Forward Focus

MISSION NET ZERO: Meet the All-Electric Family

When you drive toward the Victorian home of Matt and Kelly Grocoff from the north, the 110-year-old residence looks idyllic and quaint. You could say it’s a living specimen of early-20th-century America, preserved under a fresh coat of pale-green paint. Approach it from the south, however, and the serenity suddenly slips away. A reflective metallic glow bounces off the roof; the source is a series of solar panels designed to power the family’s life inside—and soon even outside—the home.

“Today that powers the entire house, including our heating and air conditioning,” says Matt. “As soon as we get an electric vehicle, that will represent fuel for our car.”

The Grocoffs’ solar panels provided the finishing touch to a five-year project—converting their house to a net-zero-energy home. What does that mean? The best definition can be found on the couple’s electric bill, which read –$89.06 for the month of July. “We would have spent at least $83,000 over 20 years on energy costs,” Matt explains. “So for an investment of under $50,000, we installed geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels, insulation and much more. For the rest of our lives, our energy is free.”

Of course, all that savings doesn’t yet include the money that a 2012 Focus Electric could put back into their pockets. With zero need for oil or gasoline and the ability to fully charge in three to four hours with an optional 240-volt charging station, Matt sees the Focus as the family’s next practical step toward absolute energy efficiency. “Knowing how much you’re going to be paying for that electricity versus powering the car at a gas station is pretty cool,” he says. “I own that. I control this power.”

A HEALTHY CONNECTION: The mobile solution for critical medical needs

“If you’re on the cutting edge of technology, a smartphone application is necessary.” This is the business credo of JEMS Technology CEO Kevin Lasser, a tech veteran whose innovative “telemedicine app” could revolutionize doctor-patient interactions.

Here’s how it works: Imagine a 50-year-old man lying across his sofa with severe chest pains. The nearest hospital is 20 miles away, and time is obviously of the essence. If the hospital has employed JEMS services, the potential patient needs no more than a smartphone with 3G, 4G or a Wi-Fi connection to receive remote diagnosis, medical information and instructions through live video. “You’re getting immediate help over a secure connection,” Lasser says. “No one else can provide that.”

Lasser believes in the critical need for mobile apps across multiple platforms—including electric cars. That’s where MyFord™ Mobile, the smartphone app created for Focus Electric owners, comes into the conversation.

“You go with your smartphone because it’s familiar,” explains Lasser. “Instead of going in your car and pulling into the gas station, you’re at home and say, ‘How’s my car doing?’ You would go right to it.”

In addition to charge monitoring and estimating CO2 savings after each drive, MyFord Mobile works with MapQuest® to find the most economical routes and nearest charge stations. “The custom routes are smart,” Lasser notes. “There’s a gas station everywhere, so I have to know where to charge.”

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Read the rest of the story at My Ford Magazine.