Ford has confirmed it is pushing back production of its new electric Explorer due to new battery regulations.
The Explorer will be the first electric Ford to be made in Europe, with production due to commence this Autumn at its Cologne Electric Vehicle Centre. However, in a statement from the firm, it now says that the Explorer will ‘now be delivered to customers in the summer of 2024’.
Ford’s Cologne facility was the home of the Fiesta, with the firm specifically ending production of its well-loved supermini early in July 2023 in order to be able to produce the Explorer.
In a statement, Ford said: “We are excited to bring the electric Explorer to our customers in Europe, the first electric passenger vehicle produced in our new Ford Cologne Electric Vehicle Center.
“Ford is embracing the incoming technical standard for electric vehicles (UN Regulation 100.3) because it is consistent with our internal philosophy to deliver safe, high-quality vehicles to customers around the globe. This means the new Explorer will now be delivered to customers in the summer of 2024.”
The Explorer was revealed in March 2023, and is seen as a pivotal model for this brand. After the Mustang Mach-E, it is only its second electric car and is built around the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, helping to improve Ford’s productivity and reduce development costs.
