Focus EV Release Cities

[dreamer]

Thought this might be useful for some visitors to the Ford Focus Electric Forum - here are the 19 cities Ford announced they will be releasing the Ford Focus Electric to:
Atlanta, Texas
Austin, Texas
Houston, Texas
Boston,
Chicago,
Denver,
Detroit,
Los Angeles,
San Francisco,
San Diego,
New York,
Orlando, Fla.,
Phoenix Arizona,
Tucson, Ariz.
Portland, Oregon,
Raleigh Durham, N.C.
Richmond, Va.,
Seattle,
Washington, D.C.

Interestingly enough, Ford is the only company to release roll out cities versus roll out states, and they are the only company to announce Detroit as a release area!

[scottw]

The cities idea is a little different. I half expected Ford to be trying like crazy to make the people in California happy. I don't like the roll out areas type of thing. If it is a problem where a company can't afford to certify everyone and get the equipment needed I wish they would just come out and say it. I am hoping Ford will be able to ramp the dealers up at a faster rate than Nissan. I would hope Ford's size would give them an advantage.

When I talked with the Nissan Regional Manager about the Leaf he seemed to indicate the certifications and the equipment was the driving force behind the roll out with the equipment being the biggest concern. He had some line about needing to modify the lifts for the batteries. I assume that was to allow them to work on the battery if there is an issue.

You know what they say about the roll out plan......the only people who like it are in the roll out area. Everyone else hates it.

[redEV]

Hey I'm just happy that Ford named Chicago as a launch city (may help that we have a Ford car plant here -- no, not the one that makes the Focus EV, they make the new Explorer though) ... no idea when the LEAF will be out this way as we're not listed at all -- still a slight possibility for year end 2011 but we'll see! Hopefully Chicago will be a decent market for EV's despite the cold winters --

[klaus]

If I had to guess, I'd say the cold winters is one of the reasons Chicago wasn't listed for the Leaf - and could be why people there, or the rest of us, perceive that people in Chicago wouldn't be real pro-electric vehicle.

It'll be interesting to see the sales figures of the Ford Focus Electric vehicle in citires like Chicago compared to LA or San Francisco!

[redEV]

If I had to guess, I'd say the cold winters is one of the reasons Chicago wasn't listed for the Leaf - and could be why people there, or the rest of us, perceive that people in Chicago wouldn't be real pro-electric vehicle.

It'll be interesting to see the sales figures of the Ford Focus Electric vehicle in citires like Chicago compared to LA or San Francisco!

With some of the highest per gallon gas prices (next to CA), I would think that Chicago would at least be a top ten area fo EV's, our taxes (increased income tax and one of the highest sales taxes) are also high so anything that will save us money should be good -- we don't have the bitter winters of say a Fargo, ND but depending on your commute, even with a more limited range in the winter either a LEAF or Focus EV should still be an alternative.

I did come across this info on Hybrid percentages of total car registrations per 10,000 (non-home built EV's are so new I doubt we'll see anything this significant for quite a few years)

http://bioage.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c ... 970d-popup

IL is actually above WA, TN, VA, PA and MA but way below CA (no surprise); of course just another compiling of stats but shows that IL could be considered the 5th largest target!

[klaus]

It is interesting about hybrid percentages, but there are different metrics with a full electric vehicle like the Ford Focus Electric and we have yet to see if that will move the same people from Hybrid to EV or if it's a totally different group. More specifically, things like cold climates are really unproven in full electric vehicles, and hybrid put out waste heat with their internal combustion so pulling heat off makes sense.

With a full electric car nobody really knows how much the cold will affect batteries and range, and even more importantly, if cold temperatures will affect buyers of vehicles like the Ford Focus Electric.

[rabbit]

It is interesting about hybrid percentages, but there are different metrics with a full electric vehicle like the Ford Focus Electric and we have yet to see if that will move the same people from Hybrid to EV or if it's a totally different group. More specifically, things like cold climates are really unproven in full electric vehicles, and hybrid put out waste heat with their internal combustion so pulling heat off makes sense.

With a full electric car nobody really knows how much the cold will affect batteries and range, and even more importantly, if cold temperatures will affect buyers of vehicles like the Ford Focus Electric.

Experience to date in the Volt and Leaf seems pretty discouraging as to cold weather. It's going to take some better batteries or a better design to get traction in the mainstream.

[dreamer]

I agree - I don't think cold weather driving in an electric vehicle is anything to brag about. However, I keep thinking that Ford is holding off on releasing any details on the Ford Focus Electric because they have come across such great technology they don't want anyone to know about it, and then all of a sudden - FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC can go 400 miles on a charge

[klaus]

I wouldn't bet on it - I think Ford would tell us everything the know to help build buzz about the Ford Focus Electric. More than likely is that they've run into difficulties getting a battery supplier or something along those lines that is pushing the project back farther than anybody on this Focus Electric Forum wants!

[Biggreenisland]

How about Vancouver, BC? The city recently proposed it's "greenest city" initiative and is a hub of sustainability in transportation.