Photo: Ford Motor Company
The new 2020 Ford Explorer Plug-In Hybrid isn’t just one of the most dynamic and efficient seven-seat SUVs on offer in Europe. With the news that it earns a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating in crash testing, the new Explorer PHEV is also among the safest options in the segment. This makes the Explorer Plug-In Hybrid the first electrified Ford vehicle to earn the Euro NCAP 5-star safety rating under new standards.
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“With 14 new electrified vehicles coming before the end of next year, and more than half of our passenger vehicle sales in Europe expected to be electrified by the end of 2022, Ford customers can be confident that we’ll continue to deliver first-rate safety whatever powertrain they choose,” said Joerg Beyer, executive director, Engineering, Ford of Europe.
Thanks to industry-first, Ford-patented processes that result in ultra-high-strength steel components, the Explorer Plug-In Hybrid earned the highest score possible in the side barrier impact crash test. To protect vehicle occupants and the vehicle’s 13.1-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, the Explorer Plug-In Hybrid uses single-piece roll-formed ultra-high-strength steel side members that offer superior rigidity. Ford also leverages a 3D Roll and Sweep process that bends roll-formed steel tubes into single-piece window pillars and roof rail tubes, aiding in overall crash-test performance.
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The 2020 Ford Explorer Plug-In Hybrid also boasts innovative driver-assistive safety technologies that aid in its crash-mitigation and -prevention testing. This includes first-for-Europe Reverse Brake Assist, Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, Lane-Keeping System, and an Intelligent Speed Limiter. According to the report, Pre-Collision Assist avoided or mitigated crashes at speeds typical of city driving in all scenarios.
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