Presentation of Ford E-Portfolio & Explorer: Cologne is ready for the transformation

No question, Ford has experienced happier times. Right in the middle of the transformation, a massive gap in the volume segment has emerged, left by the discontinuation of the Fiesta, Focus, and Mondeo. The all-electric MEB cooperation EV Explorer and its SUV coupe counterpart, Capri, couldn't fill this gap quickly enough. This was mainly because the intention was to install the new MEB drive in the Explorer, which means the more efficient and significantly higher-performing setup with a 77-kWh NMC battery and the APP550 rear motor. This availability dilemma led to a significant market share reduction for the passenger car segment. A bright spot: Commercial vehicles with the oval emblem are selling "like hotcakes," with the state-of-the-art lineup recently capturing almost 20 percent of the German market. And it is now completely electrified: At the IAA Transportation, alongside the E-Transit, the important and clever Transit Courier BEV and the Transit Custom electric version, the Connect as a "long-winded PHEV," and the Ranger PHEV made their debut. All are based on multi-energy platforms, allowing a quick response to the highly "volatile" demand in light of the unfortunate combustion engine debate, as stated from Cologne.

This applies to passenger cars only to a limited extent: The Explorer and its fastback brother Capri are great electric cars but are also a bold bet on a soon-to-rise BEV demand. The Cologne plant was extensively and lavishly revamped for two billion U.S. dollars to run on "electric" and is now grandly named the Ford Cologne Electric Vehicle Center, a central component of the "Road to better" plan, with which Ford aims for CO₂ neutrality in production, logistics, and direct suppliers by 2035 in Europe.

In short: The shot must hit the target. In the short term, the Kuga, particularly popular as a PHEV, still serves as a "double" floor along with the Puma, which is also very popular and continues to rely on a multi-drive platform in the new generation. In the direct comparison of Explorer and Kuga, one has to note: Even if the Kuga is a good car in the old combustion world and a fine builder of bridges, once you are at the wheel of the Explorer, it feels like a new world. 
 

Compared to the Kuga PHEV, the Explorer feels like the future

No more humming, no nervous revving at higher power demands, no rubber-band feeling with the CVT transmission, the electric power of 210 kW and 545 Nm in the rear-wheel-drive is seamlessly and instinctively available, which is more than sufficient. The all-wheel drive with the additional front E-motor and 250 kW system power will be of real use mainly for alpine users. Even in Eco mode, which can always be overridden by kickdown, it moves faster than at full throttle in the Kuga, which with its 2.5-liter Atkinson petrol engine, CVT transmission, and supportive E-motor (200 Nm) appears sluggish; perhaps only the exotic sports car Mustang can keep up: It shoots to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds, for statisticians. In the AWD version, it's only 5.3 seconds. It sensibly tops out at 180 km/h, which shouldn’t be pushed too long considering energy consumption.

The handling is so solid and secure with the precise steering and the super stiff, squeak-free body made in one piece, you zoom through the corners, decelerate adequately in B-mode using only the accelerator pedal, and everything runs so quietly and smoothly, the chassis achieves the "perfect match" of tautness and comfort, making exploring the Frankfurt area delightful. And beyond: The onboard computer consumption, thankfully displayed in the small central cluster, of 17.7 kWh/100 on the 44-kilometer city-country-highway round trip, could certainly decrease if you consider the recent top values of an MEB equivalent like the Skoda Enyaq, which can sometimes go down to 15 kWh/100 km. But one can live with it and aim for a range of 500 kilometers (WLTP 555 km). Until it's time to head to the charging station, where, thanks to the 135 kW DC charger, one can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 28 minutes. If you get lost in a cul-de-sac during your excursions: No problem, the turning circle of ten meters lets you turn around completely sweat-free.

The More Compact ID.4

Compared to the VW ID.4, the Ford, which is also twelve centimeters shorter, appears more compact, handy, and agile - an uncomplicated everyday and leisure vehicle. And compared to the Kuga PHEV, it simply travels emission-free, while the hybrid can only manage up to 69 kilometers purely electrically and consumes 5.3 to 6.1 l/100 km of "fossil" fuel when the battery is empty, which should not be overlooked in running costs. Both vehicles offer a similar level of driver assistance, which is at Level 2 of automated driving and provides increasingly higher regulation quality. In the Explorer, this is technically identical to the VW platform, thoroughly developed and usually helpful. This includes, for example, the intelligent adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go and electronic exit warning, optionally lane change assistant, 360-degree camera, or head-up display.

There are also no obstacles to larger "explorations," as the Explorer, which is 4.46 meters long and therefore 15 centimeters shorter than the Kuga, offers at least as much space in its light and cooler rather than cozy designed interior. In the rear, there is decent legroom, the completely flat floor is a plus compared to the "tunneled" Kuga rear, which is blessed with a sliding bench, and the trunk officially offers 450 liters of volume. These are well usable, as there is a double floor and a large hatch, with a "par" situation between the equally spacious PHEV-Kuga and the BEV-Explorer.