Ford Explorer - Electric motors, performance & drive

The Ford Explorer uses Volkswagen’s MEB electric car platform, so there are rear or four-wheel-drive configurations to choose from. The smallest and lightest model has a 52kWh battery (Ford quotes the usable capacity for its packs in its brochures) plus 168bhp and 310Nm of torque.

The 77kWh version comes with 282bhp and 545Nm of torque, while the four-wheel-drive model bumps the pack up to 79kWh, but power also increases to 335bhp and 679Nm of torque.

One of the few clues to the Explorer’s VW-derived tech inside is the drive selector. As with other MEB models, there’s a chunky column shifter to the right of the steering wheel, while there are D and B drive modes, with the latter offering stronger energy recuperation to help top up the battery when decelerating. There’s no one-pedal setting, but adjusting the throttle in B mode means you’ll only really use the brake pedal when you need to come to a complete stop.

What is the Ford Explorer like to drive? 

While the Explorer uses VW-derived running gear, Ford has been careful to give the car its own character within the electric SUV sector. Although that can be difficult to achieve, it has succeeded, and the Explorer delivers a better driving experience than similar models that also use the same MEB platform.

In town

Some compact SUVs don’t have a tall driving position, but the Explorer features a high-set driver’s seat, so there’s a good view of your surroundings. There’s good visibility, too, helped in part by the novel C-pillars, which have a graphic on the outside, but are clear when viewed from the inside.

Front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera are fitted, while a light steering wheel and well judged throttle response help with low-speed manoeuvres. From the lights the Explorer pulls away briskly as power is sent to the rear wheels. 

There’s a slightly unsettled ride when the car is fitted with 20-inch wheels – the Select model with 19-inch rims does better in this regard, but not by a huge amount.

On A and B-roads

A healthy spread of torque means it’s easy to get up to speed in the Ford and overtaking is simple, too, while the ride improves the faster you go. There’s a soft edge to the handling, so there’s some body roll, but the car never feels unstable or wayward, while the steering reacts quickly to inputs without making the SUV feel nervous. 

Overall the Explorer is a more pleasant and enjoyable car to drive than a VW ID.4, although it doesn’t quite capture the same sense of driving fun that other Fords have managed in the past. That can largely be put down to the car’s kerbweight.

On the motorway

At higher speeds, the Explorer delivers great cruising comfort, with minimal road or wind noise, while the ride is at its best here, too, with a level of comfort that is better than that found in a VW ID.4. The B drive mode is best turned off at higher speeds, because it makes the throttle response jerky – D mode is far smoother.

0-62 acceleration and top speed

The 52kWh version of the Ford Explorer has a 0-62mph time of 8.7 seconds and a top speed limited to 99mph. This model is rear-wheel drive, and so is the 77kWh model, although the extra power on tap means it can accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds – so it’s not the fastest electric SUV around, but will be fast enough for most people. 

The more powerful four-wheel-drive model has to carry the extra weight of the larger battery, but the car’s traction and power boosts mean 0-62mph takes 5.3 seconds. All of the big-battery models have a top speed that’s electronically limited to 112mph.