Watch the Ford Focus Electric Roll Down the Assembly Line

By Eric Loveday · January 05, 2012

With a handful of 2012 Ford Focus Electric sales officially logged in December, 2011, Ford's $39,995 electric hatchback has finally entered the plug-in vehicle scene. Whether or not Ford's choice to convert an existing vehicle—the gasoline-powered 2012 Ford Focus—will make sense in the long run remains to be scene. Regardless, the Blue Oval automaker is playing up its use of existing US assembly lines to produce the the Focus Electric.

Simplified production is key to keeping costs in check on the Focus Electric, according to Ford. 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.

The Focus Electric gets a modified floorpan stamping to accommodate the electric vehicle components and a lithium-ion battery pack is placed where gasoline tanks are installed on conventional Focuses. The electric motor and its associated components are installed in place of the gasoline engine and its accessories and orange wiring is threaded throughout the vehicle.

Check out the video for a tour of how the 2012 Ford Focus Electric comes to life.

About the author

· Eric Loveday

Eric Loveday is an automotive enthusiast who is passionate about everything auto. He purchased a 1970 Chevelle at age 16, quickly outgrew its dated engineering and outrageous consumption of gasoline, and sold it off. Eric developed a true passion for automotive writing after graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in print journalism. Eric spent most of his time since then ...

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Comments

· indyflick · 19 weeks ago

So if they are actually manufacturing the Ford Focus Electric, why can't I find the actual EPA fuel economy rating?

· EVNow · 19 weeks ago

They need the rating to sell - not to manufacture ;-)

But an ABG article says they sold one to Google. So, may be they received the EPA rating but it is not yet on EPA site ?

· Chris C. (not verified) · 19 weeks ago

Eric, you wrote:

"a lithium-ion battery pack is placed where gasoline tanks are installed on conventional Focuses"

That is not correct. The video shows them installing the CHARGER block under the car (at 1m45s) and they says that goes where the exhaust pipe would be. The work is done by the crew at the same *workstation* where the tank would be installed, but the charger isn't going where the tank would be. See for yourself, but that's how I parse it.

The battery pack appears to be split into two parts, an interior section and an underbody section.

It would be a cute fact if the battery replaced the gas tank, but it's not the case for this car. In fact, the placement of the battery, including the dramatically intrusive interior section, is what identifies this as a "conversion" car as opposed to a ground-up electric car like the Leaf, Volt, Model S, etc.

· darelldd · 19 weeks ago

" In fact, the placement of the battery, including the dramatically intrusive interior section, is what identifies this as a "conversion" car as opposed to a ground-up electric car like the Leaf, Volt, Model S, etc "

Sadly, so true.

· Chad (not verified) · 19 weeks ago

So that is why there is an image of the Focus Electric in front of Google's sign.

· Priusmaniac (not verified) · 19 weeks ago

Years of waiting for … a conversion!
There is something wrong with the sense of urgency here.
Electric vehicles, yes, well perhaps, we can make some conversions of our existing vehicle and see what the people think of it.
In fact, they should start to make things the other way around, making their standard cars as conversions of a plug-in hybrid with a scaled down battery and an enhanced auxiliary engine. In this way, it would be an advantage to take the plug-in hybrid as a first choice instead of a standard car that would in fact be a conversion of a plug-in hybrid.
For the electric vehicle, they could make a conversion of a plug-in hybrid by replacing the auxiliary generator with an extra battery.

· regman · 18 weeks ago

OK, This is driving me crazy! Production vehicles have been delivered! Where is the stinking EPA fuel economy rating (MPGe, Range)? I expected this to be announced prior to opening of the Detroit Auto Show (Press Days are over and it opens to the public this weekend).

Brad, Can you call your contacts at Ford (from your previous stories) and get an answer on this?

· ex-EV1 driver · 18 weeks ago

@regman,
Go easy on yourself. An EV pretty much beats an ICE, no matter what the fuel efficiency is.
Its all good!

· Anonymous (not verified) · 14 weeks ago

So let me get this straight with the math
Leaf:100 miles @ $35200 is $352/mile
Focus: 100 miles @ $40,000 is $400/mile
Tesla Model S (base): 160 miles @ $57, 500 is $359/mile
Tesla:300 miles (upgrade) @ $77 500is $258/mile

It looks like they have higher manufacturing costs than the other EV makers. You would assume less since the others had to build their cars from the ground up, since it looks like it's a normal car with the engine and gas tank removed and a batteries and a motor slapped in their places.

So to sum it up, it costs more per mile of range, and was not designed explicitly as an EV so it does not have all the advantages of comparative cars (floor batteries, increased rigidity, lower center of gravity, low roll and sway) and they are manufacturing them without EPA testing done yet yikes!

· GrammarPolice (not verified) · 14 weeks ago

In the first paragraph: 'remains to be scene' should read 'remains to be SEEN'

· Espen, Norway (not verified) · 14 weeks ago

I was hoping that the Focus would be an alternative to Leaf. But what you folks are writing about the batteri location /solution, I am not so sure. It could be more...since this is not a completely "new" car. So sad, 2 step back..Do Ford think that electric cars is a flop?

· Dan · 14 weeks ago

I called my Ford dealer a few days ago to get an update. When will the cars show up, when can I test drive one, when will there be any information on the range, efficiency, etc? He said that with a $500 deposit I can order one and that they woudl expect them in April or May (I heard February or March back in December). Based on their hemming and hawing on it - they just don't know.

Has anybody else heard more specific information on the FFE?

· alt-e · 14 weeks ago

@ Espen, Norway - The powertrain on the Ford Focus Electric is done by an outside vendor. Ford will likely only make a very limited number of them to satisfy certain State of California CARB regulations.

Meanwhile, Ford has put their own internal efforts on building a line of cars with an plug-in hybrid powertrain they call Energi. There are two cars in this line that they have annouced to date. One is based on the ICE mini-SUV C-Max that is currently sold in Europe and other places but not the US. So you may be more familiar with the C-Max then we are in the US. The other will be a sedan, namely another version of the Fusion. In each case not all of the specs are out, but it sounds like they will have a battery range around 20 miles and then fairly good fuel economy thereafter.

· ex-EV1 driver · 14 weeks ago

I have the feeling that Ford is going to do something similar to what Honda did with hybrids. Make an inferior one and then complain that hybrids aren't so great when Toyota takes off with the market.

· ChickenBockBock (not verified) · 14 weeks ago

Conversions suck, especially for this price premium... Leaf keeps looking better and better.

· Dan Hollands (not verified) · 5 weeks ago

I have a Ford Focus EV on order - Scheduled to be made week of April 16
We will then have a 2012 Ford Focus ICE and a 2012 Ford Focus EV. Plan is that who ever is going the furthest drives the EV. Since Car controls are similar it makes it easier to swap cars. I've been a Focus Fan since my first one in 2000.

· EVNow · 5 weeks ago

@Dan Hollands

Cool. Let us know when you get it.

"Plan is that who ever is going the furthest drives the EV. "

Very interesting and the right approach (assuming it is within the ev range). Most people would assume the other way round and miss the point.

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Watch the Ford Focus Electric Roll Down the Assembly Line

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