At a glance, you'd think the 2012 Ford Focus Electric to be a carbon copy of its gasoline-powered sibling...and you'd be right. In fact, that's exactly what Forbes staffer, Todd Woody loves about it. In a recent review, Woody wrote that with its sleek, European-style design, the 2012 Focus Electric looks and drives like "a Tesla Model S for the middle class."¹

Woody's comment stems from the fact that dedicated-EV manufacturer Tesla Motors tends to charge a pretty penny for its vehicles ($57,400 for the Model S). The 2012 Ford Focus Electric, however, features starting MSRP of $39,000, which is before a $7,500 federal tax credit.

Aside from its more approachable price, there are a few other things that Woody likes about the 2012 Ford Focus Electric. In particular, Woody raves about the vehicle's unique instrument cluster, which is entirely digital. Aside from estimating the remaining driving range, it also displays a collection of blue, digital butterflies to show how much energy can be saved by driving in a calm, collected fashion. The more energy is saved, the more butterflies appear onscreen.

Finally, Woody's biggest compliment is found in the fact that the 2012 Ford Focus Electric is so technologically advanced. And he's not talking about its electric powertrain's 76-mile driving range this time. Woody praises the Focus Electric for the connectivity it provides through a Smartphone app, which can gives updates on charging times, plan more efficient routes, and relay information on traffic conditions.

In other words, the 2012 Ford Focus Electric really is the car of the future. After reminiscing about the days when cell phones were just meant for making phone calls and not web browsing and playing games, Woody notes that "the idea that a car is only for getting you from point A to point B may seem just as quaint in few years."²

Interested in learning more about the 2012 Ford Focus Electric? Be sure to stay tuned to the Anderson Ford of Clinton, Inc. blog, as we're dedicated to updating you on everything we know from now until its available for a test drive at 1001 State Route 10 West Clinton, IL 61727.

Source

^1,2http://www.forbes.com/sites/toddwoody/2012/07/16/the-ford-focus-electric-a-tesla-model-s-for-the-middle-class/