Explorer arrives late - but 'better'

Fordhas used enforced half-year delay to upgrade new EV, which now goes 374 miles

- FELIX PAGE

The new Ford Explorer EV has finally gone on sale in Europe, more than a year after its unveiling, priced from less than £40,000 and with a range of up to 374 miles.

The SUV is around half a year late due to the onset of a new UN battery certification, in light of which Ford chose to source a new power pack and re-engineer the car to accommodate it.

As a result, the firm's factory in Cologne, Germany - where the Explorer will be built - has been dormant since the Fiesta ended production there in July.

Martin Sander, who leads Ford's Model E electrification division in Europe, said the delay has allowed the company to further refine the Explorer and ultimately bring to market a more competitive car.

The Explorer "is a better vehicle now than we would have launched half a year ago", he told Autocar. "We've used the additional time we had to get everything nailed down, to make sure that we're delivering a perfect vehicle to our customers."