New Ford Explorer Van revealed for those seeking more style than a humble Transit
Explorer Van has arrived as an official conversion from Ford’s team in Dagenham
Calling all site managers in the UK: the Ford Explorer Van has arrived as a posher, more car-like alternative to the traditional Ford E-Transit. Based on the standard Explorer SUV, it promises more than 370 miles of range and is on sale now from just over £40,000.
From the outside, the Explorer Van looks very much the same as its SUV counterpart, but pay close attention and you’ll see several trade-focused enhancements. It sits on (optional) 19-inch steel wheels and while the rear doors remain, the glass has been panelled off to prevent it smashing. Those working in hazardous environments can also specify the Commercial Pack – one of several option packs available – which include amber lights on the roof, front and rear of the vehicle.
Inside, a copolymer bulkhead separates the front seats from the rear compartment, which offers 1,235 litres of space and a maximum payload of 650kg. A flat floor is designed to help the loading of larger items, while smaller cargo can be secured via adjustable dividers and hooks. Buyers can also specify the optional Utility Pack, which adds frunk storage, a roof rack and mesh for the rear window. Inside, it brings both seat covers and rubber floor mats.
The Explorer Van is being offered with two powertrains: a rear-wheel-drive single-motor model with 282bhp and a 1,000kg towing capacity, as well as an all-wheel-drive dual-motor 335bhp version that can tow up to 1,200kg. Ford says the Explorer Van is capable of up to 373 miles on a single charge, although this figure is likely to be for the rear-driven model with minimum luggage in tow; fully-laden AWD cars will almost certainly have a slightly shorter range.
“When you think about Ford’s heritage in car-derived vans, there are still people that talk about the Fiesta Van and Escort Van, it’s in our DNA,” Ford’s UK commercial vehicle boss Alex Gallagher told Auto Express at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham earlier this month. “We had some customers saying they have engineers running around sites that need to be electrified, they've only got a few tools to throw in the back and they’re used to a more car-like feel than a van. So we did a conversion, took it around a few customers and we knew we had a winner from there on because customers seemed to love it.”
On sale now, the Explorer Van is priced from £40,262.50 excluding VAT for the RWD model; the AWD car will set back buyers just over £3,300 extra. Unfortunately, you can’t buy just one – Ford Pro Commercial is only taking orders in batches of five or more.
Not a factory creation but instead an official conversion developed by Ford’s team at the Dagenham Conversion Centre, the Explorer Van is the latest electric car to be offered in van form. The new Renault Twingo, for example, is also being sold as a van conversion in France, while the Volvo EX30 is available as a van for UK buyers.
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