Ford Connects With Yahoo Users to Promote Focus EV

NEW YORK – Ford will tap into Yahoo's audience of 170 million online users to jump-start sales of the Focus electric vehicle that goes on sale in the year’s second quarter.

Ten electric Focus cars are being tested by select fleets, and the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, MI, will start shipping retail units to dealers in mid-June, says John Felice, general manager-Ford and Lincoln marketing.

Felice declines to forecast retail deliveries, but says they will eclipse fleet sales. “I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of Focus EV customers are conquest sales.”

The 110 mpg (2.14L /100km) Focus EV will go on sale in Europe next year.

“We project the range to be up to 100 miles (161 km),” Felice tells WardsAuto. Customers whose homes don't have 220V outlets will need up to 18 hours to fully recharge their Focus EVs on standard 110V house current.

Ford is partnering with Yahoo to produce Plugged In, an online reality competition series that will star celebrity guests as part of its Focus EV promotion. Competitions will be staged in Los Angeles; New York; Chicago; Washington; San Francisco; Seattle; Austin, TX; Atlanta; Raleigh, NC; and Boston. These are the key cities in the EV’s rollout.

Two-person teams driving Focus EVs around their cities will complete challenges sent by the celebrities by using video, text and audio clues through the auto maker’s MyFord Touch infotainment system, Yahoo reports on its website. The winning team in each city advances to the finals in Los Angeles for an opportunity to win a Focus EV.

Each segment will last at least 10 minutes, says Erin McPherson, vice president and head of video at Yahoo. She says the Internet portal drew 61 million unique visitors last month to view 21 of the top original online video programs on the Internet.

Felice declines to state how much the collaboration will cost Ford. “It's not $100 million,” he says, noting the plugged-in competition will be exclusively promoted online. He contends the program will be highly targeted and effective in reaching potential Focus EV buyers.

The Ford executive says no plans are in place yet for dealer support in the cities hosting the competitions.