When Ford first unveiled the 2024 Explorer EV in Europe, it said that deliveries would begin in the fall of 2023. Now that date is being pushed back by more than six months to the summer of 2024, due to European technical battery standards.
The new regulations govern the production of large batteries more strictly, in order to ensure that they are made responsibly. Batteries created for automobiles will have to be easier to recycle, and their production will be more closely scrutinized by environmental watchdogs.
Ford said it supports the new standards because they are “in line with our internal philosophy of delivering high-quality and safe vehicles to our customers worldwide,” it said in a statement, per Autonews. However, that also means that deliveries of the new Explorer will have to be delayed.
Read: Ford To Build 250,000 EVs Per Year In New German Plant, Starting With VW-Based Explorer
While the move is being justified by the approaching regulations, it is a somewhat unusual one, since the automotive industry has long known that the standards would be coming in. Some believe that the official reason for the delay may not tell the full story. Instead, rumors suggest that the automaker may be adjusting its production timeline because of the mismatch between its EV plans in Europe and the U.S.
Ford has promised that its entire European lineup will be electric by 2030, however, regulations do not require that until. In order to achieve its timeline, the automaker has turned to VW’s MEB platform to underpin EVs like the Explorer and another, sleeker SUV that is set to be unveiled soon.
Meanwhile, Ford is designing its own platform for electric vehicles, and the first vehicles based on this platform are supposed to arrive in the U.S. in 2025. Production is then set to follow in Spain for the European market. However, a mismatch in the production schedules of each department could be requiring Ford to adjust its production schedule in order to ensure that it can keep its product plans regular, and maintain excitement for its new models among customers.
