Photo: Stefan Baldauf / Guido ten Brink
Until the partnership with Volkswagen bears fruit, the Ford Motor Company doesn’t plan to stand still. The electrification onslaught is coming strong to Europe as well, as demonstrated by the Kuga compact crossover and Explorer mid-size SUV with plug-in hybrid powertrains.
While the Kuga gives the impression of a jacked-up Focus with a large grille up front and a wagon-esque silhouette, the Explorer brings the point home thanks to the boxy yet masculine exterior design. The United States will miss out on the Explorer PHEV because the Blue Oval thinks such an option would cannibalize with the Lincoln Aviator plug-in hybrid.
Both models ride on all-new platforms, namely the C2 and CD6. The former will be utilized by an off-road version of the Kuga that could translate to the Baby Bronco you’ve heard about for more than a year now. The latter is designed for rear- and all-wheel-drive applications, and chances are the next generation of the Mustang (codenamed S650) will embrace the CD6.
As far as suck-squeeze-bang-blow is concerned, the Explorer PHEV combines a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 with an electric motor, 10-speed automatic transmission, and 13.1-kWh battery for a net output of 450 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque. Ford quotes up to 25 miles of all-electric range and a towing capacity of 2,500 kilograms (approximately 5,500 pounds).
Moving on to the Kuga PHEV, the 14.4-kWh and lower curb weight help the compact crossover cover up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) in one go without compromising trunk capacity. The front-wheel-drive powertrain combines a 2.5-liter engine running the Atkinson-cycle with an electric motor for a grand total of 225 ponies. Fuel economy beggars belief, rated at 1.2 liters per 100 kilometers or 29 grams of CO2 per every kilometer.
As expected of 2020 models from an automaker as tech-savvy as Ford, both of them are loaded by all the latest and the greatest driver-assist, safety, and infotainment systems. The Blue Oval has also limited Edge sales in the Old Continent thanks to the arrival of the Explorer in this part of the world, and if the rumors turn out to be true, a seven-seat Kuga will be introduced in the second half of 2020 for the 2021 model year.
Both models ride on all-new platforms, namely the C2 and CD6. The former will be utilized by an off-road version of the Kuga that could translate to the Baby Bronco you’ve heard about for more than a year now. The latter is designed for rear- and all-wheel-drive applications, and chances are the next generation of the Mustang (codenamed S650) will embrace the CD6.
As far as suck-squeeze-bang-blow is concerned, the Explorer PHEV combines a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 with an electric motor, 10-speed automatic transmission, and 13.1-kWh battery for a net output of 450 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque. Ford quotes up to 25 miles of all-electric range and a towing capacity of 2,500 kilograms (approximately 5,500 pounds).
Moving on to the Kuga PHEV, the 14.4-kWh and lower curb weight help the compact crossover cover up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) in one go without compromising trunk capacity. The front-wheel-drive powertrain combines a 2.5-liter engine running the Atkinson-cycle with an electric motor for a grand total of 225 ponies. Fuel economy beggars belief, rated at 1.2 liters per 100 kilometers or 29 grams of CO2 per every kilometer.
As expected of 2020 models from an automaker as tech-savvy as Ford, both of them are loaded by all the latest and the greatest driver-assist, safety, and infotainment systems. The Blue Oval has also limited Edge sales in the Old Continent thanks to the arrival of the Explorer in this part of the world, and if the rumors turn out to be true, a seven-seat Kuga will be introduced in the second half of 2020 for the 2021 model year.
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