Ford has confirmed that it’s launching a van conversion of the Explorer electric SUV, offering up to 374 miles of range, optional all-wheel drive, 1.3m3 of load space and up to 650kg of payload.
Arriving alongside the new Transit City electric van, the N1-compliant Explorer conversion makes its debut at the CV Show later this month and will join other new entrants in the electric car-derived van sector, including Volvo’s new EX30 Cargo and the Škoda Enyaq Cargo.
Created in response to direct requests from fleets for a longer-range, lower-payload electric van, the inhouse conversion of the Explorer is carried out using the engineering expertise from the Ford Pro Special Vehicles team.
Safety was a top priority for the conversation and the Ford team engineered a full copolymer bulkhead, designed to avoid conflicting with the airbags and safety features or blocking rear vision.
The rest of the standard conversion, carried out at the brand’s Dagenham Conversion Centre, includes a lightweight but durable flat load floor with moveable dividers to help secure small items, as well as lashing points and panelled rear windows. The conversion has been engineered for full compatibility with the Explorer’s safety features, as well as with a focus on minimising weight to maximise payload, efficiency and driving range.
Both rear- and all-wheel-drive versions will be available. RWD versions offer 286hp of power, 545Nm of torque and are capable of towing up to 1,000kg while the AWD system ups this to 340hp of power, 679Nm and 1,200kg. Rapid charging up to 135kW means a 10-80% charge takes approximately 25 minutes.
Inside, the premium cabin is designed as a comfortable and practical place to work. Valuables can be kept in the 17-litre MegaConsole or the hidden and lockable My Private Locker, while driver-assistance tech includes Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detection and a rear-view camera. A built-in route planner finds the most efficient journeys and displays the best charging stops, if needed, with live availability.
Ford has split the key options into packs so fleets can pick the best add-ons to suit their needs. The Wheel Pack comes with 19-inch steel wheels, wheel nut indicators and all-weather tyres, while the Welfare Pack bundles up a first aid kit, eye washing and hand sanitiser station. The Utility Pack features frunk storage, roof rack, rear window security mesh, hard-wearing seat covers and front rubber floor mats. Finally, the Commercial Pack teams up amber lightbar, tailgate work lamp, tailgate beacons.
As the Explorer Van is homologated as a full commercial vehicle, it’s validated to the same test procedures as the rest of Ford’s commercial vehicle line-up and is fully compliant to all applicable safety requirements. That also makes it eligible for additional tax and financial incentives for customers.
As it’s a Ford conversion, it comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty on the base vehicle and conversion.
Ford will debut the Explorer Van and the Transit City at the CV Show later this month.
