EXPLORER IN BRIEF: PRICE AND POSITIONING

How much will it cost?

Ford hasn’t said, but expect a healthy premium over the Focus. A starting price in the mid-£40,000 range would line up the Explorer neatly against the similarly sized Volvo XC40 Recharge, and the highest-spec 4WD cars are likely to nudge the price towards £60,000. Ford says it has striven to keep running and insurance costs to a minimum. Ford Team Edison boss Ulrich Koesters said: “From a Focus customer perspective, we believe this will be affordable.”

Is it an indirect Fiesta replacement?

Ford of Europe boss Martin Sander (pictured) said the Explorer “can’t replace the Fiesta when it comes to customer expectations, because it’s a totally different vehicle – a totally different vehicle in a totally different segment”. Indeed, it is substantially larger and will be around double the price. But he added: “It can still replace Fiesta when it comes to success. Fiesta was an extremely successful product for Europe over the decades, a signature product for Ford. And I think the Explorer has the potential to become the next, and possibly the first real signature EV for Ford in Europe.”

Will it be Ford’s cheapest EV?

No. There is an electric version of the Puma coming next year and it is likely to be priced in the mid-£30,000 range – and the Tourneo Courier MPV, which is due at around the same time, will cost less than that. EV production costs will initially mean pricier cars but “Ford is not going to be a premium brand”, said Sander. “Henry Ford was very clear when he said he wants to make products for the masses that everyone should be able to afford.”