2012 Ford Focus Electric: First Drive2012 Ford Focus Electric: First Drive

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric is the company’s first-ever production battery-electric vehicle, and that alone makes it noteworthy.
But the fact that it’s also pleasant to drive–somewhat on the fun side of unremarkable–means that it’s the first compact all-electric competitor to the Nissan Leaf, also a five-door hatchback that runs entirely on battery energy.
Smooth, solid, sporty
Our turquoise test car was indistinguishable in New York City traffic from any other Focus, since drivers had no time to focus on the discreet chrome “Electric” badges on the doors or the left-front fender charging port.
On a quick 15-mile test drive, dodging in and out of unpredictable and competitive NYC traffic, the Focus Electric offered good power under most circumstances and enough torque to spin the inside front wheel accelerating into corners.
2012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 20122012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 20122012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 2012
On the road, the 2012 Focus Electric is easy and predictable to drive. And while it’s hardly a hot hatch, it has a sportier character than the occasionally bland, appliance-like Leaf.
It’s clearly heavier than a gasoline Focus, which makes it feel clearly planted on the road. Pickup is good away from stops, but we occasionally wished for more mid-range torque in the 35-to-60-mph range–trying to get out of a cluster of slow-moving cars, for instance.
Some reviewers have criticized the feel of the generative braking, but we found it fine. It blends nicely, while remaining fairly aggressive for efficiency. But unlike the Tesla Roadster or BMW ActiveE, “one-pedal” driving wasn’t on the menu–the Focus Electric is tuned to drive pretty much as a gasoline car would.
High-quality interior
The gasoline Focus hatchback gets good reviews for its styling, interior quality, and sporty handling, and the electric version preserves all those virtues.
The seats are comfortable, though the seating position is lower than in the upright Leaf, and the upholstery and soft-touch plastics are very good quality. It’s still a compact hatchback, but it’s one made of very nice materials–and it gives a more upscale feel than the slightly Spartan Leaf.
2012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 20122012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 20122012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 2012
In the rear, the car’s built-in battery charger sits in a box perhaps 10 inches tall spanning the width of the load bay right behind the rear seat.
A hinged cover attached to its back end slopes down to the level of the tailgate opening, creating a hidden compartment on top of the space in the trunk floor that holds the 110-Volt charging cable.
But that hinged cover also has a two-position mount that allows it to sit up on legs,giving a level load floor–surprisingly clever.
2012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 20122012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 20122012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 2012
The charger itself operates at 6.6 kilowatts, against the 2012 Leaf’s 3.3-kW rating, meaning that 240-Volt Level 2 charging stations can recharge the 23-kilowatt-hour battery pack in about 4 hours–and topping off after trips of 30 miles can take as little as an hour.
We think the 6.6-kW charger is a big plus for Focus Electric owners. So does Nissan, apparently, since the company will upgrade the 2013 Leaf to a 6.6-kW charger as well.
The Focus Electric does not, however, offer any form of DC quick charging as the Leaf does.
Add chimes…please
The instrument cluster is entirely digital, unlike base gasoline Focus models. We’ve always credited Ford with excellent graphic design and fonts, and they’re in evidence here too, displaying a variety of operating information–including the all-important miles of range remaining.
2012 Ford Focus Electric2012 Ford Focus Electric2012 Ford Focus Electric2012 Ford Focus Electric
The display also shows a statistic we’ve seen on no other electric car: percentage of energy recaptured through regenerative braking. (Ours was 91 percent–which seems quite high to us.)
The EPA rates the 2012 Focus Electric at 76 miles of range and 105 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). The comparable numbers for a 2012 Leaf are 73 miles and 99 MPGe.
We did have one confusing moment, putting the car in gear and trying to pull away, only to get no response–because, it turned out, the car wasn’t switched on despite the dashboard being illuminated.
We’d strongly suggest to Ford that they add a “powering up” tone or chime, a la Chevy Volt, and one for powering down too, so the driver is better aware what mode the car is in. Our cheerful escort from Ford’s PR agency confessed that he’d had the same experience as well.
Ford, are you listening?

Question of supply
The main question in the minds of buyers and industry observers is not whether Ford can build a decent offering. The company’s done that.
It’s whether or not the Focus Electric will be offered throughout the country, in volumes that will enable any buyer who wants one (and can afford the $40K price tag) to step up and buy it.
Its main competitor, the Leaf, will now be available for immediate purchase at selected Nissan dealers nationwide: no more online signup and waiting.
Early next year, Nissan will begin building 2013 Leaf models (with some equipment upgrades) in Tennessee. When all parts of the battery and car assembly process are running at full speed, it will have the ability to build up to 150,000 Leafs a year–if market demand exists.
Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Hall in an ad for the 2012 Nissan Leaf
By way of comparison, Alan Mulally, Ford’s CEO, told Bloomberg that the company would be satisfied even with sales of fewer than 5,000 Focus Electrics in the first year. (Nissan sold 9,674 Leafs in the U.S. during its first year.)
Pricing: “competitive”
As for pricing, we asked John Viera, Ford’s global director for sustainability and vehicle environmental matters, how the company arrived at the $39,995 total (a base price of $39,200 plus a mandatory delivery fee of $795).
He said Ford priced the Focus Electric by “looking at the competitive set,” which is obviously the Nissan Leaf. There’s a base 2012 Leaf SV at $35,200, but the more popular Leaf SL model has a base price of $37,250.
Ford feels that the faster charging, standard equipment level, and sportier vehicle dynamics of the electric Focus make it worth more than the high-level Leaf.
That may be true, though the nice round price of $40,000 produced noticeable sticker shock among several electric-car advocates we spoke to.
Viera says Ford is “making a profit” on the electric Focus–despite his CEO’s claim that the battery pack cost is $12,00 to $15,000–so perhaps there’s room for some creative price-cutting in the future.
Either way, we look forward to a more extended test of the 2012 Ford Focus Electric. It’s a new and viable competitor in the growing plug-in market.
If you can get one, that is.
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