Ford offers solar roof for Focus Electric

Ford has announced they have joined forces with solar panel firm SunPower Corporation to provide owners of the Focus Electric with a rooftop-mounted solar system allowing them to ‘drive green for life’. Similar to the Fisker Karma, the idea of this system is that the renewable energy generated by the panels is enough to offset the grid power used to charge the vehicles batteries.  

Ford director of Global Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure, Mike Tinskey, said  “Under the ‘Drive Green for Life’ program, Focus Electric owners can reduce their total cost of ownership by generating enough energy from their high efficiency SunPower rooftop solar system to offset the electricity required to charge the vehicle at night. It’s an eco-friendly solution that perfectly complements our plug-in products and other green initiatives.”

The system comprises of high-efficiency solar panels that are claimed to generate around 50 percent more electricity than regular solar panels for a total of 3,000 kilowatts a year. Ford says that for a base price of $10,000, the system should accommodate customers who drive about 10,000 miles per month. Its performance can also be tracked online or with an iPhone application.

“By taking advantage of this program, Focus Electric customers can receive the added benefit of installing a SunPower solar system, the highest-efficiency, most reliable on the market today, generating the electricity needed to charge their vehicles,” said Tom Werner, SunPower’s president and CEO.

Ford has also said that the SunPower solar rooftop system will be available on the new C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid EV when it is released in 2012.