As we previously reported as a rumor, Ford now officially has plans to introduce two new EV platforms by 2025. This all comes as part of a barrage of announcements following the official reveal of the upcoming Ford F-150 Lightning, which is a future all-electric version of the best-selling vehicle in America.
Now, it has become official that the upcoming platform will be used for fully electric versions of the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator. Ford also says it will use the architecture for other "rugged SUVs" that will be produced later in the decade.
Ford's North American Product Communications manager posted the following tweet:
Most of our readers were probably well aware that the F-150 is not only the best-selling pickup truck on our shores, but also the best-selling vehicle overall. However, unless you're a hardcore Ford fan, you may not have realized that the Explorer is the best-selling SUV of all time in the States.
Ford has announced big plans to grow its electric vehicle options to some 40 percent of its total sales by 2030. Clearly, an all-electric F-150, as well as an all-electric Explorer are huge steps toward making that happen. Not to mention an electric Mustang crossover. The automaker is clearly banking on its most popular vehicles in an attempt to begin converting buyers from gas to electric.
According to Automotive News, Ford CEO Jim Farley provided a recent presentation that mentioned the upcoming electric versions of the Explorer and Aviator. The mention of rugged SUVs came from Ford's chief product platform and operations officer Hau Thai-Tang. During the presentation, Thai-Tang revealed a silhouette of a vehicle that could be suggestive of an electric Bronco.
We've made reference to the potential for a fully electric Bronco or Bronco Sport on several occasions. In addition, we've pointed to the Rivian R1S as a possible shared platform for such a vehicle, though now it appears Ford will have its own underpinnings.
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There was no specific mention of when to expect the future electric SUVs. However, if they'll ride on a platform that's not coming until 2025, it wouldn't make sense to expect these vehicles prior to that.
Source: Automotive News