Ford has developed the all-new MyFord Mobile app that lets Focus Electric drivers remain engaged and in control even when away from the vehicle. It’s part of a strategic approach to make Ford electric car ownership simpler and easier.

The unique new MyFord Mobile technology provides Focus Electric owners in North America with a powerful tool to stay connected, monitor and control their vehicle via a smartphone or a secure website. MyFord Mobile allows Focus Electric owners to plan trips, monitor the vehicle’s state of charge, receive various alerts for vehicle charging, as well as provides several other features designed to simplify the electric vehicle ownership experience.

The technology builds on Ford connectivity leadership and is part of a complete suite of tools designed to give Focus Electric vehicle owners peace of mind through constant connectivity, helping strengthen the unique EV ownership experience.

MyFord Mobile uses an on-board wireless module integrated into Focus Electric that allows the car to communicate off-board via standard cellular technology. Owners can use any connected mobile phone with a data plan or computer with Internet access when not operating a vehicle to:

• Find current and projected state of charge information including estimated range and the amount of charge time necessary for additional distances
• Program vehicle charging with utility input, allowing the car to start charging immediately or when electricity prices are lowest with the value charging feature, powered by Microsoft
• Receive alerts if the vehicle isn’t charging when it’s scheduled to, or if charging stops unexpectedly due to a power outage, plug removal or other event
• Receive alerts during recharge when the vehicle has reached a particular preset charge level or has the ability to reach a particular destination
• Engage remote vehicle preconditioning, using grid power to heat or cool the battery and vehicle interior
• Remotely lock/unlock doors
• Use the built-in GPS system to locate the car
• Download performance and system data
• Receive various achievements for driving and ownership milestones that can then be posted to your Facebook or Twitter account
• Fun ways of understanding your driver behavior, with ratings from ‘Zen’ to ‘zippy’
• Receive information personalized to the driver, depending on which key the driver used

Using features powered by MapQuest® MyFord Mobile can also locate charging stations and get the destination sent to the vehicle and know if the vehicle can reach a specific charge station from its current location with the current charge level. It can also create a journey with multiple stops, and determine the likelihood that the car has adequate charge for the full journey and find the car by creating a route from a mobile phone to the vehicle.

At launch, the MyFord Mobile app will be available for most major smartphones, including BlackBerry, Android and iPhone, along with a mobile web application for compatibility with any phone supporting HTML-5 browser-based access, or features phones with WAP 2.0-supported browsers. The feature also is accessible via a secure Ford website.

Owners will use the smartphone to communicate with a cloud-based secure server, which stores information provided by an embedded wireless module in Focus Electric. Using a cloud-based architecture ensures users will have up-to-the-minute access to information anywhere both they and the vehicle have connectivity.

Working with the charge station manufacturers and MapQuest, Ford will provide Focus Electric owners with the most current, comprehensive charging station information in the country. That information is accessed via MyFord Mobile and can then be communicated to Focus Electric using SYNC’s Traffic, Directions and Information Service (TDI) when the vehicle is stationary.

Once SYNC TDI receives a charging station location from MyFord Mobile, turn-by-turn guidance is provided by the in-car map-based Navigation System. In the vehicle, drivers also can get charging station information directly through SYNC TDI simply by connecting to SYNC Services using voice commands.

Additional elements of the ownership experience include a new value charging feature powered by Microsoft that lowers cost of ownership by allowing customers to recharge their vehicles at off-peak or at other reduced rates from their utility through an uncomplicated “set it and forget it” approach.

You can learn more about MyFord Mobile and all SYNC apps by clicking here to visit ford.com.

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