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I asked Amko Leenart, director of design for Ford Europe, why Ford used VW’s crappy controls in the Explorer and Capri, and he told me that Ford has been working with a partner to improve the response on the sliders (but he didn’t tell me. how), then admits that “we tried to improve a little – and I think we did – but at the same time, it is what it is. VW is our supplier in some parts, and at the moment we had the choice “.
It’s a shame, because these decisions, made on budgets and in meeting rooms, can kill perfectly fine cars. And in the case of the Explorer, this is compounded because it is a good EV, it is quiet on the road, and has a good range and a distinctive and winning exterior.
Courtesy of Ford
Project delays mean the Explorer and Capri missed their window of opportunity and potentially better competitor options landed at just the wrong time for Ford – but focusing on the range above all else, and trying to cut corners in development. time, the game did not pay. And then try to get away with charging almost £54,000 (about $68,500) for the top model, things become even more difficult.
Jim Farley is a smart man, and I’m sure he looked at the Explorer and Capri, and then back to his Xiaomi, and realized that there is a better way for Ford to tackle EVs than by dressing up the platforms of the rivals But then there is the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which requires that by 2025 at least a quarter of new cars sold by UK manufacturers are emission free. Ford needs to sell more EVs and fast. This is a hard circle to square.
I know Ford’s focus is on hybrids right now, but looking at the successes of the F-150 Lightning and the Mach-E, and all the elements to be celebrated in the EU-only Explorer, I hope we see a much more action full-EV from the company in 2025. Do only Ford-made, and accessible to everyone, then of course can not lose.
