Ford to offer EV versions of Explorer, Aviator, ‘rugged SUVs'

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday said a new, dedicated EV architecture would underpin battery-electric versions of the Explorer and Lincoln Aviator crossovers, as well as midsize pickups and "rugged SUVs" that will go into production within the decade.

The new vehicles are part of Ford's strategy to boost its EV offerings to 40 percent of sales globally by 2030 and were detailed at the company's Capital Markets Day for investors.

Hau Thai-Tang, Ford's chief product platform and operations officer, said the company would offer two new EV architectures: a rear-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive platform, as well as a platform dedicated to full-size pickups.

The rwd/awd platform "will underpin a range of emotive vehicles slated for production between now and 2030," Thai-Tang said.

That includes EV versions of the Explorer and Aviator, which CEO Jim Farley also noted in a presentation. Thai-Tang also said the platform will underpin "rugged SUVs," showing a silhouette of a vehicle that looked similar to Ford's upcoming Bronco.

During a Q&A session after the presentation, executives declined to say whether they’ll eventually offer a Bronco EV. Thai-Tang noted the image in his presentation was an “artistic rendering” by the production company and he “wouldn’t read too much into it.”

Still, an electric Bronco and Explorer would fit within the company's strategy of electrifying its "most iconic products" such as the F-150 and Mustang. Farley has also recently hinted an EV Bronco was in the works on Twitter, responding to someone asking why they didn’t have one by saying “why do you think we don’t?”

Explorer also fits in Ford’s strategy of electrifying well-known, high-margin vehicles. It is Ford's No. 2-selling U.S. nameplate and has been the most popular large crossover in the U.S. every year since 2011 except for one — 2019, when the Toyota Highlander beat it.

Executives declined to give a timetable on when the Explorer and Aviator EVs would go into production.