Inspired by Nature, Focus Electric Gains New Outrageous Green for 2018

• New Outrageous Green Metallic paint hue for the 2018 Ford Focus Electric is inspired by nature and renewal, fueled by research and trend insights from Ford’s color and design materials team, and validated by Pantone’s 2017 Color of the Year, Greenery
• Ford team predicts color trends two to three years into the future, drawing inspiration from everywhere for colors customers want to see
• Ford research shows color choice is highly personal; 35 percent to 40 percent of customers will walk away from a vehicle or brand if they cannot get the color they want

DEARBORN, Mich., March 17, 2017 – In celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day and in line with Pantone’s 2017 Color of the Year, Greenery, Ford introduces its new Outrageous Green Metallic tinted color for the 2018 Focus Electric.

For Ford’s color and materials design team, inspiration is everywhere. Thinking about the visual and tactile elements that will help define future vehicles, Barb Whalen, Ford color and materials design manager, and her team tap into everyday experiences to predict future trends to deliver a vibrant and diverse pallet for customers.

“Designers are encouraged to experience a feeling, bring it to the team, then collectively brainstorm ways to bring it to life through a paint color or material for Ford vehicles,” says Whalen. “Outrageous Green Metallic is a unique shade, symbolizing modern renewal and a reconnection with nature, then finished with a special tinted clear coat to give the color depth and vibrancy.”

Challenged to think about the “why,” the Ford color and materials team works to answer why a particular color is important, why now, and why this color as opposed to another. Many colors seen today were inspired from beautiful places in nature, with trends often predicted two to three years into the future,

These trends can be influenced by everything from changing lifestyles, psychological and societal emotions, to consumer hobbies and passionate interests. Unusual sports gear, ropes, anodized finishes, plastics gear and accent fabrics provide inspiration for Ford vehicle exteriors and interiors. The social and political environment and conversations about material ethics (biomaterials) also influence forecasting trends and help to predict the color and material choices Ford makes for tomorrow.

Ford has a legacy of “going green” with its paint colors, offering Highland Green, Squeeze Green, Ultimate Green, Gotta Have It Green and now Outrageous Green Metallic.

Batteries included

The 2017 Ford Focus Electric has an EPA-estimated driving range of 115 miles, up from 76 miles on the 2016 model. It has an EPA-estimated rating of 118 city/96 hwy/107 combined MPGe. Actual mileage will vary. MPGe is the EPA equivalent measure of gasoline fuel efficiency for electric mode operation.

Ford Focus Electric comes standard with all-new DC fast-charge, capable of delivering 75 miles of range in 30 minutes when using a charger capable of delivering 150 amps. The 2017 Ford Focus Electric charge port is also capable of charging on 120-volt and 240-volt.

The car’s battery has 33.5 kilowatt-hours of installed energy – an increase of more than 40 percent compared to 2016, with no increase in the size of the battery.