Focus Electric Test Rides At NAIAS Provide Ford Engineers With Valuable Data

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The "Living Electric" display at the 2011 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) wasn't just an opportunity for visitors to ride in an electric vehicle – it also was a time for Ford engineers to learn more about the all-new Focus Electric.

"This was a win-win situation. While customers were able to learn about how an electric vehicle works and rides, we could pull up data and find out more about the Focus Electric they were in at the very same time," said Shawn Lightner, Ford Global Electrified Products Program Manager. "We thought this would be a perfect opportunity to discover even more about how the cars perform using the data acquisition technology employed on other development vehicles."

An onboard data acquisition system was connected to the car computer, where critical information of what was happening while the vehicle was running or charging could be transmitted. Ford engineers were then able to go online and pull up data via a website to monitor information about the vehicle, while customers were riding in it.

"The Ford engineering team was able to capture and gain insight on how the batteries were performing from charging to depletion, the range the Focus Electric was getting per charge, as well as data on how the car was doing overall," explained Lightner.

At the Living Electric display on the Ford stand, more than 10,000 NAIAS visitors took a ride in a Focus Electric on an elevated track 20 feet high, 208 feet in length, and 71 feet in diameter. Hands-on technology displays, digital tutorials, and conversations with experts also helped people learn how different types of electrified vehicles will fit various lifestyles.