We've long suspected that Ford Motor is so deep into electronics that it's not so much manufacturing cars as it is making transportation apps. The latest word about the Ford Focus electric car does nothing to dissuade us.

Ford says it will unveil the battery-power Focus, going into production late this year, on Friday at the big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, not at the Detroit auto show next week.

The Detroit show, officially the North American International Auto Show, is the most prestigious car show in the U.S. because it gets the most support from automakers and draws the biggest media crowd. Of course, that means automakers have to work oddball angles to stand out among the clamor at the NAIAS. Using the CES is Ford's answer.

Ford, having learned the art of milking better than a dairy farmer, says the CES nugget is only a tease, and more info about the Focus EV is to come. The Focus EV is based on the not-yet-launched 2012 gasoline Focus small car, meaning that Ford didn't have to create a unique (read expen$ive) electric-car chassis.

Focus EV is expected to have a battery range of about 100 miles. That's the same as the Nissan Leaf electric that went on sale last month.

-- James R. Healey/Drive On