Ford Focus Electric Wins Green Car Vision Award

The car is not even on the market, and it is already getting more and more recognition. The electric Ford Focus, because this is the car we are talking about, managed to climb to the same heights as GM's electric flagship, the Chevrolet Volt, and Nissan's elusive Leaf (both cars won the prize in 2009 and 2010, respectively), clinching the Green Car Vision Title during the Washington Auto Show.

In a competition in which, for the first time ever, all finalists featured a type of electric drive, the Focus managed to beat the other four finalists, the Honda Fit EV, Mitsubishi I, Toyota RAV4 EV and Volvo C30 DRIVe.

"The groundwork that Ford has laid with such advanced and sensible technologies as EcoBoost, hybrid drivetrains, and ethanol flexible-fuel vehicles has shown an understanding of what it takes to bring fundamental change to the marketplace, without sacrificing the features and the driving enjoyment that is so important to new car ownership," said Ron Cogan, publisher of Green Car Journal. "The Focus Electric is an extension of this philosophy."

The electric version of the new Focus, which will become available towards the end of the year, will come with a drive train which will give it “enough range to cover the majority of daily driving habits of Americans” and a top speed of 84 mph (136 km/h).

As standard, the Focus electric will come equipped with six airbags and electronic traction control, hands-free SYNC telephone connectivity, MyKey, 15-spoke 17-inch aluminum wheels, push button start, Sony Audio with nine speakers, Sirius Satellite Radio with Travel Link, HD Radio and voice-activated Navigation System.