Ford Explorer EV Finally Goes On Sale, Promises Lower Chance Of Fiery Death

Deliveries of the all-electric Ford Explorer are finally happening, following a delay that Ford announced last August. At the time, Ford said that the Volkswagen-based electric crossover needed a different battery pack that met standards set by the European Union, but CEO Jim Farley contradicted the official position by saying the delay was caused by insufficient “countermeasures around fire.” Don’t worry, though, that’s all been taken care of now, and the electric Explorer is ready to go, Autocar reports.

If you were imagining an electric version of the Explorer we get in the States or the opportunity to test drive one at your local Ford dealer, you’ll be out of luck. The Explorer EV is only for Europe, and with a total length of 175.6 inches, it’s about five inches shorter than the Volkswagen ID4 and 11 inches shorter than the Mach-E. Thanks to the updated battery that meets EU standards and should catch on fire less, the Explorer EV also offers a solid range of up to 374 miles in WLTP testing. Since European range estimates tend to be more optimistic than in the U.S., that would probably work out to about 320 miles in EPA testing, which is still solid.

Customers who want the Explorer EV’s maximum range will need to spring for the £45,875 ($57,952) single-motor extended-range version that pairs a 77-kWh battery with a 282-hp motor that powers the rear wheels. A more powerful, 335-hp, all-wheel-drive version is also available, as well as a less-expensive, less-powerful single-motor version that uses a 52 kWh battery and makes 168 hp.