Latest Cars
Ford Launches A VW Based Explorer EV For The European Market
Ford has just unveiled a new electric crossover SUV in the guise of the Explorer EV which is smaller than the 3-row version we are familiar with and it will be manufactured in Germany.
Instead of spinning the Explorer from the Mach-E platform, Ford created its newest SUV by collaborating with Volkswagen. Underneath that square-jawed exterior, there’s a VW ID.4’s MEB platform.
It looks nothing like its American counterpart as it spots a modern-looking grille-less face, a relatively low-slung but still boxy shape, and interesting details including a slatted design element on the C-pillar and chunky wheel patterns.
Inside, the Ford Explorer Electric features a modern design, with the main highlight being the portrait-style 15-inch Ford Sync Move center touchscreen that can be smoothly raised and lowered through an arc of more than 30 degrees. When the screen is in its lowest position, it can also conceal the My Private Locker storage area on the center console.
The Explorer EV also features a 5.0-inch floating digital instrument display that offers driving data, battery charge levels, and driver assistance status.
Nobody knows the powertrain specs on the Explorer yet, either, but it is rumored to have similarly sized battery packs as the Volkswagen ID.4, which offers 58.0-kWh and 77.0-kWh battery packs. Ford says it will offer rear- and all-wheel drive versions, so it is expected outputs will range from under 200 hp for the base version up to over 300 hp for the top models.
The Explorer EV will become the first Ford in Europe to offer automated lane changes with the available Lane Centering tech-enhanced with Assisted Lane Change. Other ADAS features include Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go functionality, Pre-Collision Assist, Cross Traffic Alert with Active Braking, Active Park Assist 2.0, and more.
