Ford’s fully electric Focus model will launch in the US before the end of the year, however the first models will be available in two areas only; California and New York.
The first fully electric car from the firm appeared on David Letterman’s The Late Show last week, where the presenter got the chance to test drive the model. As Ford CEO Alan Mulally explain to Letterman customers in most parts of the US will have to wait until the Spring of 2012 to receive their models.
Rumours then circulated the web that Ford was delaying the production of the battery powered model, set to be produced at its manufacturing facilities in Michigan. Responding to such concerns, David Finnegan, Electrified Vehicles Marketing Manager for Ford Motor Company wrote to a customer to explain that production of the model was planned to increase next year. This letter, published on the website forum, MyFocusElectric.com explained that dealers in 19 targeted markets would receive the model from early next year.
Those markets include: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh-Durham, Richmond, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson and Washington, D.C.
On Monday, Ford issued a statement to USA Today to explain that Finnegan’s remarks did not mean the electric vehicle has been delayed.
"Ford remains on schedule to deliver the initial Focus Electrics by the end of the year. As previously communicated to dealers, the first few months of Focus Electric production will be concentrated on delivering vehicles to California and New York," Ford’s statement read. "We will be rolling out to the remainder of the initial Focus Electric markets starting with production ramp up in Spring 2012."
The Focus Electric is expected to arrive in Europe by late 2012.
