Is heated stearing wheel coming in 2015?

[jeffand]

Very likely in the 2015 Ford Focus Electric at least the option for a heated steering wheel may be offered.
http://www.Ford.com
Click on Ford website link above, Then click on CARS at the top of the screen. Next click on FOCUS. This will open drop down box. On the left side click on FUTURE 2015 FOCUS. One of the items on the list for the 2015 Focus is Available Heated Steering Wheel.
Since other electric cars do offer heated steering wheel, I think Ford is now going to offer it on the 2015 FFE. Also the Ford Fusion already has a heated steering wheel.

 

[Steve0512]

Cut and pasted from the website:

Available Heated Steering Wheel
Grabbing a cold steering wheel is a thing of the past with the new available heated wheel—making those uncomfortably chilly days a little more comfortable.
Not available on Electric models.

 

[unplugged]

Not available on Electric models.

Isn't that brilliantly stupid? The ONE Focus that could really use a heated steering wheel and Ford excludes the Electric.

 

[NightHawk]

Not available on Electric models.

Isn't that brilliantly stupid? The ONE Focus that could really use a heated steering wheel and Ford excludes the Electric.

Probably because it might take too much power from the battery on the electric model, compared to the alternator on an ICE Focus?

 

[hybridbear]

Not available on Electric models.

Isn't that brilliantly stupid? The ONE Focus that could really use a heated steering wheel and Ford excludes the Electric.

Probably because it might take too much power from the battery on the electric model, compared to the alternator on an ICE Focus?

A heated steering wheel should use comparable electricity to a heated seat, minimal. This also doesn't make sense because Ford offers a heated steering wheel on the Fusion Energi & Fusion Hybrid.

 

[jeffand]

I think the reason could be that nothing electrically on the FFE has changed for the 2016 model. Ford has done nothing with the FFE since the 2013 model minor changes. This brings to mind when is FFE version 2.0 coming out? Will their even be a second generation Ford Focus Electric? The second generation 2016 Volt and Nissan Leaf are on the way. The 2016 Volt will have it's unveiling at the Detroit auto shop in mid January.

 

[triangles]

I think the reason could be that nothing electrically on the FFE has changed for the 2016 model.

Ford is just now releasing the 2015 model. I haven't seen/heard a peep about 2016 model. Are you privy to details about the 2016 model? I'm guessing it will be this summer before we hear much of what ford will do with the 2016 model since their design cycle with the Focus seems to be about 6 mo. behind the norm.

 

[jeffand]

I suspect that Ford is waiting to see what Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt are like. The battery in the FFE uses LG battery cells. Since the introduction of the FFE LG has improved the battery technology. When are the batteries in the FFE going to get an upgrade?

 

[unplugged]

I suspect that Ford is waiting to see what Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt are like. The battery in the FFE uses LG battery cells. Since the introduction of the FFE LG has improved the battery technology. When are the batteries in the FFE going to get an upgrade?

A production change takes at least two years to implement before release to consumers. Ford would be way too late if Ford were to wait on the Leaf. The new FFE will be released for the 2017 model year, 2018 at the latest. Changes to the FFE are already headed for production.

 

[jmueller065]

I was hoping that Ford would announce something at CES to get a jump on GM (since GM seems to be very excited about Volt V2. So much so that it keeps letting peeks out even though it isn't supposed to be formally revealed until Jan 12).

The next opportunity for Ford to make a major FFE/EV announcement will be their presser at the NAIAS (Detroit Auto show) press days Jan 12 or 13.