In an effort to reduce my carbon footprint [I drive a 2001 Lincoln Navigator] I have been researching vehicles for my impending purchase. In doing so I had the pleasure of coming across the 2012 Ford Focus Electric at an event held at the first LEED Certified McDonald’s in North Carolina (Cary, NC). I am not going to sit here and tell you about high-voltage, lithium-ion battery systems because let’s face it I have very little knowledge in that area and it would be completely artificial. What I can do and I do it well, is tell you what appealed to me about this car. However…please don’t think that I am trying to dilute my stalwart yet feminine reputation by sticking to aesthetics.
Lets work our way from the interior of the 2012 Ford Focus outwards, shall we?
This gas free battery powered car has every gadget a gadget girl could dream of!
- 4.2 inch LCD instrument cluster screen which shows the importance stuff like battery charge status & distance to the next charging station.
Yup I don’t like sticky situations like my car dying on me, I don’t do embarrassment very well!
- Voice touch control over your phone, music, navigation system and climate controls.
I can hear myself now “Siri can you….oh I’m sorry I mean Ford honey can you change my temperature to 62 degrees”
- Blue Butterflies, blue butterflies that’s all I have to say!
A plus for anyone who has an affection for the color blue and butterflies. In my case it would have been green and ladybugs but I am very sure that wouldn’t go over well with the majority of consumers.
“The MyFord Touch® emotive instrument cluster provides a unique visual of blue butterflies on the right cluster screen, which represent the surplus range beyond the point of the next charging station. The more butterflies on the screen, the greater the surplus. In selecting this visual, Ford designers were inspired by the concept of the “butterfly effect,” in which a small change can have an enormous impact.” – Ford
- Seats 5 comfortably.
Son ✔ daughter ✔ dog ✔ okay I’m good!
- Music is a must, the 2012 Ford Focus Electric comes with a Sony audio system nine speakers and an HD radio. The BONUS is it has iTunes tagging!
I am a true Apple head so that one detail could make my sale.
- The My Ford Mobile application lets you know your vehicle location, nearest charging stations and you can even schedule charging and set reminders to avoid embarrassment *see bullet point no.1* It also regulates the temperature, gives you the option to schedule heating and cooling the car in advance of your travel time, provides economical routes, and calculates savings based on the CO2 emissions and your personal driving style.
“They have an app for that”…I have an app for everything. Yay Ford, you get extra cool points ! In addition to app greatness the savings calculation is good for anyone like me who looks at unit pricing in the grocery store before making a decision on which paper towel to buy. While I can’t do the math for CO2 emissions, I would have an app that does!
- SYNC technology powered by Microsoft keeps you connected to your music, phone, and navigation. Ford has also partnered with MapQuest to provide custom and economical routes.
Apple has yet to corner the market with an automotive partnership soooooo SYNC gets my green!
- Push button technology!
I love that fact that this feature is no longer a luxury car item, it has me jumping with joy *jump with me*. The playing field is now equal. Scenario: I walk up to my Ford Focus Electric, you walk up to your Infinity, we both hop in sans the “boop boop” of the alarm, the difference being I just helped save the earth and you didn’t *I give them the eco-green stare and drive off* such a satisfying feeling.
- Eco Conscious Interior; the cloth seats are made of REPREVE fiber (100% recycled material) . The cushions are made of bio based foam drawn from plant seed oil.
Again all other drivers get the *eco-green stare*!
- Great trunk and compartment space, the rear seats even fold down for additional storage if necessary.
Now we venture to the outside of the car. I promise I’m almost done!
- This car is so sporty.
Who knew going green looked so good…but seriously when I see a SmartCar I wonder WTH? But the 2012 Ford Focus Electric is sleek and stylish.
So what’s this gonna cost me? Not including the additional $1500 Ford portable charging station produced by Leviton.
Bonus to quell the sticker price shock: Never pull up to the pump, never require an oil change *fist pump* yessss! and get a federal tax credit up to $7500.
Next I am thinking of the doing the Ford Swap Your Ride Event to truly get a feel for the car…but that’s another blog post so stay tuned!
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