Ford's smaller Tesla Model Y rival! 2024 Ford Explorer is a new Volkswagen-based electric car, but will it come to Australia?

Ford has finally pulled the covers off its Volkswagen-based electric SUV, which it has revealed will take on the Explorer badge name.

The Ford Explorer electric SUV, which borrows its name from a previous Ford SUV not seen in Australia for a couple of decades, is based on the MEB platform from VW that also underpins the likes of the brand’s I.D electric cars, and is the first of two MEB-based cars Ford will build.

It’s confirmed only for Europe for now, set to be built in the same updated factory where the Blue Oval builds cars like the Fiesta.

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“Explorer is a trailblazer for a new breed of exciting Ford electric vehicles. Steeped in our American roots but built in Cologne for our customers in Europe, it is road trip-ready for the big adventures and fully loaded with everything our customers will need for their daily drives,” said General Manager of Ford Model e in Europe Martin Sander.

How ‘steeped in American roots’ a Volkswagen-based electric SUV really can be is up for debate, but the brand has done some work to differentiate the new model - it’s more than just badge engineering.

Ford says the model is “less than 4.5 metres” long for easy traversing of smaller European roads, while offering 470 litres of luggage space with five seats up.

Plenty of mod-cons like wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and phone charging are found in the cabin, but a neat new feature for the Explorer is a "moveable" 15.0-inch touchscreen for the multimedia controls.

Technical specification is yet to be confirmed in many aspects yet, but UK outlet Autocar reports that the model is expected to offer either a 52kWh or 77kWh battery, with a range of up to 500km and max charging speeds around 170kW - enough to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 25 minutes.

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There’s no word from Ford Australia regarding the model, and don’t hold your breath if you’re hoping to see it land Down Under any time soon. Ford models built in Europe are becoming thinner on the ground in Australia, with cars like the Fiesta having been axed from the local line-up.

Ford Australia has told CarsGuide that the brand has “no plans to introduce the all-electric Explorer in Australia, [but is] looking forward to sharing the next phase of our EV journey very soon.”