DALLAS and DEARBORN, MI – Ford and AT&T have agreed to wirelessly connect the Ford Focus Electric via Ford’s new MyFord Mobile smartphone app. Ford Focus vehicle owners will be able to send and receive data about a car and have access to vehicle settings while away from it.

Through a smartphone app or secure website, MyFord Mobile will allow Focus Electric owners to plan trips, monitor the vehicle’s state of charge, and receive various alerts for vehicle charging.

“With a wireless connection, we’re putting battery charge and vehicle range information, along with an interactive, data-driven trip planning app, directly at the fingertips of our customers,” said Ed Pleet, product and business manager for Ford Connected Services. “This technology will keep drivers connected to vital information, enhancing their electric car ownership experience. The AT&T network is an important part of this equation and we’re pleased to have AT&T on board.”

MyFord Mobile will connect through the AT&T network, allowing the car to communicate off-board through standard wireless technology. From an Internet-connected mobile phone or computer, owners can:

• 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

Features powered by MapQuest available on the MyFord smartphone app:

• Locate charging stations and get the destination sent to the vehicle

• Know if the vehicle can reach a specific charge station from its current location with the current charge level

• Create a journey with multiple stops, and determine the likelihood that the car has adequate charge for the full journey

• Find the car by creating a route from a mobile phone to the vehicle

• 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

Other features the system will provide:

• Engage remote vehicle preconditioning, using grid power to heat or cool the vehicle interior

• Remotely lock/unlock doors

• Use the built-in GPS system to locate the car

• Download performance and system data

• New ways of understanding driver behavior, with ratings from ‘Zen’ to ‘Zippy’

• Receive information personalized to the driver, depending on which key the driver used