The race for the longest-running, single-charge electrical vehicle (EV) mileage has yet to see Ford joining in on the ranks.
Car manufacturers such as Tesla and General Motors (GM) have been boasting of their EVs' 200-mile capabilities while Ford is seemingly determined to keep its Ford Focus EV output within the 100-mile range.
The reason behind this decision, according to Ford's Director of Electrification Programs and Engineering Kevin Layden, is that private vehicle owners can still get to their destinations within the 100-mile limit before the EV needs to recharge.
A report also comments that Ford is "sticking with what it knows," the company claiming that a 100-mile range is still an EV's "sweet spot."
However, a panel discussion last week in the Society of Automative Engineers (SAE) 2016 World Congress discussed that 200 miles is the suggested mileage limit for EVs to help relieve the public's concern on battery-powered autos.
Layden reassures that the company's 100-mile Ford Focus strategy will work for most of the driving population as its reasonable price and upgraded mileage from a previous 76-mile limit is still a "step up from where we are now."
Reports suggest that the issue lies within the affordability of EVs and Ford is likely keen on keeping the price of the Ford Focus within the $30,000 price range. The current 2016 model's base price starts at $29,170.
This suggests that an upgrade to a chunkier and more robust engine to allow for a 200-mile range would mean an increased price tag. Since the battery and internal mechanics would become heftier, the 200-mile upgrade calls for an overhaul of the Ford Focus' current compact and lightweight design.
It remains to be seen if Ford's current strategy to stick with a 100-mile Ford Focus and compete against the 200-mile EVs Chevrolet Bolt and the Tesla Model 3 will be preferred by the public.
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Photo: F. D. Richards | Flickr
