After years of bitter disappointment after disappointment (excluding the Ford GT), Ford is starting to do interesting things for its long-suffering consumer-buying public. Here is the latest interesting thing, the all-electric Ford Explorer SUEV, a fusion of German engineering and American styling. I don’t know how you identify “American styling”, but if an object is an instant design hit then it truly is borderless and can not be aligned with any country or culture. And the Explorer SUEV demonstrates Ford using its visionary flair like never before.
So why has Ford decided to do interesting things with their electric car products? I really don’t know, maybe it’s a moment of epiphany. Whatever is motivating Ford to do interesting things I would now consider buying a Ford… albeit the electric Explorer. And get this, I would never consider ever buying a gasoline Ford. Perhaps it’s the fact that the Ford Explorer is based on Volkswagen’s electric vehicle architecture that underpins the ID range of cars.
The partnership between Ford and Volkswagen helps cut costs, however, such automotive partnerships rarely last that long. Indeed automotive partnerships are not about cost savings. Once each party has surreptitiously extracted the other’s IP, the bonhomie partnership is ended after a few years. So, VW provides the electric vehicle platform, and Ford does their best to ensure the Explorer doesn’t look like a VW.
The insertion of “American styling” into the press release is coined to distract you from the VW underpinnings because there is no such thing as American styling. Few details were revealed about the Explorer’s performance, but it’s easy to work out. The battery pack should be around 52kWh and 77kWh which will provide a range of between 280 miles and 325 miles depending on the model trim. Power should equate to between 200bhp and 300bhp. In other words, it will perform like an ID4, which isn’t the most efficient or innovative electric vehicle on the market.
The Explorer’s infotainment system features a movable 14.6‑inch touchscreen that can slide up and down to suit the driver and conceals a private locker storage space for valuables. A compartment for two large smartphones comes with a wireless device charger as standard, the infotainment system provides wireless compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
In addition, the Explorer SUEV will have superfast charging, will feature the latest driver assists and safety tech, oh and has 470-litres of bootspace but no frunk. It will be a Europe-only model and should retail for about 50,000 Euros.
The new Ford Explorer SUEV is due to go on sale in Europe towards the end of July with first deliveries expected by the end of the year.
