http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/25/f...ve-incentives/

The Detroit News reports Ford is having real trouble moving its new Focus Electric. As a result, the automaker is offering substantial incentives in an attempt to lure in more buyers. How substantial? Try $10,750 off of a three-year lease. What's more, the EV can now be had for $37,995 ($2,000 less than its original base price) on top of an additional $2,000 cash discount to buy the EV outright – or you can opt for 1.9-percent financing if you work through Ford Motor Credit. None of which factors in various potential government incentives. Last year, Ford managed to sell a paltry 685 of the 1,627 Focus EV hatchbacks it built.

 

Probably because the C-Max is a better deal and the Leaf has just had a price cut. Have yet to see one of these on the road vs. the number of C-Maxes out there.

 

I think the main problem is - it's a Focus.

People who buy electric cars don't buy them to "save on the gas", they buy them to be seen as somebody who cares about the planet.

And this $40,000 electric Focus looks just like any other $15,000 Focus hatchback. People don't wanna for a $40,000 car to look like a $15,000 car.

I think Ford needs to build a specific electric car (not electric version of already existing car).

 

There's a good chance we'll see an all-electric C-Max supplant or replace the Focus Electric down the road, but they won't do a Ford Leaf or anything like that.

 

Too bad ... since that strategy is working really well with the C-Max (over 13,000 were sold in the past 3 months).

 

I would think all the manufacturers would be watching and learning from Chevy's debacle with the Volt...

 

I don't think Volt did that bad (23,461 were sold in 2012 in the USA).

 

the problem with the volt is that is a loss every time they sell one. If GM wasnt being held up by big brother no one would buy a volt because of the real cost.

 

A lot of cars are being built simply to improve company's reputation.

Volkswagen is losing a huge amounts of money on every Volkswagen Phaeton and Bugatti Veyron sold, but they're still building them.

 

That is fine for a company that can stand on its own, financially. At this point, the Volt is a losing proposition for GM regardless of how the sales figures, bolstered by HUGE incentives on leases, are spun.

 

I'm not one bit surprised that Ford would have to do this. I was shocked when the prices were released for the eFocus, one would think that by using an existing platform the price would be that high!