Ford has been refining electric vehicle capabilities with the Escape and Fusion Hybrids for more than a decade, and the Focus Electric is the result of development teams committed to consumer choice, driver needs and smart technology.

The Focus Electric will offer a range competitive to all-electric vehicles on the market and a state-of-the-art battery system. It will never need a drop of gas. All of this is neatly packaged into a stylish package with a customizable instrument panel, eco-friendly seats and connected technology like the SYNC® with MyFord Touch info system and MyFord™ Mobile app. You can learn more about the Focus Electric by clicking here.

During more than eight years with Ford, Chad has worked both as Business Development Specialist and Zone Manager, managing multiple zones in the Twin Cities region. Chad has a BSBA from Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. His personal interests include mountaineering and Pre-Columbian history.

Join us on November 10, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. EST to chat with Chad about the Focus Electric and the full line of Ford electrified vehicles. For the latest conversations about Ford electric vehicles, like Ford Electric Vehicles on Facebook.

On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, at 12:30 p.m. EST, we’ll provide a live video feed directly into the Ford Product Development Center so you can be the first to hear news about the latest fuel-economy technology directly from Ford executives and engineers themselves. This will include information about the all-new Ford Escape will contribute to the role Ford has in fuel economy leadership.

Fuel efficiency remains the most important influencing factor in the vehicle purchase decision, even as fuel prices continue to decline.

Through the Power of Choice, Ford is achieving fuel economy leadership and delivering a number of customer-friendly solutions including advanced technologies such as electrification and EcoBoost engines.

The Ford plans include five new electrified vehicles by 2012, including the five-passenger C-MAX Hybrid and the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid.

Beyond electrification, Ford continues to lead the industry in delivering technologies that boost fuel efficiency. Ford is achieving this leadership in a variety of ways, including advancements in the internal combustion engine with technology such as EcoBoost, which combines direct injection and turbocharging in smaller engines to give customers the power they want and the fuel efficiency they need.

EcoBoost is a global Ford engine technology that will be available in 90 percent of our vehicles in North America by 2013.

So bookmark this page and set a reminder in your calendar to tune in at 12:30 p.m. EST on October 4 to learn more about how Ford continues to deliver fuel-efficient solutions for customers and how the all-new Ford Escape will contribute to the role Ford has in fuel economy leadership!

Derrick Kuzak, Ford Chief of Product Development, took the time to answer many of the questions in this video, such as what is this Memorandum of Understanding really about? Has Ford had agreements like this with other competitors? Does this mean that Ford doesn’t view Toyota as a competitor? Why hybrid technology for trucks now? What will the two companies work on together? How will this benefit Ford customers?

For more on the specific announcement, please see Breaking News: Ford and Toyota Team on Hybrid System on theFordStory.com.

The two will potentially bring the best of their independently developed hybrid powertrain technology and knowledge to a new co-developed hybrid system, which may be used in rear-wheel-drive light trucks. Ford and Toyota have been working separately on similar new rear-wheel-drive hybrid systems aimed at delivering higher fuel economy in light trucks and SUVs. When the two companies began discussing this potential collaboration, they discovered how quickly they were able to find common ground.

While the proposed rear-wheel-drive hybrid system may share significant common technology and components, Ford and Toyota will individually integrate the system into their own vehicles. Each company also will determine the calibration and performance dynamics characteristics of their respective light pickups and SUVs.

“This is the kind of collaborative effort that is required to address the big global challenges of energy independence and environmental sustainability,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally.

In addition, as telematics plays an increasingly more important role in the in-car experience, both companies have also agreed to collaborate on standards and technologies needed to enable a safer, more secure and more convenient in-car experience for next-generation telematics systems. The telematics collaboration relates only to standards and technologies, and each company will continue to separately develop their own in-vehicle products and features.

“We have unique and very good solutions today with SYNC® and MyFord Touch™. Working together on in-vehicle standards can only enhance our customers’ experience with their vehicles,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford Group Vice President, Global Product Development.

Have questions about this agreement and what it means? Click here to read Ford Answers Questions about the Collaboration Between Ford and Toyota on theFordStory.com.

Here’s a look at what is new on theFordStory this week, including a couple of our favorite stories from you, several ideas that were posted and a few of our stories:

Your Stories

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Hero For Hayley!

As a mother of a 20 year old diabetic, I just really wanted to say Thank You to Ford for the ingenuity and braveness they are showing in this partnership. Read more…

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Ford Makes The Greatest Trucks. This Van Doesn’t Quit.

I am an electrical contractor and i travel all over. this van was the best thing I’ve ever bought in my life. It is the 4.6 V8. it doesn’t stop. I got the van new, now it has 291,000. Read more…

Your Ideas

Focus Titanium Manual

I love the new Focus. I also love all the new technology you can get on the new Focus. But I am a manual guy. I buy them because I prefer them, not because they are cheaper. Read more…

Hybrid Sport

The problem with the Hybrid is it’s boring! Some of the options for the standard Fusion/SEL/Sport should be available for the Hybrid. Read more…

Our Stories

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Ford Partners on First Hydraulic Hybrid School Bus

It’s almost difficult to make headlines these days with a “first-ever” in the hybrid department, since it’s the buzzword of the moment. But there indeed has been another first-ever: the conversion of a traditional school bus to a hydraulic hybrid that runs on recycled biofuel. Ford has partnered with George Tech on the Green Eco School Bus, the first of its kind in the nation. Read more…

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Honk if You Honk (or Beep or Toot)

You’re at a party mingling with strangers who so far have ranged from bankers to accountants. Numbers just don’t excite you, and now you’re looking at your watch trying to figure out if you can bail on this shindig. But then, the host introduces you to Patricia Seashore, and little do you know that the night is about to get a bit more interesting. You see, Patricia has one of those jobs you probably never think about anyone having – she’s the Ford Design & Release Supervisor, and with that comes a vast knowledge of horn technology, including tone and physics. Read more…

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Join the Live Chat with Healthcare Experts to Learn About In-car Health

As Americans take a more active role in managing their health and well-being, our researchers are taking a leading role in developing a series of health and wellness in-car connectivity solutions designed to empower people with self-help information while they drive. Read more…

Ready to add your voice to theFordStory? Click here to become a Ford Insider to post Your Story and submit Your Ideas to Ford!

The program has been financed by a $50,000 Ford College Community Challenge Grant, one of five given annually for a student-led project that matches university resources with an urgent community need related to sustainability. And you know global sustainability is near and dear to the heart of Ford as part of its “Reduce, reuse and recycle” commitment.

“Together with Georgia Tech and Atlanta Public Schools, we are taking innovation from the classroom to the community,” said Jim Vella, President, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “This is a noteworthy example of the types of programs we are bringing to Atlanta as part of our new Operation Goodwill partnership with local Ford and Lincoln dealers with the goal of expanding our engagement with this community.”

Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and American heritage and community life. It has been in existence for more than 60 years with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company.

The bus project focuses on converting existing school buses to hydraulic hybrids, which could lower greenhouse emissions and reduce transportation costs for schools. Michael Leamy, Georgia Tech Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and his students have designed and developed the hydraulic hybrid system for the 16-passenger school bus, and its installation is nearly complete. Meanwhile, students at Mary Lin Elementary School are painting the Green Eco School Bus green and organizing a drive to collect used cooking oil for processing into biodiesel, a renewable energy source.

“We expect our research will lead to cleaner, more efficient school buses that will help school districts like APS significantly reduce fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions,” Michael added.

The suite of Ford green driving technologies enable consumers to modify their driving habits through coaching methods and rewards that encourage eco-friendly driving behaviors. By making simple adjustments in everyday driving habits – from rolling up windows when traveling more than 50 mph to staying on top of vehicle maintenance – consumers can increase their fuel efficiency while decreasing their impact on the environment and the cost of vehicle ownership. Additionally, safety features like Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems further enhance fuel savings, reducing the average amount of fuel use 3 to 4 percent.

You can learn more about some of the Ford green driving technologies below.

EcoMode

EcoMode coaches consumers in the art of eco-driving using real-time feedback, while scoring and rewards are displayed on the instrument cluster. The software application generates a personalized driver operation scorecard by rating driver behavior that impacts fuel efficiency. Scores are displayed using an easy-to-follow five-leaf icon, with two leaves set as the default and five leaves being the maximum achievable score. Throughout a drive, the scoring system generates hints on how to gain more leaves by implementing eco-driving methods. It also allows drivers to review their generated score against the software’s optimized eco-driving patterns. Testing has shown a 24 percent fuel economy increase, on average.

MyFord Touch with EcoRoute

MyFord Touch provides drivers with real-time feedback on vehicle fuel efficiency and performance, helping coach drivers to maximize their miles per gallon. With the addition of EcoRoute, a map-based navigation system that instantly calculates the most fuel-efficient driving route, consumers are further empowered to control their fuel efficiency, with testing demonstrating fuel economy gains of up to 15 percent.

SmartGauge with EcoGuide

SmartGauge with EcoGuide is a unique instrument cluster specifically designed for hybrid vehicle owners. The technology creates a more connected driving experience, by coaching drivers to further maximize the fuel efficiency of their hybrid vehicle through real-time feedback and rewards. SmartGauge with EcoGuide features full-color LCD screens that can be configured to show different levels of information, including fuel and battery power levels, average and instant miles per gallon, and growing leaves and vines that track and reward the driver’s efficiency – more leaves and vines denote better driving habits.

MyFord Mobile

While electric cars are eco-friendly in their own right, the all-new MyFord Mobile app, exclusively for Focus Electric, helps extend eco-friendly driving behaviors by allowing consumers to make smart trip planning decisions that will extend the range of their vehicle, while also delivering driving behavior ratings ranging from Zen to zippy. Similar to SmartGauge with EcoGuide, Focus Electric also comes equipped with an instrument cluster display that uses blue butterflies to represent the surplus range beyond a charge point destination – the more butterflies there are, the greater the range and the better the driving habits.

“Batteries are similar to people, as they both achieve maximum performance working under moderate, unchanged temperatures,” said Sherif Marakby, Ford Director of Electrification Programs and Engineering. “Using a liquid-heated battery system allows Ford to keep the Focus Electric battery at a moderate temperature and improve performance whether you are charging or driving in a cold climate.”

Extreme temperatures can affect battery performance and reduce the range of electric vehicles. The range will not be impacted as much with a liquid-heated system compared to an air system. That’s why Ford will use an advanced active liquid-cooling and heating system to regulate the temperature of its lithium-ion battery packs, which are designed to operate under a range of ambient conditions.

“A liquid-heated battery can accept a charge faster from the regenerative braking that recaptures kinetic energy and sends it back to the battery, essentially providing longer range for the customer in real world cold weather conditions,” said Sherif. “Additionally, since acceleration in an electric vehicle comes from the power available in the battery, the customer will have more power available if the battery is warmer.”

The use of active liquid heating also enables owners of Focus Electric to automatically precondition battery pack temperature during daily recharging. While the vehicle is plugged in to the power grid, the vehicle system will be able to warm up the battery on cold days.

“Even when you’re parking in cold temperatures, as long as the vehicle is plugged in, you will warm up the battery,” explained Marakby. “Basically, customers will have the capability they need right off the bat. They won’t have to wait for the car to warm up.”

On cold days, heated liquid warms the batteries, gradually bringing the system’s temperature to a level that allows it to efficiently accept charge energy and provide enough discharge power to get good vehicle performance.

Electrification is an important piece of the overall Ford product sustainability strategy. The aggressive strategy includes five new electrified vehicles in North America by 2012 and Europe by 2013. Ford launched the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van in 2010 and in addition to Focus Electric in late 2011, will introduce C-MAX Hybrid, a second next-generation lithium-ion battery hybrid and the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid in 2012.

Ford has launched an Electrified Vehicle Facebook page to serve as a place where passionate enthusiasts or curious consumers can find and share information about the company’s electrified vehicles. The page, available at facebook.com/FordElectricVehicles, is part of the Ford efforts to educate consumers on the variety of choices available with electrified vehicles and what the company is doing to make an electric lifestyle as easy as possible.

The Ford Electrified Vehicle page for Facebook was developed to help consumers understand the differences between electric-vehicle technologies so they can make informed decisions about whether a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicle fits their driving habits. The page also creates a place where consumers can initiate and participate in conversations around Ford’s electrified vehicle offerings and gives Ford a forum to respond to consumers who are interested in electrified vehicles.

You can learn more about the Ford Focus Electric on theFordStory.com by clicking here.

But Ford didn’t just make news at the show, they provided an electric-vehicle experience too. More than 10,000 visitors during the auto show were able to for a ride in the Focus Electric.

The “Living Electric” display included an elevated track 20 feet high, 208 feet in length and 71 feet in diameter. Hands-on technology displays, digital tutorials and conversations with experts also helped people learn how different types of electrified vehicles will fit various lifestyles.

In addition to giving visitors some first-hand experience with an electric car, it also was a time for Ford engineers to learn more about the all-new Focus Electric.

“This was a win-win situation. While customers were able to learn about how an electric vehicle works and rides, we could pull up data and find out more about the Focus Electric they were in at the very same time,” said Shawn Lightner, Ford Global Electrified Products Program Manager. “We thought this would be a perfect opportunity to discover even more about how the cars perform using the data acquisition technology employed on other development vehicles.”

An onboard data acquisition system was connected to the car computer, where critical information of what was happening while the vehicle was running or charging could be transmitted. Ford engineers were then able to go online and pull up data via a website to monitor information about the vehicle, while customers were riding in it.

The all-new Focus Electric – the first-ever all-electric Ford passenger car – is a zero-emissions, gasoline-free version of the company’s popular global Focus model. Focus Electric is designed to offer enough range to cover the majority of daily driving habits of Americans. A full recharge is expected to take three to four hours at home with the 240-volt charge station.

Focus Electric introduces new features and technologies – including a unique version of the MyFord Touch™ driver connect system especially for electric vehicles, a new value charging feature powered by Microsoft and a smartphone app called MyFord Mobile that helps plug-in owners control their vehicles remotely.

Electrification is an important piece of the overall Ford product sustainability strategy. This aggressive strategy includes the launch of five new electrified vehicles in North America by 2012 and Europe by 2013. In addition to Focus Electric, Ford launched the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van in 2010 and will introduce C-MAX Hybrid, a second next-generation lithium-ion battery hybrid and the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid in 2012.

You can read more about these electric vehicles on theFordStory.com by clicking on these links:

Ford Focus Electric

C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid

Transit Connect Electric

As the director of Ford Electrification Programs, Sherif Marakby knows quite a bit about the C-MAX Energi, as well as all of the current and future Ford hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles. He spent a few minutes with us at the 2011 North American International Auto Show to give us an overview of the C-MAX Energi.

The development of the first-ever Ford production plug-in hybrid leverages more than 200,000 miles of road testing conducted in collaboration with a coalition of 10 utility companies, the U.S. Department of Energy, the New York State Energy Research and Development Administration and the Electric Power Research Institute.

The Ford C-MAX Energi will use advanced lithium-ion battery system developed and assembled in-house by Ford in Michigan. The system is smartly designed to maximize use of common, high-quality components, such as control board hardware that has proven field performance in current Ford hybrid vehicles.

C-MAX Energi is predicted to achieve more than 500 miles of driving range using the battery and engine; more than any other plug-in or extended-range vehicle.  The C-MAX Energi will benefit from daily charging to maximize its all-electric range. Thanks to the efficiencies of its right-sized battery system, the plug-in hybrid easily recharges 100 percent overnight on a 120-volt outlet.

A full charge in C‑MAX Energi allows owners to increase their driving significantly in all-electric mode and drastically reduce their use of the on-board fuel engine.

On start-up, C-MAX Energi will operate in charge-depletion mode, providing electric driving range. When the battery has been depleted or certain conditions are met, it switches to charge-sustaining hybrid mode for continued optimal fuel efficiency.

Ford worked with a supplier to provide an industry-standard five-point plug for C-MAX Energi (and new Focus Electric) that is ergonomically comfortable to hold as well as durably and distinctively designed. The plug handle uses a matte-finished black rubber for a comfortable, non-slip grip and the plug head is shielded with a glossy white hard plastic to protect the electronics. The Ford Blue Oval trademark helps make the device immediately recognizable.

When the cord set connector is plugged into the vehicle’s charge port, which is located conveniently between the driver’s door and front wheel well, it activates a light ring that loops around the port twice in acknowledgement of connectivity. The light ring then illuminates in quadrants as the vehicle charges. Flashing quadrants represent charge in progress and solid-lit quadrants show stages of charge completion. When the entire ring is solidly lit, the vehicle is fully charged.

Using the value charging feature, powered by Microsoft, C-MAX Energi owners in North America will be able to optimize their home’s energy use and vehicle recharging practices. Value charging allows Ford customers to reduce their electricity costs by taking advantage of off-peak or reduced rates from their utility without a complicated set-up process.

C-MAX Energi and C-MAX Hybrid build on the success of the powersplit architecture Ford uses in its current hybrids, including the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

In a powersplit hybrid, the electric motor and gasoline-powered engine can work together or separately to maximize efficiency. The engine also can operate independently of vehicle speed, charging the batteries or providing power to the wheels as needed. The motor alone can provide sufficient power to the wheels in low-speed, low-load conditions, and work with the engine at higher speeds.

While this system enables the current Fusion Hybrid to operate in fuel-saving electric mode up to 47 mph, Ford is targeting higher electric operating speeds for C-MAX Hybrid and even more capability for C-MAX Energi, which will have the advantage of additional battery power.

C-MAX Energi owners will have access to a suite of driver information systems – on-board and off-board – designed to help them manage the recharge process, manage the most eco-friendly route on-board, remotely control their vehicle’s charge and preconditioning settings, monitor battery state of charge and maximize energy efficiency to extend use of electric mode. C-MAX Hybrid owners also will benefit from the on-board features.

Off-board, C-MAX Energi owners in North America can maintain constant contact with the car anywhere they have mobile phone or web access using the Ford-developed MyFord Mobile. MyFord Mobile enables access to a secure Ford website and smartphone/feature phone app to get instant vehicle status information, perform key functions remotely, monitor the car’s state of charge and current range, get various alerts including when the vehicle requires charging, remotely program charge settings and download vehicle data for analysis.

Read the story, “More Ford C-MAX Hybrid Details Revealed!” for newer information about the Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid.