a funky name, it isn't all bubbly shaped, and it's still as functional as any new Focus we've sampled to date.So, does this whole package of anonymous electrification work? It looks like a Focus, but does it drive like one and offer the same refinement, too? We headed to the southern California coast to find out.

To the trained eye, Electric-specific changes like the new grille (Aston Martin influence, anyone?), more aerodynamic front fascia, special badges, front charging point, and new 17-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Energy Saver tires are immediately noticeable, but to the general public, this five-door simply blends in with the rest of the cars on the road. EVs like the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i certainly stand out in a crowd, and until electric vehicles become more mainstream, we can appreciate the fact that some drivers don't want to make a huge eco-statement every time they drive through town. We can't tell you how often we were stared and pointed at while driving the Nissan and Mitsubishi, and being the center of attention gets old. Fast.


Much like the exterior, there aren't that many changes to the Focus Electric's cabin. Up front, the design and layout of the center stack is unchanged, with the eight-inch MyFord Touch screen – standard on the Electric – prominently displayed front and center. One change of note is the revised instrument cluster, which now uses a center-mounted speedometer with two LCD displays flanking either side. This is very similar to what we first saw on the Fusion Hybrid, with different displays that grow out from the dash, all of which are configurable. Remember the efficiency leaves from the Fusion? They've now been replaced with cutesy blue butterflies here in the Focus.

The only options for the Focus Electric are two new paint colors – Blue Candy for $395 and White Platinum for $495 – as well as leather upholstery. Standard cars come with the cloth seats (partially made from recycled materials) seen in our test car, but if leather is more your thing, Ford will gladly sew it in for $995. The front cloth buckets are comfortable and supportive, and since they come standard with bun warmers, we suspect most buyers will opt to save the cows – and a few bucks.



Of course, cargo space is compromised slightly by the addition of the large battery pack behind the rear seats, but Ford has developed a rather clever solution to still make the hatch as useful as possible. The load floor is separated into two parts, the rear of which can be raised up to create a flat floor, and also features a small hidden storage compartment underneath. Even so, cargo space isn't too bad in the Electric – there's 14.5 cubic feet of available room behind the rear seats, and additional 1.5 cubic feet in the hidden compartment. By comparison, a Nissan Leaf also offers 14.5 cubic feet of space, while the smaller Mitsubishi i only registers 13.2.

So, it looks like a Focus, is as nicely refined inside as a Focus, and – surprise, surprise – it drives like a Focus, too. That is to say, it's smooth, predictable and easy to manage, while offering a surprising amount of driver engagement. If we're honest, in some cases, we actually prefer its dynamics to that of the gasoline version. The Electric model does away with the annoying PowerShift dual-clutch transmission, the added heft of the battery pack in the rear allows for better weight distribution, and the more powerful motor does an adequate job of hustling all 3,642 pounds – 694 more than a base five-door Focus – around with decent pep.



A 23-kWh battery pack powers the electric motor, which is rated at 141 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque and, like the base Focus, sends its power to the front wheels. We weren't always driving for efficiency during our test, and when we did remove our frugality shoes, we found it immensely fun to mash the throttle off the line, delivering the full whallop of torque to the front wheels right from 0 RPM. It's easy to get those eco-friendly tires to skip a beat, though – especially when accelerating into a turn. But when it's time to slow things down, the brakes aren't super touchy like some hybrids and EVs with overly obtrusive regenerative braking. In fact, we had fun playing with the gauge cluster's Brake Coach function, which shows you how much of the available reusable energy was saved during each stint of braking. Go easy on the binders and you'll get 100 percent nearly every time.

All in, the Focus Electric is substantially more fun to drive than a Nissan Leaf, which has a tendency to feel more appliance-like than anything. Sure, this Focus EV is no sport's car, but if you're not one to sacrifice driving dynamics for the sake of maximum efficiency, it absolutely delivers. And it's far, far better than the golf-cart-on-steroids Mitsubishi i.





The EPA rates the Focus Electric at 110 MPGe (miles per gallon
equivalent) highway, 99 MPGe city and 105 MPGe combined. Ford says that
you can travel about 80 miles between charges, but of course, your
mileage will vary. And when it comes time to recharge, the Focus
Electric offers a substantial win over the Leaf. The charging mechanism
itself is twice as powerful as the one in the Nissan, meaning it's
possible to fully recharge the Focus Electric in as little as four hours
from a 240-volt Level 2 charging station (it can take as long as 20
hours on a normal 120-volt plug).

Don't forget about the MyFord Mobile smartphone compatibility, too,
which gives Focus Electric owners an array of information about charging
status, location information, vehicle statistics and how your personal
driving style affects the range you're getting. We've already had a
chance to get hands-on with this system, so for the full skinny, click here to read our deep dive.


Ford will launch the Focus Electric in three waves, beginning with key
areas like New York and California first, with all markets being able to
take delivery by the end of the year. The all-electric Focus is priced
at $39,995, including $795 for destination, which means that after the
maximum $7,500 federal tax credit, you're looking at a base price of
$32,495. Yes, that's $3,945 more than the base price of a 2012 Nissan
Leaf, but Ford believes the added interior space, performance and
quicker charging time is worth the price.

Perhaps the biggest win for the Electric is that it largely acts the
same as any Focus you'll find at a Ford dealer – it's comfortable,
nicely appointed, handsome and quite engaging to drive. It's the EV
incognito, and in a world where electric vehicles are still slowly
gaining traction, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Nissan's Venucia JV will build Leaf look-alike electric car in China by 2015

PRESS RELEASE

Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company ("Dongfeng Nissan"), the
Passenger Vehicle business unit of Nissan's joint venture with Dongfeng
Motor Corporation, today launched D50, the first production model of the
company's new VENUCIA brand, at the Beijing Motor Show.



D50 is powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline engine, and four grades are
available with prices ranging between RMB 67,800 and RMB 83,800. The car
is built at the new Zhengzhou plant to global standards of quality and
will be available at 100 exclusive VENUCIA dealers nationwide. D50's
features include a spacious interior and a powertrain that delivers both
high performance and fuel economy.



"The launch of 'D50' is a new start for us," said Ren Yong, deputy
managing director of Dongfeng Nissan. "We will continue to enhance our
engineering capability and launch a new model every year. Our objective
for VENUCIA is to reach sales of 1 million units over the next five
years."



Another highlight was the unveil of the brand's very first EV concept
vehicle, "e-concept". "e-concept" will be built locally in China under
the VENUCIA brand by 2015.



The sales target for VENUCIA will be 300,000 units annually, with a target of five models and 250 outlets by 2015.



The brand name, VENUCIA, is derived from the ancient Roman "Venus."
The five stars of the brand logo represent the company's five brand
promises - respect customers, create value, do the best, achieve
world-class quality and seek the dream.



About Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company (Dongfeng Nissan)

Dongfeng Nissan is a business unit of Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd.,
Nissan's joint venture with Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. Dongfeng
Nissan is engaged in research and development operations, manufacturing
and distribution of passenger vehicles.



Nissan Global Company Limited ("NGL") is a fully owned subsidiary of
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., the second-largest Japanese automotive company.
NGL was established in April 2012 in Hong Kong as the new Global
Headquarter of the Infiniti brand. NGL also plays an important role in
market research, product planning, and marketing and communications for
the Nissan brand for Asia. Taking into account the geographical benefits
of Hong Kong, the establishment of NGL is a key strategic milestone to
realize the goals of Nissan Power 88, Nissan's corporate mid-term
business plan.

CODA Holdings and Great Wall Motors to jointly co-develop global entry-level EV

CODA Holdings, a developer of battery-electric vehicles (CODA Sedan) and advanced battery systems signed
a contract with Great Wall Motors Company to co-develop a lower-cost,
entry-level battery-electric vehicle for worldwide distribution. The two
had signed a Letter of Intent in August 2011.







Designed for the North American, Chinese, and European markets, this
co-developed EV--which will be the second in CODA’s portfolio—is
intended to be the most affordable EV on the market, comparable to
entry-level internal combustion engine vehicles.





The joint effort will blend CODA’s battery technology, knowledge of the
US market and experience with global joint ventures with the expertise
of China's fastest growing and most profitable automotive producer.
Great Wall Motors delivered nearly 500,000 vehicles in 2011 worldwide.





Products will be developed by employees of both companies in their
research facilities in LA and Baoding, China. Vehicles will be
sub-assembled in Great Wall’s manufacturing facilities in Baoding. Final
assembly of US destined vehicles will take place in Coda’s facility in
the US.

GM shows design of Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 mobility concept vehicle in Beijing

General Motors showed the company’s vision of the Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 concept at Auto China 2012 today. It is an evolved design of the company’s mobility concept revealed at World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

The EN-V 2.0 concept would use technologies such as the mobility Internet, electrification and telematics to help change the automotive landscape and ensure a sustainable future for our industry.

—Kevin Wale, president and managing director of the GM China Group

The original EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) concept was a centerpiece of the SAIC-GM Pavilion at World Expo 2010 Shanghai. The two-seat electric vehicle was based on the convergence of electrification and connectivity. It was developed to show the possibilities for alleviating concerns surrounding traffic congestion, parking availability, air quality and affordability for tomorrow’s cities.

The EN-V 2.0 concept adds features that consumers demand such as in-vehicle climate control and personal storage space. In addition, it would be capable of driving in all weather and city road conditions.

GM expects to use EN-V 2.0 prototype models in pilot studies throughout China.

IBM Welcomes Japanese Partners to Potentially World Changing "Battery 500" Project

On Friday, IBM announced it has taken on two major Japanese research partners to help with its Battery 500 lithium-air project intended to make internal combustion powered vehicles obsolete in around a decade or so from now.

Begun in 2009, the project has the none-too-bashful goal of developing an electric passenger vehicle battery technology capable of delivering 500 miles on a charge. The round number of “500” represents how far a present-day internal combustion vehicle can go assuming a sizable fuel tank.

The assumption is consumers do not want to sacrifice, and to be sure, IBM says 64 percent say they have range anxiety with today’s 75-125 mile battery electric vehicle performance.

To overcome this, IBM’s researchers have been quoted as saying energy density deemed acceptable by a battery they produce should be 10-13 times above the lithium-ion batteries in a Tesla Roadster.

The new R&D partners are Asahi Kasei and Central Glass.

Of Asahi, IBM says it is “one of Japan’s leading chemical manufacturers and a leading global supplier of separator membrane for lithium-ion batteries.” Of Central Glass, IBM says it is “a leading global electrolyte manufacturer for lithium-ion batteries, will use its chemical expertise in this field to create a new class of electrolytes and high-performance additives specifically designed to improve lithium-air batteries.”

IBM says together, the Japanese scientific talent will expand the project’s scope and explore several chemistries simultaneously to increase chances for success.

At the same time, IBM states this is a “high risk” project that also stands to be high reward. The company speaks of its role in historical terms as a potential facilitator to humankind’s energy reliance away from fossil fuels toward reliable, viable electrical power.

Reasons for the goal are not just the normally cited energy security, reduction of carbon footprint, and need for replacements in light of oil having peaked. These reasons are compounded by the not-too-distant future scenario of rapid population growth and where things are going to go if internal combustion power is not replaced.

Studies have globally projected many more humans crammed into mega cities, and sprawling suburbs. And having become accustomed to standards set in the 20th and early 21st centuries, these people will likewise demand personal transportation, some – including IBM – have said. All this points to crisis scenarios if replacement for gasoline and diesel is not found.

Calmly acknowledging these looming possibilities, IBM has said its “lithium-air” battery has shown enough promise to put its company reputation on the line and says it sees its goals as attainable, and a worthwhile endeavor at any rate.

Not to sound too new agey, but the premise is there is energy in the air all around us – OK, with a little help from chemistry that can make use of it, that is …

In short, IBM’s lightweight and energy dense lithium-air battery uses air – specifically oxygen –from the atmosphere as a reagent much like a gasoline engine does (see videos also).

IBM says it hopes li-air will be the next evolutionary leap beyond today’s lithium-ion chemistries which it says are inadequate for widespread EV acceptance.

Back to the Tesla Roadster example, IBM noted its battery pack has energy density of about 150 watt-hours per kilogram. IBM’s researchers have said they are shooting for 1,500-2,000 watt-hours per kilogram, at which point the world can say sayonara to grungy fuel burners without need for a wistful looking back.

We reported on this project in January, and today’s announcement is just more potentially positive news for what IBM says is still in the early stages of research, and it is not over-hyping this work.

After IBM proves an already promised prototype – hoped for in a couple years or so – it says the goal is to enter an “engineering phase” to develop commercial-grade batteries that would be ready for manufacturing into electric vehicles.

Following are questions we sent via e-mail, and (brief) answers received from IBM Communications Spokesperson Ari Entin:

Q: I read the press release, but on a scale of 1-10, what is the actual value these new partners bring to the project to seeing a 500 mile range battery?

A: We’ve made a number of important scientific discoveries and demonstrated the science behind our battery technology works. These partners bring critical expertise necessary to scale up to a larger lab prototype.

Q: I’ve read IBM has made good progress so far, can you update me on a hoped-for/projected timeline to production ready status?

A: We’re looking to have a significant lab prototype around the end of 2013 but want to be very clear that we won’t see these being sold in a showroom this decade. The soonest one would see these on city streets would be between 2020 – 2030.

Q: What would be the next step if IBM had a production-ready battery? – after all, it is not a car manufacturer.

A: We’re still in the science phase, not engineering, but you’re right in that IBM is not a battery manufacturing company, nor will it become one. When the time is right, we’ll seek out, develop and license this technology with partners.

I want to believe

So, what do we make of this? You can joke about rumored Eestor super capacitors, tell us you’ll believe it when you see it, if you wish. We get that.

We’ll merely note this is not a fly by night operation, we already are living in a world of amazing technology brought about by science, and IBM’s collaboration is international between leading U.S., Swiss, and other scientists. In the States, the effort includes research by national labs with such names as Argonne, Lawrence Livermore, Pacific Northwest, and Oak Ridge.

The flip side to all this is one can deduce IBM essentially thinks a car like the Nissan Leaf has energy density of maybe only one-tenth of what is needed for a full-on paradigm shift away from fossil fuels.

On the other hand again, we hear from plenty of happy EVers today who say the Leaf’s range is acceptable, but even executives at companies like Ford have lately been acting like their own Focus EV is a hit-or-miss proposition.

Given many brilliant and capable minds are working on IBM’s 8 to 18-year project portrayed as urgently needed if human civilization is to continue expanding with acceptable quality of life, we are eager to see where this goes. But like you, we’ll just have to wait and see.

You can learn more about Battery 500 by watching the videos, and can read further on IBM’s Web site.

Audi presents A6 L e-tron PHEV concept at Auto China in Beijing

Audi is presenting the Audi A6 L e-tron concept at Auto China 2012 in Beijing. The plug-in hybrid has an all-electric driving range of 80 km (50 miles), and was specifically designed for the China market. Audi says that with its first e-tron technology study in the luxury class, it is showing what a locally produced New Energy Vehicle from Audi might look like.

The A6L e-tronPHEV concept.Click to enlarge.




The basis for this study is the new A6 L, Audi’s bestselling model in China. Audi produces this business sedan at the Changchun plant in a joint venture with FAW.

The A6 L e-tron features a parallel hybrid system combining a 2.0 TFSI that outputs 155 kW (211 hp) and an electric motor with 70 kW (95 hp) peak power. The liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is located in a collision-protected space at the rear of the vehicle. In electric mode, the Audi A6 L e-tron concept can travel up to 80 km at a constant speed of 60 km/h (37.28 mph). At any given moment, the hybrid control module chooses the best suited operating mode with the focus on driving range.

This technology platform can be operated with only the internal combustion engine, only the electric drive, or in hybrid mode. In addition, it can recover energy during deceleration, or it can boost output power for strong acceleration by combining the two drives. The Audi A6 L e-tron concept delivers sporty performance.

Audi has already launched electrified drive systems in volume production with full hybrid models with lithium-ion battery technology. The Q5 hybrid quattro, A6 hybrid and A8 hybrid can drive up to 3 km (1.9 miles) on electric power. In combined mode, which uses the internal combustion engine and electric motor, customers experience sporty driving performance and better fuel economy.

The power steering, like the brake booster and the air conditioning compressor, utilizes an electromechanical drive.

The body of the A6 L e-tron concept is identical to that of the Audi A6 L. Consisting of approximately 10% aluminum, it weighs about 15% less than a comparable all-steel design. Aluminum components in the load-bearing structure and exterior skin, as well as the high-tech steels used in the occupant cell, make the body significantly lighter.

Each new future Audi model will be lighter in weight than the previous model. This makes the brand a frontrunner in reversing the upward weight spiral. In designing car bodies, developers will intelligently use new combinations of materials, including carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).

e-tron. The term Audi e-tron refers to technologies ranging from PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) to range extenders and finally vehicles powered purely by electric batteries or fuel cells.

Audi is using A1 e-tron and A3 e-tron test vehicles to acquire important customer feedback, which can be incorporated in later production cars. The first product will be the A3 e-tron in 2014. It will be followed by other New Energy Vehicles. In this way, Audi intends for e-tron to become established as a further attractive drive technology option alongside TDI and TFSI.

Honda unveils demonstration test house featuring Honda smart home system; gas, solar power and electromobility

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. unveiled a house Honda built in the city of Saitama, Japan, for the demonstration testing of the Honda Smart Home System (HSHS). (Earlier post.) HSHS controls in-house energy supply and demand, and helps manage both the generation and consumption of energy for the home such as heat and electricity, while utilizing mobility products. HSHS is also designed to enable users to secure their own supply of energy and mobility in a time of disaster.

The HSHS installed in this demonstration test house consists of CIGS (copper, indium, gallium, selenium) thin-film solar cell panels; a home battery unit (rechargeable battery); household gas-engine cogeneration unit and hot-water supply system; and the Smart e Mix Manager. The Smart e Mix Manager, the core of the HSHS, is an energy management device which applies optimal control to electricity supplied from the commercial grid and generated by each energy device that composes the system. The Smart e Mix Manager reduces CO 2 emissions from the home and, at the same time, provides a backup supply of electricity so that the house can be self-sufficient in the event of a power outage or disaster.

Honda will conduct demonstration testing of the HSHS that is linked with electromotive mobility products such as electric vehicles and the Internavi system. Through this demonstration testing, Honda will aim to reduce CO 2 by 50% (in comparison to year 2000). In addition, Honda will verify the backup function for household energy supply, which will provide a sense of security and comfort to the customers.

The gas-engine cogeneration system features a multi-link type high expansion ratio engine, the EXlink (Extended Expansion Linkage Engine). The gas-engine cogeneration system offers combined efficiency—the combination of power generation efficiency and heat recovery efficiency—of 92% and enables the efficient use of electricity and heat using city gas or liquid petroleum gas. In the demonstration testing, Honda will study the automatic activation of the cogeneration unit using a battery and verify its effectiveness in the time of an emergency.

Envisioning the reuse of electric motorcycle/automobile batteries, Honda will facilitate the development of a home battery unit and verify the functionality of the unit.

The Smart e Mix Manager obtains the operation information of each energy device and coordinates each of the devices that compose the HSHS, while it analyzes total household energy usage. Honda will verify the optimal use of household energy, provided by the Smart e Mix Manager, to charge EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles.