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Your support makes all the difference.Ford has unveiled more details about the green components used in its new Ford Focus as it tries to build buzz ahead of the car's launch later this year.
The Detroit giant's first mainstream electric vehicle will not only be emission-free, Ford said January 19, it will also be constructed of recycled and renewable materials.
These will include seat cushions shaped from up to eight percent soy-based content and door panels stuffed with Lignotock, a lightweight wood-based material which Ford says provides better sound insulation compared to the conventional glass-reinforced plastics used.
These additions, along with the use of recycled household items such as pop bottles and milk jugs in everything from the carpets to the wheel arches, are likely to prove popular with early adopters of the Focus, for whom environmental concerns are a key purchase driver.
A survey released this month by IBM suggested that sustainability concerns were the second most common reason stated by US consumers for buying an EV - after "higher oil prices," which was in first place.
However, it also suggested that consumers could balk at some of the costs associated with fitting their home with the right electrics to support green vehicles, finding that only 13 percent of drivers would pay more than $1,000 to make the recommended modifications.
This means that the Ford Focus's new charging unit may have to fall in price by up to a third from its predicted price (including installation) of $1,499, even if the casing is made of 60 percent recycled materials.
Still, the news is worse for Nissan and Chevrolet - the chargers for the Leaf and the Volt retail with installation at around $2,200 and $2,000 respectively.
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