Alex Kiritz
Well-known member
Please don't. A few months ago I was of the opinion that the Focus electric was going to be a better car than the Nissan Leaf (slightly longer range, greater efficiency and luxury features), but after hearing reviews it sounds like a horrible car. First off, the drive train was designed by a Canadian company as an all around conversion platform. It was not specifically designed for the Focus. They designed battery packs that could fit into the space vacated by a car's gas tank and other systems that could fit into the spaces vacated by a normal car's systems. There isn't enough room for a pack in the gas tank area so the rest of the batteries are placed in the trunk giving it a very high center of gravity and a small trunk. The worst part is that people who have driven it are reporting erratic driving behavior like weird throttle response. It also has a lower top speed than the leaf (85 vs 94 mph) and no quick charging ability.
My advice is to never buy a car with electric in the name. You'll get a car that isn't designed well and pay more for the extra parts the manufacturer threw out when converting it to be electric. If you want a great electric car get the 2013 Nissan Leaf.
