Ford’s first Volkswagen-based electric car is called Explorer

The Ford Explorer has been reborn with a smaller body, electric-only powertrain and distinct European accents.

The new Euro Explorer is the first of two confirmed cars from the Blue Oval based on the all-electric Volkswagen MEB architecture. The other is a “coupe” version, rumored to be called the Explorer Sport.

Production of Explorer EV will take place in Cologne, Germany, formerly home of festival. It’s unclear if Explorer Europe will be sold outside of the region.

At 4460mm long, the Explorer EV is shorter than the related Volkswagen ID.4 crossover (4584mm), but longer than the tall Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback (4262mm). It’s also shorter than Ford’s Escape/Kuga, just 4.6m longer.

Unlike ID.4, which is dominated by round, organic shapes, Explorer is a softer looking box with rounded corners and surfaces.

The overall shape is intended to evoke a true off-road vehicle, while design details, such as the shape of the headlights and taillights very similar to the full-size petrol Explorer will continue in the US.

Both the car’s name and its styling reflect a deliberate attempt to tap into the company’s American heritage and give the brand a unique position in the European market.

Initially, the Explorer EV will be offered with two single engines. rear-wheel drive optional with either 125kW or 210kW available.

The top spec model will have two motors all-wheel drive set with combined output of 250kW And 545Nm. That’s more than any current production car based on the MEB architecture and possibly the same system for Volkswagen ID.Buzz GTX moving person.

Acceleration time from 0-100 km / h under 6.0 seconds is promised for the most powerful Explorer EV variant.

The battery capacity is yet to be revealed, but many are predicting that 52kWh and 77kWh units will be used. Ford says the most efficient variant will have a WLTP driving range of 509 km between charges. DC charging speed will probably reach a maximum of 170kW.

Like other MEB-based vehicles, the Explorer EV doesn’t have a “front trunk” or any kind of storage compartment under the bonnet. Even so, Ford claims flat floors and the all-electric architecture means interior space is on par with larger cars with internal combustion engines.

Trunk space is said to be 450L when the rear seats are raised and 1400L when the rear seats are folded down. The trunk includes a “secret” loading area under the floor. A 17L “megaconsole” sits between the two front seats and can swallow a laptop comfortably.

Just like the exterior, the interior has a radically different design than its Volkswagen cousins, although the gauge cluster – with its completely small digital display – appears to be the same instrument with on many MEB vehicles.

There are also capacitive buttons on the steering wheel and capacitive volume controls under the touchscreen.

Ford is hoping the large, vertically oriented 14.7-inch touchscreen, dubbed Sync Move, will entice tech-savvy customers to try the Explorer. It can be electrically set upright or reclined 30 degrees for easier operation when one’s arm rests on the armrest.

The display also has a fixed climate control strip at the bottom of the display, which fixes one of the main flaws of the Volkswagen Group’s recent EV products.

Other available features include front-seat massagers, lane-changing assist, keyless entry, a hands-free tailgate, and a warning to prevent doors from opening into the cyclist’s path.

Prices for Euro Explorer will start from under €45,000 ($72,800) in some markets, though initial production will focus on more expensive variants and prices for those have yet to be revealed.

When the base model is available, the new Explorer will be significantly less than the €62,900 ($102,000) starting price for Mustang Mach-E in Germany and almost half the price of the current Explorer Plug-in Hybrid of €86,490 ($140,000).

For a further perspective, the Ford Kuga is 100 mm longer but perhaps less spacious – called Escape in Australia — starting at €36,250 ($58,700) in Germany.

As for its platform friend, ID.4, prices in Germany start at €46,335 ($75,000).

Despite bearing the famous Explorer badge, the new Volkswagen-based model is completely unrelated to the US-focused model.

The American Explorer is 5.05 meters long and is available with turbocharged four and six-cylinder V6 engines. With midsize and large crossovers dominating the US market, its future seems assured.

A plug-in hybrid version of the US Explorer is currently on sale in Europe, but has not been a huge sales success and it will be withdrawn from the market before Explorer EV deliveries begin in early 2024.