Ford to Group Electrified-Vehicle Sales

DEARBORN, MI – Ford is taking a different approach to tracking sales of its electrified-vehicles by grouping them together, rather than as individual models.

Chad D’Arcy, Focus Electric marketing manager, says the fact the Focus EV has sold just eight units since it went on sale in May, according to WardsAuto data, is no cause for concern to the auto maker, citing the new tracking approach.

“We’re not focusing on individual vehicles,” he tells WardsAuto at a media event here. “So for the Focus EV, we’re not as concerned in terms of a total monthly number.”

The Focus EV is being bunched with the hybrid Fusion sedan and additional electrified vehicles in the Ford pipeline for later in the year, including the ’13 Fusion hybrid and plug-in hybrid and the C-Max hybrid and plug-in.

Ford currently reports electrified-vehicle sales on an individual model basis and will continue to do so as new models roll out. The new internal tracking plan, which is designed to evaluate the electrified-vehicle market strategy overall, likely will take effect this fall when the new Fusion and C-Max electrified vehicles launch.

The strategy makes sense from a powertrain point of view, as all four vehicles – the Fusion hybrid and PHEV and C-Max hybrid and PHEV – share Ford’s all-new 2.0L Atkinson-cycle 4-cyl. engine that is mated to a lithium-ion battery.

The Focus EV’s poor sales showing doesn’t reflect a lack of consumer demand, D’Arcy claims. Rather, the electric car is being rolled out slowly, initially to fleet customers, followed by retail buyers.

Plus, the EV only is available three states – New York, New Jersey and California – with a countrywide rollout planned by year’s end.

Due to the slow rollout of the Focus EV, as well as EVs offered by other auto makers, Ford’s strategy of reporting its electrified vehicle lineup as a group makes is not unusual, says David Cole, Chairman Emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, MI.

“It is important to not put too much emphasis on EV sales now since they are and will be for some time very low,” he tells WardsAuto. “We generally should forget about (these) sales until the economics work. Ford is doing the right thing since the other Focus (models) are the real bread and butter for that line.”

Once the Focus EV pipeline fills, D’Arcy likes the model’s chances against its main competitor, the Nissan Leaf EV. With its $39,200 sticker, the Focus EV costs more than the Leaf, priced at $32,780. But D’Arcy argues the Focus is a superior product.

“We have best-in-class charge time with 240V and best-in-class MPGe,” he says. “The (car) looks and drives like a very dynamic vehicle, and a lot of people like its more dynamics exterior styling.”

The Focus EV has an MPGe rating of 76, compared with the Leaf’s 73, and can be fully charged in four hour vs. seven hours for the Leaf.

While the Focus EV still is in the early stages of its rollout, the Leaf, which went on sale in late 2010, is seeing sales stumble. Through June, Leaf sales were down 19.8% compared with year-ago to 3,148 units, according to WardsAuto data.

“We don’t feel a need for the Focus EV to exactly duplicate or beat what the Nissan Leaf does,” D’Arcy says. “It’s all about spreading our customers across all of these types of (electrified) vehicles.”

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