Ford Focus Electric Becomes America’s Most Fuel-Efficient Five-Passenger Vehicle with 110 MPGe EPA Rating

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certifies the 2012 Ford Focus Electric as America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle with a 110 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) city rating

• Focus Electric achieves a combined rating of 105 MPGe, topping Nissan Leaf by 6 MPGe while also offering more motor power, passenger room and standard features

• Customers can make more use of this efficiency with Ford’s faster charging technology that can recharge Focus Electric in about half the time of Nissan Leaf

• Ford gives customers the power of choice with 10 fuel-efficiency leaders across segments and powertrain technologies

 

DEARBORN, Mich., March 2, 2012 – Ford’s all-new Focus Electric is now officially America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger car with a certified 110 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) city rating and 99 MPGe on the highway.

 

Focus Electric also has been certified by the EPA to offer 105 MPGe combined, beating Nissan Leaf by 6 MPGe while offering more motor power and more standard features. Focus Electric’s 99 MPGe highway certification bests the 92 MPGe rating for the Leaf.

 

Focus Electric bests Nissan Leaf in other ways, too – more passenger room and a faster charging system that allows for a full recharge in nearly half the time of Nissan Leaf.

 

The Focus line soon will be joined by the new 2013 Ford Fusion – aiming to be America’s most fuel-efficient gas- and hybrid-powered midsize sedans – to help create one of the industry’s most fuel-efficient car lineups. The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid is projected to become the world’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan by achieving more than 100 MPGe in electric mode.

 

“Ford is giving customers the power of choice for leading fuel economy regardless of what type of vehicle or powertrain technology they choose,” said Eric Kuehn, chief nameplate engineer, Focus Electric. “The Focus and Fusion are great examples of how we transformed our fleet of cars, utilities and trucks with leading fuel efficiency.”

 

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. Comparative savings could go even higher if the current trend of rising gas prices continues. In California alone, the cost for a gallon of gas rose 20 cents in a seven-day period that ended last week.

 

Fuel-efficiency champs

Focus Electric is the flagship of Ford’s transformed lineup that features 10 vehicles with leading fuel economy. Ford’s other fuel-efficiency leaders include:

 

• 2013 Fusion 1.6-liter EcoBoost: Projected 37 mpg highway that would make it America’s most fuel-efficient non-rechargeable midsize sedan
• 2013 Escape 1.6-liter EcoBoost: Expected to be the most fuel-efficient crossover of its kind with 33 mpg highway
• 2013 Taurus 2.0-liter EcoBoost: Expected to deliver best-in-class 31 mpg highway
• 2012 Edge 2.0-liter EcoBoost: Delivers 30 mpg highway, besting all SUVs its size or larger and even some cars such as the Honda Civic Si
• 2012 Explorer 2.0-liter EcoBoost: One of the most fuel-efficient seven-passenger SUVs on the market, delivering 28 mpg highway
• 2013 Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid: Aiming to become the world’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan with a projected 100 MPGe rating
• 2013 Fusion Hybrid: Expected to become the world’s most fuel-efficient non-rechargeable midsize sedan with 47 mpg
• 2012 Fiesta: Offers up to 40 mpg highway and class-leading 33 mpg combined rating
• 2012 F-150: The most fuel-efficient full-size pickup, with V6 models delivering best-in-class 23 mpg highway and 17 mpg city

“We’ve been working for three years to make the Focus Electric America’s most fuel-efficient vehicle of its kind,” said Chuck Gray, Ford chief engineer of Global Core Engineering Hybrid and Electric Vehicles. “The entire group feels like a sports team that has just won a major championship. It’s a good feeling to be at this point now.”

 

Unlike competitors that have designed electric and hybrid vehicles from scratch, Focus Electric benefits from being based on the fuel version of Ford’s global C-segment car.

 

“Focus Electric shares many of the same premium components and features as its gasoline-powered counterpart while delivering distinct efficiencies and a uniquely exciting driving experience,” said Kuehn.

 

In addition to boosting quality, Ford’s strategic decision to electrify vehicle platforms – instead of creating one-off vehicles – allows the company to offer customers more choices as part of its fuel-efficient product lineup.

 

Elec-tech

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 – so they can significantly improve a car’s range during a busy day of driving by recharging multiple times.

 

For those who need to charge up while away from home, the number of charging stations continues to rise. In the last 10 months the number of charging stations in the United States has risen from 750 to 5,507, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

 

To cut charging costs at home, a unique value charging feature powered by Microsoft is designed to help owners in the U.S. charge their vehicles at the cheapest utility rates, which can make charging the Focus Electric less costly than charging the Nissan Leaf.

 

Other standard features on Focus Electric include Ford’s Rear View Camera System, MyKey^®, rain-sensing windshield wipers and Reverse Sensing System.

 

Tech sharing

Many of the technologies in Focus Electric are shared across Ford’s electrified vehicle lineup. Some of the shared or soon-to-be-shared features include:

 

• SYNC^® with MyFord Touch^® offers multiple ways – including voice commands – for customers to manage and control their phone, navigation, entertainment and climate functions. Plug-in hybrids and all-electric models have additional options for monitoring information like battery state of charge
• MyFord Mobile enables access via smartphone or Web-based interface to perform key tasks, such as monitoring a vehicle’s state of charge and current range or locating charge stations and planning routes to find them
• SmartGauge^® with EcoGuide provides instantaneous fuel economy so drivers can adjust driving behavior accordingly if needed
• Regenerative braking captures and reuses more than 95 percent of the braking energy normally lost during the braking process
• Hybrid transmission, designed by Ford engineers in-house, is capable of operating at high speeds and in a smooth, fuel-efficient manner at the same time
• Lithium-ion batteries – the lithium-ion battery pack in Focus Electric is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile component warranty
• Charge port (for electric and plug-in vehicles), conveniently located on the driver’s side and near the front of the car, activates a light ring that illuminates the port twice when plugged in. The light ring then illuminates in quadrants as the car charges. Each quadrant represents 25 percent of the maximum battery charge
• Recycled fiber made from 100 percent post-consumer and post-industrial content is used in the seat fabric with the equivalent of 22 plastic, 16-ounce water bottles in each car

Production of the Focus Electric began in December 2011 at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich. More information about MAP can be found here.

 

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 U.S.

Ford Recognized with Climate Leadership Award

• Ford has been recognized with a Goal-Setting Certificate at the inaugural United States Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leadership Awards Ceremony and Conference for its global CO₂ strategy, which includes a publicly stated goal of 30 percent per vehicle reduction in manufacturing greenhouse gas emissions from 2010 to 2025

• This strategy builds on CO₂ reductions of approximately 49 percent, or 4.8 million metric tons, from 2000 to 2010. During this same period, Ford reduced facilities-related CO₂ emissions per vehicle by 30 percent

• Ford also became Climate Registered with the publication of its complete carbon inventory for 2010 by The Climate Registry, a voluntary North American carbon disclosure program

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 29, 2012 – Not only is Ford Motor Company showing leadership in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of its vehicles, but the company is also being recognized for its greenhouse gas leadership in manufacturing as well. Today, Ford received a Climate Leadership Award at the inaugural United States Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leadership Awards Ceremony and Conference. Ford was the only automobile manufacturer to receive an award.

 

Ford was recognized with a Goal-Setting Certificate for its publicly stated manufacturing greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal, which is part of the company’s global manufacturing CO₂ strategy. Ford had previously established vehicle CO₂ goals based on its contribution to achieving 450 ppm atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Applying this stabilization goal to its manufacturing operations helped the company develop its stated goal of 30 percent reduction per vehicle built between 2010 and 2025.

 

“Emissions reduction is a key element of Ford’s approach to sustainability and we plan to build on our accomplishments moving forward,” said Andy Hobbs, director, Environmental Quality Office. “This Climate Leadership Award is a symbol of the dedication our employees have made to become a leader in reducing manufacturing greenhouse gas emissions.”

 

A leader in greenhouse gas reductions and reporting

Ford has been a leader in facilities-related greenhouse gas and energy-use reductions, and public reporting of greenhouse gas emissions:

 

• Ford reduced CO₂ emissions from its global manufacturing facilities by approximately 49 percent, or 4.8 million metric tons, from 2000 to 2010. During this same period, the company reduced facilities-related CO₂ emissions per vehicle by 30 percent
• Ford was the first automaker to join The Climate Registry, voluntarily committing to measure, independently verify, and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions on an annual basis  
• Ford was the first automaker to participate in greenhouse gas reporting initiatives in China, Australia, the Philippines and Mexico
• Ford received its sixth consecutive EPA Energy Star Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence Award, which recognizes the company’s continued leadership and commitment to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. Ford’s Global Emissions Manager database is used to track energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental metrics to enable internal progress reports and public reporting

On the way to the goal

Ford plans to achieve its goal through a variety of energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction technologies, including:
 

• Improved paint processes: Improved paint processes include implementation of the 3-wet paint process and recirculation of air in paint spray booths. The 3-wet process reduces volatile organic compounds by 10 percent and CO₂ emissions by up to 40 percent compared to traditional paint systems
• Robotic parts washing system: Cleans parts mechanically by moving them in front of specialized high-pressure nozzles with a robotic arm. This new robotics-based system saves energy because, unlike previous systems, it does not require any heat. It also uses a much smaller water pump
• Minimum Quantity Lubrication: In MQL, a machining tool is lubricated with a very small amount of oil sprayed directly on the tip of the tool in a finely atomized mist, instead of with a large quantity of coolant/water mixture
• Paint Emissions Concentrator: In Ford’s PEC, volatile organic compound emissions are super-concentrated approximately 2000:1. In this super-concentrated state, the VOCs themselves can be burned as a fuel source, reducing the amount of natural gas necessary to destroy them. By reducing the need for natural gas, the fumes-to-fuel system has the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions by 80 to 85 percent compared to traditional abatement equipment
• Energy Performance Contracting: During 2010 and 2011, Ford packaged 40 buildings in the Dearborn, Mich., area into a performance contract to upgrade to more efficient lighting. The project reduced energy use by more than 18.2 million kilowatt-hours – enough to power 1,648 U.S. homes for a year. The project also eliminated more than 11,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions

Ford Motor Company U.S. Sales Increase in Cars, Utilities, Trucks in February; Focus up 115 Percent

• Ford Motor Company U.S. sales increased 14 percent in February compared to February 2011 with 179,119 vehicles sold; retail sales increased 19 percent
• Focus sales totaled 23,350 vehicles in February, representing its strongest February sales performance since 2000; Escape also set a best-ever February sales record
• February F-Series sales totaled 47,273 pickups, up 26 percent. V6 engines comprised 57 percent of F-150 retail sales in February; EcoBoost accounted for 43 percent of mix
• Ford announces second quarter North American production plan

DEARBORN, Mich., March 1, 2012 – Ford Motor Company posted a 14 percent increase in February U.S. sales versus year-ago levels, with 179,119 vehicles sold; retail sales increased 19 percent. The Ford brand was up 14 percent, while Lincoln posted a 16 percent increase versus year-ago levels.

“Sales momentum built as February unfolded, with higher fuel prices driving consumer demand for more fuel-efficient vehicles in the second half of the month,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Customers are recognizing Ford for investing in new cars, utilities and trucks with strong fuel economy, especially Focus, Escape and EcoBoost-powered vehicles.”

Ford Motor Company’s car sales were up 16 percent in February, with Focus contributing 40 percent to the company’s total vehicle growth – more than any other vehicle. Utilities gained 5 percent, with Escape setting a best-ever February sales record with 18,666 vehicles sold. Escape has had two consecutive best-ever sales months in January and February – its strongest-ever start to a year.

America’s top-selling vehicle for 30 years, the Ford F-Series posted a 26 percent increase, totaling 47,273 pickups.

Ford Motor Company's North American production plan is to build 730,000 vehicles in the second quarter of 2012, up 3 percent (20,000 vehicles) compared with the second quarter 2011. First quarter production (675,000 vehicles) is unchanged from the previous forecast.