I asked Amko Leenart, Ford Europe’s design director, why Ford used VW’s woeful controls in both the Explorer and Capri, and he told me that Ford had worked with a partner to improve the responsiveness of the sliders (wanted it but don’t tell me). Wie) then admitted that “we tried to improve it a little – and I think we succeeded – but at the same time it is what it is.” VW is our supplier for certain parts, and at the time they had to we make this decision.”
It’s such a shame because these decisions, made on balance sheets and in meeting rooms, can destroy perfectly good cars. And in the case of the Explorer, this is reinforced by the fact that it is a good electric vehicle, is quiet on the road, has good range and a distinctive, winning exterior.
Courtesy of Ford
I understand that the delays to the project mean that the Explorer and Capri have missed their window and that better competitive options for Ford may have landed at just the wrong time – but by focusing on range above all else and by trying to over time, the risk didn’t quite pay off. And then when you try to charge almost £54,000 (about $68,500) for the top-of-the-line model, things get even harder.
Jim Farley is a smart man and I’m sure he looked at the Explorer and the Capri and then again at his Xiaomi and realized that there was a better way for Ford to approach electric vehicles than using competitors’ platforms beautify. But then there is the UK mandate for zero-emission vehicles, which requires this to happen at least by 2025 a quarter of new cars The products sold by British manufacturers are emission-free. Ford needs to sell more electric vehicles quickly. It’s difficult to square this circle.
I know Ford’s current focus is on hybrids, but looking at the successes of the F-150 Lightning and Mach-E, as well as all the elements to be celebrated in the EU-only Explorer, I hope that we will see a lot more full electric vehicles in 2025. Make it easy for Ford and accessible to everyone – then it can’t be lost.
