Ford Focus Electric sales numbers

[klaus]

Apparently Ford sold 89 Ford Focus Electric vehicles in June 2012 (out of 16,454 Ford Focus vehicles sold in the month). In July, Ford sold 14,990 Ford Focus vehicles but didn't provide a specific number of how many of those were the electric version.

To date (from the first Focus Electric delivered in May), 97 have been sold not counting July.

 

[slyastro]

38 FFE were sold in JULY in the United States.

There is at least ONE FFE sold in Canada (me !!) :roll:

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/...cars-in-July-as-EVs-continue-to-be-tough-sell

Sly

 

[dwf123]

Sly, thanks for the Detroit Free Press article. 38 FFEs sold in July plus 1 in Canada. It is early and we are early adoptors, but... The Electric Vehicle sales are off to a very slow start. I sure would love company :!:

I written that my car is a perfect fit for my life and I actually like the car. It is cool, stylish and well built. Plus I have only made one gasser stop in 68 days for my other car so I have saved $550.00 in gasoline purchases and spent $131.25 on electricity thus saving $420.00.

The Volt is picking up speed with sales, but 1800 per month is not a huge success. The Leaf is in the dogs. Is range anxiety that big of a drawback? Is it the cost factor? (Not for me, because my vehicle will pay for itself in gas savings.) Is it new technology? Lack of advertising? (I have never seen an ad for a FFE.) Or, is it simply a new concept which people don't want to be the first to try?

Ford has several hundred in show rooms now. I wonder what the customer reaction, directly to sales people, has been. That might be an eye opening conversation.

 

[dwf123]

Is range anxiety that big of a drawback? Is it the cost factor? (Not for me, because my vehicle will pay for itself in gas savings.) Is it new technology? Lack of advertising? (I have never seen an ad for a FFE.) Or, is it simply a new concept which people don't want to be the first to try?

I could not resist answering my own post.... I called my salesperson up at the dealership where I purchased the FFE. It is all of the above. He told me:
1. Customers do not even know about the electric FFE. Lack of advertising.
2. Customers who are purchasing a Focus are price conscious. Why should I spend $$32,400 ($41,900 minus rebate) for an FEE when I can buy a top of the line Focus SEL for $23,999.00? That's an $8,000.00 premium.bb
3. Range Anxiety (the new nervous disorder). Where can I plug in? There is a gas station at every exit. I don't want to be in traffic and run out of power....
4. "I'll wait until they get better batteries."

So be proud FFE owners, your either a crazy fool or a gifted visionary!

 

[igh]

Ford priced the FFE too high. I do not know what they were thinking. The fully loaded titanium model has invoice of 24K. Ford saved at least 4K by replacing the gas drive train (engine + control + 6 speed trans) with a simple motor + 1 speed. Add to this battery at $500/Kwh and the invoice should be 32K. MSRP 34K max. At 40K MSRP it is DOA even with the tax credit. At least the cost should
be similar to the gas model after the credit for people to do the range anxiety compromise.

 

[redEV]

Ford priced the FFE too high. I do not know what they were thinking. The fully loaded titanium model has invoice of 24K. Ford saved at least 4K by replacing the gas drive train (engine + control + 6 speed trans) with a simple motor + 1 speed. Add to this battery at $500/Kwh and the invoice should be 32K. MSRP 34K max. At 40K MSRP it is DOA even with the tax credit. At least the cost should
be similar to the gas model after the credit for people to do the range anxiety compromise.

Yeah, the battery 'cost' is a subject of debate for all pure EV's; that is what each mfg. feels is necessary to charge for it versus 'actual' internal cost -- who exactly knows? What we all know is that eventually these costs per unit should go down with an increase in volume, domestic sourcing (the Nissan LEAF should go down once it's made in TN along with its battery pack) but who knows at what price point less the government subsidy (either fed or local) will the sweet spot be? Each is a case by case basis and how one looks at it -- I personally am looking forward to down the road, say in year 7 or 8 towards the end of my LEAF's battery warranty on what a (hopefully) lower cost and better range battery replacement will be as I'm hoping to keep the car as long as the body holds up --- these electric motors should easily last two full battery changes before needing much of anything near what a typical engine rebuild would be. My own economics for my car is simple -- it was $38,240 - $7,500 fed tax credit - $3,725 IL EPA rebate - $9,000 trade-in value = $18,015 (give or take for taxes, registration, etc.) and only costs me about $12/mo in electricity to run (6.6 cents/kWh fixed rate); expect annual mileage at 10,500 so compared to the economical car it replaced (an '06 Mazda3 with 2.3L); I'll still save over $11K worth of gas (used stats from edmunds) and I'll still be in the black if a new battery costs $5,600 (latest estimate) after 5 years but wouldn't do that until the warranty expired. Of course, just saving money wasn't the only objective with my EV; I love the super quiet ride, very low expected maintenance costs and the ability to 'refuel' at home as well as some unanticipated benefits --- when it's quite hot outside, pulling the car into the garage after a long drive doesn't also heat up the garage -- remember no ICE engine or exhaust that needs cooling off! You also can pre-heat or pre-cool the car in 'enclosed' environments -- remember no CO gas ... there are others as well but these are just a few. Lastly, this car is strictly a commuter car for us so no range anxiety disorders at all -- we have others for long trips (3 drivers -- 4 cars).

 

[dwf123]

redEV - I couldn't agree more with your rational on the price and "unexpected benefits". Each of us develops our own rational and for us the car makes absolute sense.

igh - Price is a killer for the average purchaser of the auto. Ask any Ford sales person.

Furthering the reasons for slow sales and specifically "lack of advertising". You may have received, in the mail yesterday the summer 2012 "My Ford" advertising magazine from Ford.com. It is a beautifully printed and lengthy (34 page) magazine advertising the entire Ford line-up. Featured on the front cover was the 2013 FLEX crossover. Featured articles include the FLEX, Fiesta, Escape and F150. Minor articles cover the Mustang, F-series, SNYC 11, tire maintenance, Sunpower, European B-MAX, Fusion and a 1963 Galaxie. If you did not receive the hard copy you can read it online here:

http://www.myfordmag.com/#/

What is notable to me were zero articles on the FFE. Other than the showroom page which lists every car and the price of each, the Focus electric has only two other pictures in minor positions.

So, perhaps one of the reasons for slow sales is that Ford knows this car is not going to sell well. I can certainly remember the mammoth advertising during the release of the Mustang, the Ford Falcon, the Galaxie 500 and now the FLEX. I am just guessing here, but there is no other reason for the lack of advertising then the fact they aren't "ready' to sell this car in mass. That has nothing to do with production it has everything to do with timing. They are not willing to commit the budget on advertising until the BEV vehicles have been on the road and demonstrated their dependability, economy and popular demand.

 

[Charged Up]

They are not willing to commit the budget on advertising until the BEV vehicles have been on the road and demonstrated their dependability, economy and popular demand.

I think you have it there. Ford's doesn't want 10,000 of these things running around until the technology has proven itself on the road and there is demonstrated demand for it. Clearly, they have more faith in PHEV technology at this point.

 

[peehuu]

Hi
Welcome to this Focus Electric forum site. It is a best forum site for always to answer your several types of doubt and provide very useful information that helps me a lot........., but at present I am not capable to give you any statement. I think you have to make contact with your colleagues for better answer. I am sorry for that.
Thanks

 

[charlestonleafer]

Probably advertising, and also not available in all markets. The nearest available Focus EV to me is over 500 miles away.

 

[j79guy]

Make mine No.2 in Canada. (BC) Took delivery a couple weeks ago, I too am curious as to total number sold in North America.
I see the Honda Fit EV has been released, and perhaps this will shake up the EV car market a bit by raising exposure. From what I can tell, the Fit is not to the same standards as the FFE in terms of comfort, and build quality, but does fit (Excuse the poor pun) the market that "typical" people who may be considering an electric car.
Robin.

 

[iplugin]

I do not think advertisement for the electric vehicle will cut it. Yes, it will help educating the many who have no idea about how cool an EV is, but the most effective factor for the EV to pick up speed is the price of oil. Let us wait and pray for it to go up.

 

[iplugin]

I can't believe I said that !!! :twisted: