Ford had big plans for the roll out of its 2013 Ford Focus Electric, which had been set to launch in 19 markets by the end of 2011. Instead, Ford will introduce the car in just the New York and California markets by the end of the year. The automaker didn’t elaborate, but limiting the release is a better way to monitor customer satisfaction and product issues than undergoing a simultaneous launch in 19 cities. Perhaps Ford is also testing the waters for EV demand, since sales of both the Chevrolet Volt->ke2721 and the Nissan Leaf->ke3484 have thus far failed to live up to the pre-launch hype.

The remainder of the original Focus Electric launch markets, located from coast to coast, have been told to expect the car to launch next spring. We suppose that depends upon the success of the Focus Electric launches in California and New York, as well as the overall consumer interest in the car. Like the Nissan Leaf, the Ford Focus Electric is a battery powered EV with no range extending generator (like the Chevy Volt->ke2721 or the Fisker Karma). It features a 23 kwh, temperature-stabilized lithium-ion battery pack that should provide a range of up to 100 miles, making it range-competitive with the Leaf. Ford has yet to release pricing, but we expect the Focus Electric to be priced on par with the Leaf.

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