The Ford Focus Electric is really a 5-door hatchback electric car manufactured by Ford. The Focus Electric is Ford's first full production, all-electric passenger vehicle, and production began in December 2011 Deliveries for fleet customers from the United States began in December 2011, and yes it was released to retail customers in May 2012 only in California, New York and New Jersey, in limited numbers, then the other 16 initial markets from the third quarter of 2012. The European release was first slated for late 2012, but was re-scheduled to start out deliveries in August 2013.