Some 200 Level 2 chargers will go into 50 Ford locations in North America, including factories and offices. The company is strongly committed to electrifying the fleet, but its vehicles need a higher profile.

Ford has joined the ongoing electric car price war, cutting the M.S.R.P. of its 2014 Focus Electric hatchback to $35,995, including a $795 destination fee.

Riding high on hybrids and plug-in hybrids, Ford isn't devoting a lot of time to its Focus Electric, which has sold only 723 units this year. But the CARB rules are lenient in the early years, so it should be OK. It's 2018 when things get really challenging.

Ford will not update its Focus Electric for the 2014 model year. Ford director of global electrification Nancy Giola says the carmaker still sees battery electric vehicles as a “niche” market and won't try to drive sales ahead of demand from consumers.

Cars like the Tesla Model S and Nissan LEAF are designed to keep their batteries discretely and unobtrusively tucked below passengers. But Ford plug-ins sacrifice storage space for electric range, creating an unattractive trade-off for already more expensive plug-in variants of existing models.

With an electric and two plug-in hybrids on the road by the end of the year, Ford has a major commitment to battery power. But numbers are small so far, and—of necessity—the company's strategy emphasizes patience.

There's good news for Ford Motor Company’s effort to promote a growing lineup of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. C.J. O’Donnell,
previously the marketing chief of the Lincoln brand, is now tasked with promoting Ford’s range of hybrids and electric vehicles. These include plug-in hybrids, such as the Ford C-Max Energi and upcoming Fusion Energi, along with dedicated EVs like the Focus Electric. Despite a highly anticipated launch, the Focus EV has been a particularly low seller since its limited release earlier this year.

Lithium ion batteries are truly fair weather friends – just like people, they fare best in a comfortable climate. Lately, we at Pike Research have been delving deep into how environmental factors, such as temperature, affect battery performance and the rates at which vehicles are charged or discharged. Our discussions with automotive companies and battery pack assembly companies have revealed numerous approaches for optimizing performance and extending a battery’s life – comparable to the many ways people dress to beat extreme heat.

Ford today clarified launch plans for its forthcoming Focus Electric, saying that the despite reports to the contrary the car has not in fact been pushed back and will see a limited release in New York and California “as scheduled,” by the end of this year.