Living the Electric Lifestyle

To help drivers make the transition to electric vehicles (EVs), and get the most out of their EVs, we are offering more than just the vehicle. We are delivering a total electric vehicle lifestyle. In the U.S., for example, our EVs have advanced in-vehicle communications that help drivers maximize the efficiency and range of their vehicles, find charging stations along their planned routes, and know exactly how far they can go until the next charge based on their own driving style. We have also linked our vehicles to drivers’ smartphones so that they can control charging and other in-vehicle operations remotely. We have also developed a comprehensive approach to vehicle charging that makes charging fast, easy, affordable and environmentally friendly. Our goal is to deliver electric vehicles that are as engaging, easy to use and empowering as other forms of consumer electronics like smartphones.

Enhanced In-Vehicle Information with MyFord Touch™

In several regions, including the U.S., our electric vehicles will include an enhanced version of MyFord Touch – Ford’s new driver interface technology – that will give drivers a range of information tools to help them maximize their driving range, plan the most eco-friendly route and manage the battery recharge process. For example, the system will provide vehicle data such as the electrical demands of vehicle accessories – including air conditioning, which influences electric driving range. The system will also provide information on the battery’s state of charge, distance to charge points, “energy budget” and expected range surplus.

We designed the Focus Electric to provide more range at full charge than most Americans will use each day. But we know that, at least initially, “range anxiety” will be an important issue for consumers. So we have designed in-vehicle communications to make on-board energy management a rewarding and fun part of the ownership experience. For example, the vehicle can analyze individual driving styles, as well as climate control and other options, to provide tailored information about range and remaining charge. Drivers who drive slowly and smoothly will get a longer range out of their car than those who drive more aggressively. But our in-vehicle information systems can adapt to any way you choose to drive. The Focus Electric will continuously analyze a driver’s style, recalculate range and distance to required charge, and show how driving behavior affects the vehicle’s energy budget. The system can also coach drivers on how to drive more efficiently to maximize their electric driving range.

The system also includes a trip planner feature to help drivers plan their trip based on the available battery range and the location of charging stations. The trip planning system integrates information about driving style and the driving efficiency “coach” to help drivers go farther on their remaining charge by maximizing regenerative braking, turning down the air conditioning or other efficient driving actions.

The Focus Electric’s in-vehicle information is also customizable. For example, information can be viewed in three different modes: Energy Budget, which shows the remaining charge; Range, which shows the distance to the next required charge point; and Surplus View, which shows drivers how much energy or range they are saving using different options and by driving efficiently. The system also uses a variety of simple graphics like an energy “budget cup” and surplus energy “butterflies” that make it easy for drivers to quickly interpret information.

Remote Control with MyFord Mobile™

Drivers will also be able to manage their Focus Electric remotely using the Ford-developed MyFord Mobile app in the U.S. Like any Ford vehicle equipped with MyFord Touch, our electric vehicles allow drivers to locate the vehicle with GPS, remotely start the vehicle and remotely lock and unlock the car doors using their smartphone. On our electric vehicles, however, the MyFord Mobile app provides a suite of additional remote communications. For example, working with MapQuest®, MyFord Mobile can communicate the location of a charge station to the Focus Electric using the Traffic, Directions and Information program in the Ford SYNC® system. Drivers can also get instant vehicle status information, monitor the car’s state of charge and current range, get alerts when it requires charging, remotely program charge settings and download vehicle data for analysis from their smartphone or a secure Ford website.

The MyFord Mobile app also allows drivers to tell their vehicle to use electricity from the grid to heat or cool the battery and cabin while the vehicle is still plugged in. This “preconditioning” of the vehicle’s temperature is a key strategy drivers can use to maximize their driving range.

MyFord Mobile for EVs also adds a social element. Drivers can compare their driving efficiency to that of friends and other EV drivers. In addition, the system gives drivers virtual awards and badges for improvements in driving efficiency.

All of the vehicle’s screens and control panels are integrated into the MyFord Mobile app’s smartphone display, so that drivers can move seamlessly from their car to their phone displays.

Fast, Flexible and Easy Charging

Charging is one of the most important changes drivers have to get used to with a BEV or PHEV. We have gone to great lengths to make our charging systems fast, easy and economical.

The Focus Electric uses a 6.6 kW charger, which enables a best-in-class at-home charge time of just over three hours when using a 240V charge station installed in the customer’s garage. That’s half the time it takes our competitors to charge up.

U.S. drivers can also customize their charging preferences. Drivers can choose times when their car must be charged up and ready to go and set up a charging schedule that dictates when the charging starts and stops to meet those needs. They can also control vehicle charging using Value Charging by Microsoft, a system that communicates with local utilities and sets up charging times based on when utility rates are lowest in their area. Customers can reduce their electricity costs by taking advantage of off-peak or other reduced utility rates without a complicated setup process. With this technology, customers will be able to “set it and forget it,” knowing their vehicle will only charge when utility rates are at their lowest. Ford electric vehicles are the first to work with this Microsoft system. Because Ford’s EVs charge in half the time of competitors, we make it easier to get a complete charge within the time periods of the lowest utility rates.

We are also making charging easier with an easy-to-read “light ring” around the charge port. When the plug is connected, the light loops around the port twice. The light ring then illuminates in quadrants as the vehicle charges. Flashing quadrants signify that the charge is in progress. When the ring is solidly lit, the vehicle is fully charged.

We put a lot of thought into the actual charging station into which drivers will plug their vehicles. We are currently the only auto manufacturer to offer a “plug-and-play” charging system that is easy to install and portable, so you can take it with you if you move or move it to a new location in your existing garage. In the U.S., we worked with Leviton to develop a simple, ergonomic, easy-to-use charge station and with Best Buy to provide Best Buy/Geek Squad installation services. The set-up process is quick and easy for our customers and saves them as much as 30 percent on a charge station, versus the competition.