New All-Electric Ford Explorer Wins a Red Dot Award for Outstanding Product Design
The all-electric Ford Explorer has won a prestigious Red Dot Award in the “Product Design” category.The international jury of the highly respected design award recognised the bold exterior design of the Explorer and praised the sophisticated interior.
Since June this year, the new Ford Explorer has been developed in Europe for Europe and is being produced at the Cologne Electric Vehicle Center. The award coincides with the start of the new Ford Explorer going on sale in all European markets, with vehicles now available at dealerships for test drives and deliveries.
The Red Dot Award is one of the world's best known and most prestigious design competitions. Professors, designers, journalists and other experts were invited from two dozen nations to form the jury. Each member then independently evaluated each submitted product based on numerous criteria including degree of innovation, functionality, ergonomics, durability and ecological compatibility. This is Ford’s third Red Dot Award, with the Ford Fiesta winning in the “Product Design” category in 2009 and Mustang Mach-E’s B&O sound system winning in the “Car Audio System” category in 2021.
Quotes
“The Ford Explorer impresses on the outside with its distinctive SUV design and on the inside with its high-quality technical equipment.”
Statement by the jury, The Red Dot Award
“We opted for a reduced design language with striking graphic elements that takes up and reinterprets the design elements of the iconic US Ford Explorer. It combines a modern, puristic aesthetic with unprecedented functionality.”
Murat Güler, chief designer, Passenger Vehicles, Ford of Europe
New Ford Explorer with a completely new design language
The new Explorer completely reinterprets the confident appearance and robust charm of Ford's iconic SUV series.
While the powerful appearance and independent identity cite the American heritage of the off-road legend, its flowing, futuristic and muscular lines follow the principles of aerodynamic efficiency. The black A-pillars make the roof appear to float above the passenger compartment. This creates a visor-like look that underlines the lifestyle appeal of the crossover model. A distinctive line graphic, harmoniously embedded in the glass, characterises the particularly strikingly designed C-pillars. At the rear, the appearance of the new Explorer benefits from compact, dynamic proportions. In conjunction with the narrow rear window, they underline the vehicle's width. The vertically arranged taillights with "Light Blade" signature emphasise the SUV character.
The inviting interior has a sporty ambience, thanks to the wrap-around cockpit, which merges the instrument panels seamlessly into the door panels as if they were a single element. The technical features additionally fit into this minimalist aesthetic, with extremely slim air vents and speaker sculpture reminiscent of a soundbar.