This year’s Chicago Auto Show marked the first time I got to poke around one of Ford’s still rare electric Focus models. These EVs have been on the market since 2011, but haven’t had the same kind of success that the better-known, conceptually superior Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt have had in the last year. Part of that has to do with the Electric Focus’ higher price and another part of that has to do with the Electric Focus’ recalls. Mostly, though, it’s stuff like what you see in the trunk of the little car.
The trunk of the 2014 Ford Focus electric, by the way, looks like this …
… which compares very poorly to the flat, open trunks you get in said Leafs, Volts, Teslas, etc. That might be forgivable if the electric Focus played in the same pond as the $15,000 cheaper Mitusbishi iMiEV, but becomes downright laughable when you consider that Ford’s brass actually thought the electric Focus was going to out-sell the Chevy Volt.
It’s really too bad Ford did such a half-a**ed job on their EV entry, too. Looking beyond the trunk and the utter lack of practicality teased by the car’s hatchback body, the Focus is a dynamically competent, good-looking, and right-sized entry into the ever-more crowded field of electric commuter cars. With Ford’s fan base and dealer network, it really could have been a success. As it is, your EV dollars are definitely best spent elsewhere, and you don’t need a test drive to see that.
Source: Gas 2.
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