2024 Ford Explorer EV revealed for Europe – could it follow the Mustang Mach-E to Oz?

The new 2024 Ford Explorer EV has been unveiled overnight as the second model to apply a familiar badge to a new all-electric offering – following the more polarising decision to affix a Mustang badge to an electric SUV.

As expected, the new electric Ford Explorer is built on Volkswagen's flexible MEB electric architecture, forming part of the growing technology and platform alliance between Ford and VW.

The new Explorer enters Ford's European line-up as a midsize SUV (smaller than the petrol model sold in North America), making it a cross-brand companion to the Volkswagen ID.4 that will reach Australia in the coming year.

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Whether we'll see this new Explorer EV in Australia is unclear – Ford's local division offered no advance comment overnight, so we'll have to wait for the work day to begin before we know more. It's likely, however, that the Mustang Mach E will be the first electric Ford passenger car to reach Australia, given we were invited to drive the car in the US last year.

Ford, for its part, has yet to confirm we'll see the Mustang Mach-E in Oz, but the fact it's sold in New Zealand is another good sign for us – although its availability in NZ is rooted in that nation's advanced emissions requirements.

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Today's reveal of the Explorer EV was presaged in early 2022, when Ford confirmed it would launch seven new electric vehicles into Europe by 2024.

A shadowy teaser picture released at the time shows the Explorer EV as the second model from the left, between the coming Ford Puma EV and a new coupe-shaped electric SUV that will again ride on a VW platform. (The Mustang Mach E sits to the right of that model.)

Ford Europe has confirmed it will shift to an electric-only passenger vehicle lineup by 2030, with commercial vehicles to follow later.

Ford's Australian arm previously confirmed it will introduce five electrified models to its range by 2025, with the E-Transit first among them. An entirely electric line-up is likely much further away.

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Getting technical

The Explorer EV will be manufactured at Ford's factory in Cologne, Germany, on the same production line as the Fiesta hatchback, which was recently retired after a 47-year run.

Technical details for the new electric Explorer are still to be revealed, but reports out of Europe suggest we can expect a 125kW single-motor configuration at the entry level, with a 52kWh battery pack and 351 kilometres of driving range.

A charging speed of 130kW is expected – well below the 230kW figure claimed for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 among others (although such claims are rarely achieved consistently).

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Further into the range will reportedly sit a 170kW single-motor model with a larger 77kWh battery pack and a 539km range.

A hero dual-motor model will, again according to reports only, offer a dual-motor all-wheel-drive arrangement with 250kW and 491km of range (dual-motor models generally offer less range).

Other new features for a Ford model, at least in its European range, will include Assisted Lane Change and Clear Exit Assist, the latter alerting drivers to approaching cyclists when parked. Standard equipment encompasses a driver's massage seat, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, and a hands-free electric tailgate.

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What will the Explorer EV cost?

More details about the Explorer are still to come, including its price when European orders begin later this year. However, we might be able to look to the related Volkswagen ID.4 as a clue.

When it reaches Australia, Volkswagen has said it will be targeting the price of a Tiguan 162TSI R-Line for its up-spec ID.4 model.

That car currently lists for $56,990 before on-road costs. If the ID.4 is that cheap, it’ll undercut almost all its rivals, including the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

Watch for more on the electric Explorer to come in the months ahead.

Below: the current US-built Ford Explorer

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