Ford’s all-new Focus Electric has been certified by the EPA to offer 105 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) combined, with 110 MPGe city and 99 MPGe on the highway. These ratings rank the the Focus Electric as the most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle.
As a comparison, the Nissan LEAF is EPA-certified at 99 MPGe combined, 106 MPGe city and 92 MPGe highway. Consumption is 34 kWh/100 miles, combined cycle. The smaller Mitsubishi i-MiEV is rated at 112 MPGe combined, with consumption of 30 kWh/100 miles.
The EPA-approved Focus Electric label also certifies that the car has a range of 76 miles on a single charge compared with the 73-mile range of the Leaf. The Focus Electric can be driven up to 100 miles on a single charge depending on driving habits. The average driver drives 29 miles a day, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics website.
The approved label also will say customers could save $9,700 in fuel costs over the course of five years compared with the average new vehicle.
Focus Electric features an advanced charging system that allows the car’s battery to fully recharge in four hours—nearly half the time of Nissan Leaf—using available 240-volt outlets that can be installed in residential garages. Faster charging with 240 volts also can extend range as drivers can more quickly recharge between stops—up to 20 miles per charge hour.
To cut charging costs at home, a value charging feature powered by Microsoft is designed to help owners in the US charge their vehicles at the cheapest utility rates. Other standard features on Focus Electric include Ford’s Rear View Camera System, MyKey, rain-sensing windshield wipers and Reverse Sensing System.
Ford will ramp up Focus Electric retail production in the first half of 2012 for dealership availability in California, New York and New Jersey. By the end of 2012, Focus Electric will be available in 19 markets across the US.
