Interest in electric cars is growing, but practical concerns remain: survey
The influential nonprofit organization, the Consumer Reports, which publishes guides on everything from cars to TVs, said in a report released on Tuesday, that the electrification of the car is grabbing the attention of more consumers. Company handout

Ford Motors has announced a list of 19 cities, which will receive the first all-electric passenger car Focus Electric that is set to debut in late 2011.

The model will launch in Atlanta (Georgia); Austin and Houston (Texas); Boston (Massachusetts); Chicago (Illinois); Denver (Colorado); Detroit (Michigan); Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego (California); New York; Orlando (Florida); Phoenix and Tucson (Arizona); Portland (Oregon); Raleigh Durham (North Carolina): Richmond (Virginia); Seattle (Washington) and Washington, D.C.

The cities were chosen based on commuting patterns, existing hybrid purchase trends, utility company collaboration and local government commitment to electrification, the car maker said in a statement.

There is a great deal of excitement for the Focus Electric across America and Ford wants to build on this enthusiasm by making our first all electric passenger vehicle available in as many pilot markets as possible, said Mark Fields, President of the Americas, Ford Motor Company.

This is the first step in rolling out the Focus Electric. As the country continues to build up its electric vehicle infrastructure and demand for the Focus Electric grows, Ford will continue to evaluate additional markets and consider making this vehicle available in more cities across the country, Fields added.

Focus Electric, which will debut in late 2011, will be built at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich. Production will occur on the same line as the gasoline version of the Focus, the statement added.

However, the car maker has not revealed the pricing pattern information on Focus Electric. The gasoline-powered Focus, which will make its debut early next year, will have a starting price of $16,995, Ford said last month.

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