(Elbil24): Finally something new comes from Ford about their long-awaited SUV, the new fully electric Ford Explorer. Besides the electric vans, and the somewhat special F-150 Lightning pick-up, this will be their second electric car in the current portfolio, together with the Mustang Mach-E.
Now Ford has opened the door for ordering the car, and the configurator on their website is in place.
Currently, it is the Extended Range, the model with the largest battery, that can be ordered. You can also choose whether you want it with only rear-wheel drive, or with four-wheel drive. It is then with Ford, as with all other electric cars, that the two-wheel drive has less weight, is more efficient, and thus also has the longest range. The version with the longest range will cover a total of 602 kilometres. If you put four-wheel drive on the same model, the range is reduced to 566 kilometres.
Familiar building blocks
It is no secret that the new Explorer is built on the MEB platform of the VW group, and that batteries, engines and other components are the same as those found in the VW ID.4 and ID.5, among others. The Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4 e-tron are other examples.
Thus we also recognize the battery of 77 kWh usable capacity, and we recognize the engine that produces 286 horsepower on the rear axle. If you buy the front-wheel-drive version, the front and rear engines produce a combined 340 horsepower. Incidentally, the four-wheel-drive version is stated to have 79 kWh, without us seeing which battery from the MEB platform they have used here.
The biggest tire test of the year: two sixes!
In any case, this is enough to make the sprint to 100 km/h away in 6.4 seconds for the rear-wheel drive, and 5.3 seconds for the four-wheel drive version.
As the battery on these two is virtually identical, we also recognize the charging effects. But here there is a slight difference, because while the rear-wheel drive is set up with a charging power of 135 kW, the four-wheel drive is set up with 185 kW as maximum charging power.
From this, we can interpret that the rear-wheel drive version has the now discontinued software from VW in the BMS, while the four-wheel drive has received the upgraded package, as these specifications indicate outgoing and incoming technology from the VW group.
This also results in the charging speed on the four-wheel drive being somewhat shorter than on the two-wheel drive, with 26 minutes and 28 minutes respectively, from 10-80 per cent.
A “touch” from Ford
In other words, it is in the bodywork and interior that you will find Ford’s own product, in addition to the infotainment system. Here, everything is made by Ford from scratch, and there is no disadvantage at all.
Elbil24 was already a couple of years ago and saw the car for the first time, during a secret screening together with other upcoming electric cars from Ford. And one thing Ford must have. It is that they have breathed a little extra life into the car, set it up against the competition.
Practicality is also in place, because you have 445 liters of luggage space to fill up to the top of the seat back. Fully up, it will hold 531 litres, before you start to fold down the rear seatbacks. Then you will eventually have 1417 liters to fill, before it is full.
The platform is made in a way that leaves no room for frunk. Not at Audi, Skoda, VW, or here at Ford. But if you don’t have enough space inside, the Ford Explorer can also tow up to 1,200 kg on the four-wheel drive version, compared to 1,000 kg with two-wheel drive.
The prices are clear
When Ford now starts accepting orders, it will be with a starting price of NOK 449,000. Add NOK 29,000, and you get four-wheel drive and higher charging power in the bargain. In addition, you get the battery with 2 kWh extra capacity, according to Ford Motor Norway. The price thus starts at 478,000 for the four-wheel drive.
If you have a budget of a maximum of 400,000, then there are still opportunities, because Ford reports that in the fourth quarter it will be opened for ordering the Standard Range edition. This gets a smaller battery of 58 kWh, if we have to guess, and with rear-wheel drive you will then be able to get this for NOK 399,000, before you have added the equipment you want.
Here you quickly save DKK 2,000
Now it must be said that the cars come well equipped, but we have not yet received clarity as to whether Ford on the cheapest models intends to do like Ford in Germany, to sell the cars with a heat pump as an accessory. Then we quickly talk about another NOK 10,000.
An important detail that saves you thousands of pounds is that Ford supplies the cars with free servicing for the first five years. Depending on which other brands you compare it to, this amounts to a significant sum.
All in all, we have to say that the Ford Explorer is a breath of fresh air, and if it had arrived when Ford first started talking about it, it would really have been able to pack a punch. Now the selection is larger, the price competition is fiercer, and sales are not exactly booming overall. But that will change, and then Ford will also be ready with a fully electric SUV.