Ford and Yahoo! have announced a new reality competition series that will promote the launch of Ford’s new EV, the Focus Electric. The show will be broadcast on Yahoo! Screen (screen.yahoo.com), and will begin in May, coinciding with the Focus Electric’s launch in several US cities. Each episode will feature two-person teams competing to win one of the new plug-in Fords.

“Ford is launching the Focus Electric on Yahoo!, once again recognizing the power and reach of the Web as we continue to rely more on digital media,” says Ford’s Matt VanDyke. “The electric vehicle market will grow over time, so we electrified our popular small-car platform with a targeted online campaign instead of creating a one-off vehicle with huge ad budgets.”

The car itself will play a prominent role in the competition. Teams will use its SYNC feature to receive video, text and audio clues for the contest, and its navigation capabilities to find “best of” locations in each city. The show’s locations include the usual early-adopting metro areas – New York, LA, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle and Austin, Texas. By the end of 2012, the Focus Electric will be available in 19 US markets.

“Innovative brands like Ford are playing a key role in the growth of online video, especially when the approach starts with the creative elements and storytelling. When the product integration is truly organic, as it is here, the overall consumer experience is enhanced,” said Erin McPherson of Yahoo!

Image: Ford