I asked Ford of Europe design director Amko Leenart why Ford used VW's woeful controls in both the Explorer and Capri, and he told me that Ford was working with a partner to improve slider response (but wouldn't tell me how), then admitted that “we tried to improve it a little bit – and I think we did – but at the same time it is what it is. VW is our supplier for certain parts and we had to make that choice at the time.”
It's such a shame, because these decisions, made on balance sheets and in conference rooms, could very well kill cars. And in the case of the Explorer, this is made worse because it's a good EV, it's quiet on the road, it has good range and a distinctive, winning exterior.
Thanks to Ford
I understand that the project delays mean that the Explorer and Capri missed their opportunity and that potentially better competitive options ended up at exactly the wrong time for Ford, but by focusing on range above all and trying to cut corners in development to save time, the gamble didn't quite pay off. And then trying to get away with charging almost £54,000 (about $68,500) for the top model makes things even more difficult.
Jim Farley is a smart man, and I'm sure he's looked at the Explorer and Capri, and then his Xiaomi, and realized there's a better way for Ford to tackle electric vehicles than by using the platforms of to dress up rivals. But then there's the UK's Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which requires at least a quarter of new cars sold by UK manufacturers to be zero-emission by 2025. Ford needs to sell more electric cars, and fast. This is a difficult circle to square.
I know the focus at Ford right now is on hybrids, but looking at the successes of the F-150 Lightning and the Mach-E, and all the elements that will be celebrated in the EU-only Explorer, I hope that we will see many more full EV actions from the company in 2025. Just make it made by Ford and accessible to everyone, then it certainly cannot lose.
