Ford Focus Electric

Simplified production is key to keeping costs in check on the $39,995 Focus Electric. All of the electrified Focus compacts roll down the assembly lines at Ford's Wayne, Mich factory and only a handful of production steps differ from those of the Focus Electric's conventional, gas-fueled counterpart. Here's a look at how the Focus Electric comes to life.

Ford expects its 2012 Focus Electric to become the "first five-passenger electric vehicle with a 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe)." The company will try to promote the magic triple-digit number as a key differentiator compared to the Nissan LEAF. But the Focus Electric's higher $39,995 price tag might be the more important number. Besides, the real-world numbers for driving range between the LEAF and Focus Electric are essentially identical.

A year ago, PluginCars.com contributor Tom Molougney wondered if Nissan made the right call to not use an active thermal management system—which could be the key to maintaining expected driving range in extreme temperatures. At the time, Nissan said, "We are confident the LEAF will perform well in all ambient temperatures." New light is cast on that question, now that the Chevy Volt’s liquid coolant has been identified as a possible cause of fires that might occur weeks after a severe accident.