Automobile major Ford today announced an investment of an additional $4.5 billion in electrified vehicle solutions by 2020.
Ford will be adding 13 new electrified vehicles to its portfolio by 2020, when more than 40 percent of the company’s global nameplates will come in electrified versions.
The new Focus Electric, which will be rolled out next year, features DC fast-charge capability delivering an 80 percent charge in 30 minutes and projected 100-mile range – an estimated two hours faster than today’s Focus Electric.
The new Focus Electric will provide the following:
SmartGauge with EcoGuide LCD Instrument Cluster offers customizable displays that can help the driver see real-time EV power usage to help maximize vehicle efficiency
Brake Coach that coaches the driver on how to use smooth braking to maximize the energy captured through the Regenerative Braking System.
“The challenge going forward isn’t who provides the most technology in a vehicle but who best organizes that technology in a way that most excites and delights people,” said Raj Nair, executive vice president, Product Development.
Ford is investing in social science-based research globally, observing how consumers interact with vehicles and gaining new insights into the cognitive, social, cultural, technological and economic nuances that affect product design. Ford is doubling the number of projects that use ethnographic research.