Ford has fairly just a few issues on its fingers proper now. From manufacturing to high quality, it must kind these out if it desires folks to purchase its EVs. Unsurprisingly these issues aren’t simply particular to the North American Market. Reviews have emerged that say that Ford is delaying the launch of the Explorer EV — a automobile not meant for the U.S. — by six months. Whereas that’s commonplace, Ford is definitely giving two completely different causes for the delay.

When you recall, Ford partnered with VW to make use of the model’s MEB platform — the identical platform utilized by the ID.4 — to construct an Explorer EV for the European market. The plan was to have the electrical crossover launch in early 2024. However it will appear that isn’t the case anymore. Ford instructed Automotive Information Europe that new EU battery requirements are the explanation for the delay.

“Ford helps the upcoming European commonplace for electrical autos as a result of it’s in step with our inner philosophy of delivering high-quality and secure autos to our prospects worldwide. Which means the brand new Explorer will now be delivered to prospects from summer time 2024,” a Ford spokesperson instructed Automotive Information Europe sister publication Automobilwoche.

However as Auto Information Europe identified, that motive might be bull. The requirements Ford cite have been recognized within the business for some time, so one would assume Ford was conscious of these requirements when constructing the automobile within the first place.

In the meantime over at NPR, Ford CEO Jim Farley appeared to present the true motive behind the delay of the Explorer EV: fireplace countermeasures.

“…we weren’t pleased with thermal propagation — — the countermeasures round fireplace — with the automobile,” he added. “So we took a six-month delay to get the engineering proper. That was the principal motive.”

So now as a result of these battery points, the Explorer EV isn’t anticipated to launch till summer time 2024. Till then, Ford may additionally need to work on getting its story straight for automobile launch points. A multi-billion greenback firm giving out two completely different causes over manufacturing points might flip some prospects off.