The Ford Explorer EV Is A Volkswagen & It’s So Good America Should Get It! Full Tour & First Drive

[Biker16]

 

 

 

[rmc523]

Long video.  Sounds like he liked the car enough.

 

I think it's probably too small for here.  I've said quite a few times, I don't think the VW-based models are long for this world (1 and done generation), so I definitely don't see any path to bringing it here, but it seems like a good product for Europe as a stopgap.

 

I still don't like the use of the Explorer name - had they done a "sub" name - i.e. Explorer "Sport" or something like that, it'd have made more sense.

 

It's also dumb that they retained the two window switches for 4 windows thing.

Edited November 4 by rmc523

[Rick73]

Like the blue color in video.  👍

 

Size seems large enough to me, which is very close in length and height to a first-generation Honda CR-V I owned years ago; except this Explorer is much wider and interior appears much roomier.  With rear seat folded the cargo area is much longer also.  Reviewer at 5’-9” could lay down which isn’t bad for a vehicle only 176” long.  Other videos conclude the same thing though — it’s good but not great in any one area.

[Sherminator98]

Its nothing more then a VW ID.4 with some changes. So if you want one bad enough, just get the VW. 

[Biker16]

I hate that they used the Explorer name for this product. I also hate that they used the Mustang name for the Mach E, and the Capri name for that other EV. 

I think it was wasteful for Ford not to partner with VW on EVs in North America.  The ID4 has been fully compliant with government rebates since 2023, due the sourcing of their batteries. 

Just a thought.

[Joe771476]

I'm seeing a lot of news articles saying VW is going down the tubes. Fake news?

[mackinaw]

49 minutes ago, Joe771476 said:

I'm seeing a lot of news articles saying VW is going down the tubes. Fake news?

 

If you believe the Volkswagon CFO, VW has one or two years to turn things around.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/volkswagen-cfo-says-one-maybe-two-years-left-to-turn-vw-brand-around-reuters/ar-AA1qbaXr?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds

 

[ausrutherford]

On 11/4/2024 at 3:08 PM, silvrsvt said:

Its nothing more then a VW ID.4 with some changes. So if you want one bad enough, just get the VW. 

 

Remember that it is not just a VW, but it is built in a Ford plant by Ford.

 

This is much different that typical "based on" products as those are almost always built in another manufacture's plant. With the Union fighting that VW is going into now, building at a Ford plant will likely be beneficial for quality. 

[jpd80]

On 11/5/2024 at 4:09 AM, rmc523 said:

Long video.  Sounds like he liked the car enough.

 

I think it's probably too small for here.  I've said quite a few times, I don't think the VW-based models are long for this world (1 and done generation), so I definitely don't see any path to bringing it here, but it seems like a good product for Europe as a stopgap.

 

I still don't like the use of the Explorer name - had they done a "sub" name - i.e. Explorer "Sport" or something like that, it'd have made more sense.

 

It's also dumb that they retained the two window switches for 4 windows thing.

This was Jim Hackett’s plan for Europe and North America, his “job done” BEV move to get Ford a place holder.

 

I dunno about this, Ford has done a good job of de-VWizing some parts like battery, motor drive units but it  

 irks me that it still has that VW look. Euro buyer may be OK with it but North American buyers would hate it.

[Sherminator98]

6 hours ago, jpd80 said:

I dunno about this, Ford has done a good job of de-VWizing some parts like battery, motor drive units but it  

 irks me that it still has that VW look. Euro buyer may be OK with it but North American buyers would hate it.

 

Yeah they didn't change the hard points enough IMO. 

[rmc523]

16 hours ago, Joe771476 said:

I'm seeing a lot of news articles saying VW is going down the tubes. Fake news?

 

eh, based on various articles, it seems like they're having big issues.

[jpd80]

17 hours ago, silvrsvt said:

 

Yeah they didn't change the hard points enough IMO. 

And probably why Ford reduced MEB vehicles to just one product cycle and done.

Enough time for CE1 based products to replace these, maybe Ford reworks the SUV

and a “Capri” but much better design language befitting of Explorer and Capri names.

Edited November 7 by jpd80

[Sherminator98]

21 hours ago, rmc523 said:

 

eh, based on various articles, it seems like they're having big issues.

like this

 

https://carbuzz.com/volkswagen-selling-german-factories-laying-off-workers/

[Rick73]

Negotiation posturing?  VW obviously misjudged electrification adoption rate, but who didn’t?  GM also found themselves with few hybrid vehicles, so VW not alone in playing catch up.  Some of their plants in Germany must be fairly old, so maybe it’s better to close some and consolidate manufacturing, or build new ones.  I doubt articles are based on what’s actually happening behind the scenes.  Competition from China does sound troubling, though not limited to VW.

[morgan20]

36 minutes ago, Rick73 said:

Competition from China does sound troubling, though not limited to VW.

 

Yea, head honchos at several non Chinese automakers now realize how far ahead them Chinese really are. Oliver Blume at VW said his company "cannot keep up at the top of the table at the moment", with respect to the Chinese companies especially BYD.

 

Jim Farley at Ford said about Xiaomi "it is an industry juggernaut and a consumer brand that is much stronger than car companies"

 

Toshihiro Mibe at Honda said "The rise of emerging players is becoming faster and stronger. Companies that cannot respond to the changes will be wiped out."

 

The reviewer in the video claims VW based Explorer EV is "so good". I don't doubt him. Would his impression change if he compared Explorer EV to BYD Sealion 7?

Edited November 7 by morgan20

[jpd80]

In some respects, Farley’s open admissions of praise for Tesla and Chinese BEVs 

is a message to Ford’s Engineering and Development that they must do way better.

The big book of Ford and how to build an over complicated vehicles is not working

in both resources and profitability , that cannot be allowed to migrate to BEVs. 

Edited November 7 by jpd80

[ausrutherford]

7 hours ago, Rick73 said:

Negotiation posturing?  VW obviously misjudged electrification adoption rate, but who didn’t?  GM also found themselves with few hybrid vehicles, so VW not alone in playing catch up.  Some of their plants in Germany must be fairly old, so maybe it’s better to close some and consolidate manufacturing, or build new ones.  I doubt articles are based on what’s actually happening behind the scenes.  Competition from China does sound troubling, though not limited to VW.

 

VW's overhead in Europe is way too much. You have Euro-only brands like SEAT and Cupra and then a lot of models are built exclusively in Europe with its high production costs and import rates to many nations. It is the same issue Stellantis is running into...way too much reliance on Europe and European-only brands. 

 

Add to that the population of most of Europe is declining. Less people = less sales. 

 

Add to that the German economy is in a recession. The political situation is in dire straits as well as the coalition has fallen apart this week. 

 

 

[akirby]

As long as they build my Boxster before April…….

[jpd80]

From memory, VW spent about $70 billion developing MEB toolkit 

not really a lot to show for that, Ford picking the bones out of it

was the best part for me, killing all of VW’s hopes of creamy profits.

[DeluxeStang]

19 hours ago, jpd80 said:

And probably why Ford reduced MEB vehicles to just one product cycle and done.

Enough time for CE1 based products to replace these, maybe Ford reworks the SUV

and a “Capri” but much better design language befitting of Explorer and Capri names.

These CE1 EVs live or die based on how good their design language is. This is especially true seeing as they seem to be hitting, or even exceeding their engineering targets.

 

 

Considering one of the main criticisms people have of Ford vehicles is their somewhat simple designs, I'd love to see Ford try out a completely different more exotic/expressive design language. They've focused on Tesla so much, I hope their designs aren't just things like a model X or a model 3 design knock-off with a Ford badge. 

 

 

The Capri would look so much better if they made it slightly lower, with another inch or two added to the dash to axle ratio, and made the roofline more curvaceous to flow into the coupe roofline more gracefully. 

[jpd80]

18 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

These CE1 EVs live or die based on how good their design language is. This is especially true seeing as they seem to be hitting, or even exceeding their engineering targets.

Positive signs with profitability, next comes bodies specifically for North American market

with ability to replace Euro MEB based vehicles in roughly five years time.

 

18 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

 

Considering one of the main criticisms people have of Ford vehicles is their somewhat simple designs, I'd love to see Ford try out a completely different more exotic/expressive design language. They've focused on Tesla so much, I hope their designs aren't just things like a model X or a model 3 design knock-off with a Ford badge. 

I would settle for some nice mainstream conventional styled vehicles first,

Ford avoided squarer bodies to improve range and look where that got them.

 

18 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

 

The Capri would look so much better if they made it slightly lower, with another inch or two added to the dash to axle ratio, and made the roofline more curvaceous to flow into the coupe roofline more gracefully. 

I don’t mind Ford using its iconic names on new product provided that its not just trashing them

to try to push subpar designs, Capri deserves better than the blob of VW shit being presented….

[DeluxeStang]

On 11/8/2024 at 2:13 PM, jpd80 said:

I would settle for some nice mainstream conventional styled vehicles first,

Ford avoided squarer bodies to improve range and look where that got them.

I agree. There's definitely a balance that needs to be struck here. Too bland, and it's not different enough. Too out there, and people are gonna be turned off by it. Something quirky and bold that's just conventional enough seems like the only here. 

 

Case in point, if Ford wants to do some sort of boxy utility, I'd quite like something like this Citroen concept. It's weird, but in a cool way. It stands out, but not too much. 

[DeluxeStang]

On 11/8/2024 at 2:13 PM, jpd80 said:

 

 

I don’t mind Ford using its iconic names on new product provided that its not just trashing them

to try to push subpar designs, Capri deserves better than the blob of VW shit being presented….

Couldn't agree more. It's hard, because I want to be sympathetic to Ford. They want to tie into their heritage and make exciting passion products. This is a fantastic approach, one of the best in the industry imo. What sets Ford apart, and what Ford does better than any other car brand, is affordable aspirational products. Leaning into this is great. 

 

The issue is, let's be honest, most of Ford's most iconic enthusiasts products from the past are some sort of car. Consumers aren't really buying car form factors anymore. So Ford is taking these historical car names, and slapping them on some sort of crossover because if it's a coupe, or a sedan like the original icon, it won't sell. 

 

For some names, it doesn't bother me. If Ford comes out with a cool looking, fun to drive crossover, and calls it the Galaxy, I won't be mad. Because that's a really interesting name that Ford hasn't tapped into for quite some time in the North American market. 

 

But if Ford calls their electric crossover RS 200 or gt 40, I'm gonna be pissed. 

 

 

[DeluxeStang]

On 11/8/2024 at 2:13 PM, jpd80 said:

Positive signs with profitability, next comes bodies specifically for North American market

with ability to replace Euro MEB based vehicles in roughly five years time.

 

I would settle for some nice mainstream conventional styled vehicles first,

Ford avoided squarer bodies to improve range and look where that got them.

 

I don’t mind Ford using its iconic names on new product provided that its not just trashing them

to try to push subpar designs, Capri deserves better than the blob of VW shit being presented….

It seems like Farley is hinting that the RS badge is gonna be making a comeback for passenger cars. If done right, that could be incredible. If executed like the VW based Ford EVs, it'll damage Ford's reputation further. Imagine how neat it would be if Ford gave us a full line of RS branded stuff.

[ausrutherford]

2 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

Couldn't agree more. It's hard, because I want to be sympathetic to Ford. They want to tie into their heritage and make exciting passion products. This is a fantastic approach, one of the best in the industry imo. What sets Ford apart, and what Ford does better than any other car brand, is affordable aspirational products. Leaning into this is great. 

 

The issue is, let's be honest, most of Ford's most iconic enthusiasts products from the past are some sort of car. Consumers aren't really buying car form factors anymore. So Ford is taking these historical car names, and slapping them on some sort of crossover because if it's a coupe, or a sedan like the original icon, it won't sell. 

 

For some names, it doesn't bother me. If Ford comes out with a cool looking, fun to drive crossover, and calls it the Galaxy, I won't be mad. Because that's a really interesting name that Ford hasn't tapped into for quite some time in the North American market. 

 

But if Ford calls their electric crossover RS 200 or gt 40, I'm gonna be pissed. 

 

 

Ahem...

 

https://www.carscoops.com/2024/10/rs2-00-concept-is-an-after-hours-ford-project-celebrating-the-iconic-group-b-rs200/