Electric Ford Focus will go on auction this year

Ford established the electric Focus at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The car is predictable to go up to 100 miles on an electric charge.

The automaker says the Focus can be fully charged in three to four hours using a 240-volt outlet. That's half the time it receives to charge the Nissan Leaf, a competitor that went on sale last month.

Ford also said its fuel efficiency numbers will be spirited with the Leaf. Late last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated the Leaf would acquire the equivalent of 106 miles per gallon in city driving and 92 miles per gallon on the highway. The EPA determined the figures by approximation it will cost $561 per year in electricity to charge the car.

Ford said the Focus will have a distinctive, Microsoft-designed powering feature that will charge the vehicle throughout off-peak hours, when utility rates are cheapest, to put aside on electric bills. It also contains a touch screen with in order such as the amount of charge left, the distance to the next charging station and the amount of gasoline saved.

Pricing wasn't declared and the Leaf begins at $32,780, except it is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit that drops the price to $25,780.

The electric Focus will be Ford's primary electric car on the market. It started selling an electric version of the Transit Connect van last year. The Chevrolet Volt, an electric car with a small gas engine that takes over if the charge runs out, is the only other electric car on sale in the U.S. right now, however other competitors are planning to bring in electrics soon. In 2012, Toyota plans to start selling an electric RAV4 crossover, Chrysler plans an electric Fiat 500 mini car and Honda will sell an electric version of the Fit subcompact.

Ford said it plans to commence four other electric vehicles in North America and Europe over the next two years. The electric Focus will go on sale in Europe next year.