Ford 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.
The carmaker made the car especially 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 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.”
Focus ST BEV meets the stars
The Focus appearing on "The Jay Leno Show" is a one-of-a-kind vehicle, based on the five-door production Focus ST and modified into a battery electric vehicle (BEV) as part of Ford's global BEV test fleet. The Focus ST BEV features many of the same systems that Ford will begin selling to consumers in an all-new electric Ford Focus, scheduled to go on sale in North America in 2011.
Actress Drew Barrymore is the first celebrity guest to accept the show's "Green Car Challenge". Celebrity guests will set a lap time thatfuture guests will try to beat. The "Green Car Challenge" will be a regular feature on "The Jay Leno Show".
The "Green Car Challenge" vehicle started life as a European production Focus ST delivered to Ford's world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, where engineers removed the engine and fuel tank and installed an entire electric powertrain – all in six weeks. With Recaro racing seats, a full roll cage and a five-point racing harness, the battery electric Focus ST is ready for the challenge.
Thanks in part to the battery placement, the Focus ST BEV has a near ideal 50/50 weight distribution for improved handling on the track. The front springs and dampers have been taken from the high performance Focus RS road car. The rear dampers and springs are unique to Jay Leno's Focus ST BEV.
The car is specifically tuned to perform on the track built alongside "The Jay Leno Show" studio at NBC in Los Angeles. To help optimise performance, Ford created a similar track at their proving ground in Michigan.
The Ford Focus ST BEV has a range of nearly 80 miles and peak power of 141hp (105 kilowatts).
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