The Electric Explorer’s nightmare launch shows everything Ford got right and wrong about electric vehicles
I asked Amko Leenart, Ford of Europe’s design director, about why Ford used VW’s lousy controls on both the Explorer and Capri, and he told me that Ford worked with a partner. to improve response on sliders (but don’t tell me). like), then admits that “we tried to improve it a little bit—and I think we did—but at the same time, it’s still the same. VW was our supplier for certain parts and at the time we had to make that choice.”
It’s a shame that these decisions, made on balance sheets and in boardrooms, can kill otherwise perfect cars. And in the case of the Explorer, it’s even more complicated because it’s a good electric car, rides smoothly on the road, has good range and a striking, striking exterior.
Courtesy of Ford
I understand that project delays meant the Explorer and Capri missed out, and that potentially better competitor options came at the wrong time for Ford — but by focusing on range operations above all else, and by trying to cut down on the development steps in time, the gamble didn’t pay off. And when trying to escape the nearly £54,000 (about $68,500) price tag for the top-of-the-line model, things get even more difficult.
Jim Farley is a smart guy, and I’m sure he looked at the Explorer and Capri, then looked back at his Xiaomi and realized that there’s a better way for Ford to solve the electric vehicle problem than to innovate. advance your opponent’s platform. But then there’s the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicles regulations, which require it by at least 2025 a quarter of new cars sold by UK manufacturers are emissions-free. Ford needs to sell more electric cars and faster. This is a circle that is difficult to make square.
I know Ford is focusing on hybrids at the moment, but looking at the successes of the F-150 Lightning and Mach-E as well as all the elements glorified in the EU-only Explorer, I hope we will see a lot more all-electric action from the company by 2025. Just make it made by Ford and accessible to everyone—it’s certainly a no-brainer.
