The automotive industry is only beginning to come to terms with the reality that the era of gas-guzzling vehicles is long over, and industry giants like Ford are slowly reconciling with the environment thanks to new products like the 2012 Focus Electric.
While it may not outdo the competitive pricing of Nissan's LEAF ($32,780, before government incentives), the 2012 Focus Electric has enough extra bells and whistles to justify its slightly higher $39,995 price point. However, weighing in with a curb weight of over 1.6 metric tonnes, the new Focus Electric avoided an even heftier price by using conventional materials in lieu of aluminium and carbon fiber. Moreover, Ford's delayed foray into EVs has left their car with a decidedly efficient 3-4 hour charge time, roughly half the time is takes to charge Nissan's LEAF. The city car will be able to reach a maximum speed of 84 mph, courtesy of its fairly powerful 23 kWh lithium-ion battery.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Electric Vehicles
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the development of more affordable and efficient electric vehicles.
- Sustainable Transportation
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the creation of eco-friendly transportation solutions.
- Efficient Charging Infrastructure
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the improvement of charging infrastructure to reduce charging times and increase convenience for electric vehicles.
Sectors Adopting This
- Automotive
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the automotive industry to transition towards electric and sustainable vehicles.
- Energy
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the energy industry to develop cleaner and more efficient sources for electric vehicle charging.
- Technology
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the technology industry to create advanced charging systems and vehicle-to-grid integration.
