Ford Motor Co. is launching production of the 2012 Focus Electric,  the first five-passenger, all-electric car to achieve more than a 100 miles per gallon equivalent fuel efficiency rating. Focus Electric also is the first of its kind to feature faster charging, which will halve Nissan Leaf’s time to fully recharge the battery and help drivers to more than double the expected single-charge range in a busy day of driving and recharging, according to Derrick Kuzak, group vice president global product development

“The Focus Electric is a shining example of the leading fuel economy Ford is offering for each new vehicle,”Kuzak said.. “Whether people want a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or full battery-electric vehicle, we have a family of vehicles for them to consider, providing a range of options to best meet their needs and support their driving habits and lifestyles.”

 The Focus Electric is designed to offer enough range to cover the majority of daily driving habits of Americans. Its expected 100 MPGe is better than Chevrolet Volt and all electric vehicles with seating for five. It will be the first electrified vehicle to offer faster charging with 240-volt outlets, which can be installed in customer homes. The battery can be recharged in just more than three hours using a 240-volt charging station, about half the charging time of the 2012 Nissan Leaf.

 Faster charging with 240 volts also can extend range as drivers can more quickly recharge between stops – up to 30 miles per charge hour – so they can more than double the vehicle’s range with multiple charging stops during a busy day of driving, Kuzak said. By Joseph Szczesny