10 Hot Cars You Can’t Have Yet

2012 Ford Focus Electric

Set to debut in late 2011, “This is the car that Ford is introducing to compete with the Nissan Leaf,” Romans says.

According to Ford, the Focus, which will run on power from a high-voltage lithium-ion battery system, and will have a mileage-equivalency rating that's 1 mpg better than the Chevrolet Volt. Its lithium-ion battery pack can also be charged in half the time it takes to recharge the Nissan Leaf.

The car will come with a 120-volt "convenience cord" for charging at any standard outlet, and a 240-volt wall-mounted home charging station that charges the car in three to four hours will be available for purchase at an extra cost. The car is also being packaged with an advanced technology system that helps drivers monitor their energy consumption and mileage closely.

The MSRP for the new Focus has not been released, but the Leaf, its major competitor, currently sells for around $33,000.

You can find out more about the costs of electric cars on MainStreet.