Microsoft & Ford: Ford Focus Electric’s Technologies “the Future of More Affordable, Efficient Transportation”

May 25th, 2012 by Zachary Shahan

The Ford Focus Electric 2012 offers many of the benefits of other all-electric vehicles (i.e. the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Tesla Model S), but it’s also got some pretty sweet extras to show off. For example: “Customers can charge the Focus Electric in half the time of Nissan Leaf due to the car’s higher-capacity on-board charger and at a reduced cost thanks to Microsoft’s value charging technology” and it’s “rated America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle with an EPA-estimated 110 MPGe city.”

The Ford Focus Electric is going to be shown off this week at the Future in Review Conference (FiRe), touting those benefits and more, and a news release in the midst of that event was put out by Ford. Here’s more on the what the Microsoft–Ford partnership is offering:

SYNC is one of many technology features available on the gasoline-free 2012 Ford Focus Electric and is shared across Ford’s electrified vehicle lineup. 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.

Additionally, Ford Focus Electric customers have access to MyFord Mobile, which is accessible via smartphone or Web-based interface to perform key tasks. This mobile application can monitor a vehicle’s state of charge or its current range, locate charge stations and plan routes.

Off-peak charging

The MyFord Mobile app harnesses the power of cloud computing through another unique capability developed with Microsoft called value charging.

With value charging, the app keeps track of when participating local utilities switch to lower off-peak charging rates, helping to minimize costs by helping owners in the U.S. charge their vehicles at the cheapest utility rates.

Drivers can enable a single setting in the app and then plug in their cars without ever worrying about what time the rates change in their area. The network monitors utility rate schedules and automatically transmits a signal to the vehicle through embedded cellular connectivity to start charging at the lowest cost.

Cool stuff.

Source: PRNewswire

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Tags: Ford, ford focus, ford focus electric, ford microsoft, microsoft

About the Author

Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.