Ford Focus, due out late 2011

From Green Right Now Reports

Ford has donated one of its two prototype Electric Ford Focuses to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

But unlike past electric car “retirements” in California, this one marks a beginning, not an end. The Focus Electric is expected to hit the consumer market late this year.

“This donation signifies Ford’s transition from a prototype version of Focus Electric to the real production vehicle,” said Matt VanDyke, Ford director of U.S. Marketing and Communications. “We still believe the Focus Electric prototype can continue to create awareness and excitement for electric vehicles like it did during the Green Car Challenge.”

The Focus donated this week had been fitted for the racetrack, with Recaro seats and a roll cage, to be part of the “Green Car Challenge” on the Jay Leno show, in which celebrities like Drew Barryone, Steve Carell, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sheryl Crow competed to drive the fastest racetrack lap in the car.

Dr. Phil McGraw ended up having the fastest lap of all the celebrities to drive the vehicle. (He was psychologically prepared for the race?)

The Focus Electric will be Ford’s first zero-emissions car on the market. It will be sold in North America and Europe. The range on the vehicle? More than the Volt. The price? TBA.