The 2017 Ford Focus Electric is in store for a battery pack upgrade, one that will see the model outfitted with a 33.5 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack, thus likely allowing for an EPA-rated single-charge range of around ~100 miles, according to recent reports.
The change will mark a pretty big increase from the 76-mile EPA-rated range for older Ford Focus Electrics that is granted by the 23 kWh battery-pack.
Given the increased range that the new Nissan LEAF will possess, it seems likely that Ford considered the battery pack and range upgrade a necessity. There will also be growing competition from others as well — with the Chevy Bolt, the Hyundai Ioniq, and others all entering the field as well.
PushEVs provides a bit more, noting that the 2017 Ford Focus Electric “will finally get DC fast charging with the CCS protocol that gives the possibility to charge from 0% to 80% in 30 minutes. It’s still unknown if the battery volume was reduced to allow the trunk to gain more space.”
As noted in that coverage, the 2017 Ford Focus Electric certainly seems to be a “me too” sort of offering, rather than a more serious entry into the market. Much will depend on pricing of course, but it’s hard to see why someone would go with a 2017 Ford Focus Electric when there are vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 and the Chevy Bolt available for not too much more money.
Except brand loyalty, that is. I suppose that there are always some people who will stick with the brand that they like no matter what. Hopefully Ford will get around to offering something substantial on the electric vehicle (EV) front for brand enthusiasts before too long.
On that front, see: Ford “Model E” May Actually Be Full Line Of Vehicles, Rather Than Just One.
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