Optimal location for charge port on Ford Focus Electric

Ford is currently searching for the best place to locate the charge ports on it's Ford Focus Electric and Ford C-Max Energi. A team of engineers at Ford conducted studies in pursuit of customer's expectations and preferences of charging a vehicle.

However - Although the front and rear location for the charge port on the Focus Electric seemed the most popular, they were discarded because of the damage they can receive even in small crashes (I've never heard of a car company before caring or thinking about how repairs etc can affect the customer. Have you ever tried to change the oil filter on a Honda Civic? I don't think they cared where they put it).

Ford didn't want to say where the final charge port location will be on the Ford Focus Electric - perhaps it could be on the roof, then it could be reached from all sides of the car and be safe from all crashes except roll-overs. What's the average height of a person compared to the height of the roof of the vehicle?

According to this article on the Ford website:
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=34698

Ford has already found the optimal position for the charging port on the Focus Electric. They've decided on the front fender on the driver's side. It's a position that's safe from most minor collisions, and it's easily spotted when exiting the Focus to help remind the driver to plug in.

Other considerations included maximizing commonality with the entire Ford electrified vehicle portfolio

Click to expand...

To me the driver's side is optimal to remind the owner to unplug the vehicle.

If it's right there in front of the driver door, there is no way even if you're in a hurry, you can miss it. This would avoid the frustration of not noticing the plug while approaching the car, sitting down in it, pushing start then have the electronics console tell you have to unplug the car. So now you have get out of the car and then back in it again.

Of course I also assume the car will have safety features so that it won't won't engage if it's plugged in. If it didn't, this situation would be really bad 'cause you might drive off if you don't see it's plugged in

Great point - I was only thinking it would be a great reminder when you get out of the Focus EV to plug it in and charge it. But I agree with you - it's even more important to remember to UNPLUG your Focus EV before driving off!

Wireless sure would be nice
http://www.abibiki.com/2011/05/26/w...he-ev-standard-and-plug-in-hybrid-141844.html