Ford’s: heart is not in this, not going to play price war % An insincere 'too little, too late' effort %
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1085485_2014-ford-focus-electric-gets-4000-price-cut-to-boost-sales 2014 Ford Focus Electric Gets $4,000 Price Cut To Boost Sales By Antony Ingram Jul 10, 2013 [images http://www.greencarreports.com/pictures/1085485_2014-ford-focus-electric-gets-4000-price-cut-to-boost-sales_gallery-1#100388569 HI-RES GALLERY: 2012 Ford Focus Electric, New York City, April 2012 ] Ford might have ignored the 2014 Focus Electric when it updated its range for the 2014 model year, but one aspect has finally changed: The price. That has now dropped by $4,000, to a starting MSRP of $35,200, down from $39,200. The change hasn't yet been reflected on Ford's website--which shows the original pricing. Until you click on the 'View window sticker ...' text, that is, which highlights the new pricing alongside the car's efficiency ratings, which remain unchanged. These prices don't include Ford's delivery charges, which amount to $795. This brings the new net price to $35,995, and if you're eligible, you can then subtract the $7,500 Federal income-tax credit, and any state or local incentives like California's $2,500 purchase rebate. "The 2014 Focus Electric offers customers a fully-contented, all-electric vehicle option," Ford's Amanda Zusman told Green Car Reports. "The new starting MSRP of $35,200 keeps us competitive inthe marketplace and is animportant part of our commitment to provide customers with a range of electrified vehicles to choose from." It isn't only the price that seems to have dropped, either. As Inside EVs notes, the Focus Electric's 6.6 kW, 240-volt charging time has reduced from 4 hours to 3.6 hours. Range remains the same, an EPA-rated 76 miles, while the car retains its 105 MPGe combined economy--or 32 kWh/100 miles. So, though the Focus Electric may be unloved by Ford, a lower price may see it loved a little more by customers ... [© Green Car Reports] ... http://insideevs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2014-focus-electric-window-sticker.png 2014 Ford Focus Electric window sticker http://www.torquenews.com/1081/ford-slashes-price-2014-focus-ev-counter-abysmal-sales Ford slashes price of 2014 Focus EV to counter abysmal sales By Anthony Faccenda 07/10/2013 [image http://www.torquenews.com/sites/default/files/image-1081/%5Btitle-raw%5D/Focus.jpg ] Ford has announced it will drop the price of the 2014 Ford Focus EV by $4,000, but is it too little, too late? The Ford Focus EV has struggled to gain a share in the electric car market since it was first introduced last year. Ford has increased its presence at its dealerships and instituted numerous incentive programs, but nothing has seemed to help. With this in mind, Ford Motor Co. has decided to drop the price of the struggling electric vehicle by $4,000. The move marks an about-face for the automaker, which previously stated that they would not cut the vehicle’s price tag. “We’re not going to chase down to the lowest price possible — that doesn’t make sense to erode the brand or image of the true value of the product,” said Nancy Giora, Ford’s director of global electrification to The Detroit Times in June. Despite not wanting to “erode” the vehicle’s image, Ford will slash the price of the 2014 Ford Focus EV when it hits dealerships this summer. The vehicle’s new $35,200 base price will still be more expensive that its closest competitor: the Nissan Leaf. In fact, the Leaf EV retails for a whopping $6,000 less than the Focus EV. Owners that do decide to purchase a 2014 Focus EV will also benefit from a $7,500 federal tax credit, which will bring the vehicle’s overall price to $27,700 and $25,200 in California, where there are additional tax incentives in place. Ford’s decision comes roughly six months after Nissan decided to cut the Leaf’s price by 18 percent — a move that has dramatically impacted sales. In fact, Nissan sold 2,225 Leaf vehicles in June, an impressive 315.9 percent increase. Leaf deliveries in the first half of 2013 have already exceeded the sales total from all of last year. To put this in perspective, Ford has sold just 1,416 Focus EVs since it was introduced last summer. Although Ford could experience a slight bump in sales due the price reduction, its decision not to update the 2014 Ford Focus EV will likely hinder any major success. Nissan partnered its price decrease with several vehicle updates — including adding extra cargo room on its base model and a new on-board charger on high-end models. So what accounts for Ford’s lack of enthusiasm when it comes to the Focus EV? “My hunch is they do not want to put a lot of effort into the Focus EV,” said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst at Edmunds.com to The Detroit News. “It’s almost like an obligatory vehicle they have to have for fuel economy and image. Ford’s heart is not in this.” To Krebs’ point, advertising for the Ford Focus EV has been relatively non-existent compared to the automaker’s hybrid lineup. It’s not entirely surprising that Ford would want to center its attention on it hybrid lineup since sales have been incredible this year. In fact, Ford surpassed its previous full-year hybrid sales record set in 2010 in just the first five months of 2013 ... [© 2010-2013 torquenews.com] http://www.hybridcars.com/ford-cuts-2014-focus-electric-price-by-4000/ Ford Cuts 2014 Focus Electric Price By $4,000 by Jeff Cobb July 10, 2013 [image http://www.hybridcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Ford-Focus-Electric-Feature-1213.jpg ] Ford says it will cut $4,000 from its limited-market 2014 Focus Electric when the car is launched this summer. The Focus Electric is based on the regular gas-powered global platform Focus, and this re-examination of the price follows Ford having already cut lease rates for the 2013 model. Base price will now be $35,200 but this still far exceeds Nissan’s entry level S trim Leaf which starts at $28,800 plus destination fee and Nissan sells around 12-times the volume of its Leafs ranging in price up to the mid-30s in all 50 states, If a whole $7,500 federal tax credit can be taken, the 2014 Ford Focus Electric could be netted for $27,700, and in the largest market, California, the net could be $25,200 with an additional $2,500 state incentive factored in. But Ford’s car is well equipped and has liquid cooling for its battery – something Nissan has said is not needed for its battery – and Ford’s Director of Global Electrification, Nancy Gioia told The Detroit News the Focus EV offers its own value and Ford is not going to dip as low just to play price war. We’re not going to chase down to the lowest price possible — that doesn’t make sense to erode the brand image or the true value of the product,” Gioia said. Nor has Ford updated the car at all for 2014, but it’s carrying it forward with the one change being the sticker price. [© hybridcars.com] http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130710/AUTO0102/307100079/1121/auto01/Ford-to-drop-price-of-2014-Focus-EV Ford to drop price of 2014 Focus EV July 10, 2013 ... on its struggling 2014 Focus Electric compact car less than a month after an executive said the automaker would not chase ... http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/07/10/ford-focus-electric-price-chevrolet-volt-nissan-leaf/2506693/ Ford cuts $4000 from Focus electric price July 10, 2013 Ford Motor is slicing $4,000 from the base price of its Focus electric car, beginning with 2014 models that arrive at dealers within a few weeks. That cuts the ... 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