Ford Motor Company has teamed up with “The Jay Leno Show” in the United States to provide an all-new battery electric version of the Ford Focus ST five-door for celebrities to drive in the programme’s regular “Green Car Challenge” segment.

Ford has especially made the car for the programme, using an Electric Orange Ford Focus ST five-door as the basis.  It uses the same prototype technology that Ford is developing for its future North American Focus BEV production model in 2011.

At the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford of Europe unveiled its first Focus BEV prototype for the UK Low Carbon Vehicle Initiative, which uses similar technology and which will join a 15-car fleet in 2010 for evaluation in everyday use by drivers and scheme partners.

“Having a Focus ST battery electric vehicle on the new Jay Leno programme in North America is a great way to demonstrate that a BEV can also be fun to drive,” said Ian Porter, Ford of Europe’s powertrain strategy manager. “Beyond the immediate excitement of driving, it demonstrates that Ford is investing in this technology and that we’re committed to electric vehicles.

“The European Ford Focus ST was chosen specifically for the programme, even though the model is not available in the US, because the ST offers both ‘stand out’ styling and dynamic handling,” Ian said. “We were delighted to assist the North American development team by supplying the appropriately coloured Electric Orange five-door.”