Ford is reinventing itself in Europe. The automaker is killing long-standing nameplates like the Fiesta and Focus to make room for new electric products that will be developed with the needs of local customers in mind. The Explorer EV unveiled in March this year previewed the new direction and another electric crossover is currently being prepared for a release next year. We have new spy photos showing a camouflaged prototype that was caught testing on public roads in Germany.
In March last year, Ford teased its EV program for Europe for the next two years, which includes a total of three new vehicles. What you see depicted in the gallery below should morph into the largest of the trio and is tentatively known as the Sport Crossover. It will sit above the Explorer EV and Mustang Mach-E in terms of its dimensions. A fully electric version of the Puma is also scheduled to arrive next year and take the position of an entry-level offering.
Ford isn’t alone in its electrification strategy, though. The company has an ongoing partnership with Volkswagen, which covers electric vehicles and light commercial vehicles. The German firm shared its MEB architecture with Ford and it was used as a foundation for the Explorer EV. The Sport Crossover also rides on the same underpinnings and judging by what we see here, it will be roughly the same size as the VW ID.6. However, word on the street is that Ford’s version of the EV SUV will have more ground clearance and – from what we can see in these spy photos – a more sloped roofline at the back.
As far as the interior is concerned, expect a mix of solutions from Volkswagen like the headlights control panel that sits on the left side of the steering wheel, as well as – most likely – a unique, SYNC-based infotainment system. The Explorer EV has a completely different interior layout compared to the ID.4, which hints at what we can expect from the larger model as well.
The new Sport Crossover – again, this isn’t the electric crossover’s official production name – is expected to arrive at some point next year and will be produced at Ford’s Cologne factory. The model is part of the company’s ambitious strategy to launch nine all-electric vehicles on the Old Continent by the end of next year. Five of those nine models will be light commercial vehicles.
