Beyond Boundaries: Ford's Electric Explorer Sets Record on World Journey

Mar 29, 2024 04:40 AM EDT

PHOTO EVENING RIDE FORD — (Photo : PEXELS/Adnan Pervaiz )

Lexie Limitless successfully concludes her remarkable 30,000km expedition in the innovative All-Electric Ford Explorer. Following in the footsteps of adventurer Aloha Wanderwell, Lexie Alford embarked on a historic global journey using a Ford Explorer EV to commemorate Wanderwell's 100th anniversary voyage around the world in a Ford Model T.

Ford Explorer Completed Journey

Alford finished this incredible journey, which took him 20,000 miles over 27 countries on six continents, in just six months, demonstrating the potential of electric cars in contemporary exploration. According to Autoevolution, Ford chose an appropriate goal for this journey that complemented Lexie Alford's goals and the company's mission. A century ago, Aloha Wanderwell made history when she drove a Ford Model T around the globe.

Ford and Lexie commemorated Wanderwell's adventure with a similar excursion in the Ford Explorer EV on the 100th anniversary of his incredible accomplishment. After completing the journey, Lexie Alford became the first person to ever finish a tour of the entire world in an electric car. Therefore, marking an occasion in modern automotive exploration.

The voyage commenced in September 2023 from Nice, France, mirroring Aloha Wanderwell's departure point a century earlier. Progressing southward, the expedition navigated through Italy and Turkey before arriving in Tbilisi, Georgia. Transitioning to Africa, the journey commenced in Cape Town, South Africa, and headed northward to Zimbabwe. Subsequently, the exploration extended to Australia, with Lexie Limitless traversing from Adelaide to Melbourne and onward to Sydney.

Embarking on the Asian segment, the expedition commenced in New Delhi, India, and continued through Bhutan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Transitioning continents, Alford and her pre-production Ford Explorer EV journeyed to South America, commencing in Santiago de Chile, then proceeding to Argentina before venturing to Los Angeles for the North American leg.

The itinerary proceeded eastwards toward New York, with a notable stopover in Ford's hometown of Detroit along the way. For the concluding segment of her global expedition, Lexie returned to Europe, commencing in Norway and concluding the journey in Nice, thus closing the circle of her remarkable adventure.

Spanning a total of 27 countries and exceeding 30,000 kilometers, her expedition rivaled the Pole-to-Pole Nissan Ariya journey in scale. Utilizing a pre-production model of the Ford Explorer EV, Lexie relied on a variety of charging solutions throughout her odyssey, ranging from 2.2 kW AC wall outlets to DC fast chargers and a portable battery pack.

The Ford Explorer EV represents Ford's inaugural vehicle built upon Volkswagen's MEB architecture, establishing it as a distant relative to the ID.4. Tailored for European roads and drivers, the Explorer EV encountered challenges such as power shortages in Africa, limited charging infrastructure in Chile's Atacama desert, rough terrains, and harsh weather conditions. Through these trials, the Explorer EV demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of electric vehicles, showcasing their capability to overcome diverse obstacles with ease.

Ford Explorer EV

According to US News and World Report, the Explorer EV is set to differentiate itself from a conventional Explorer by incorporating certain characteristics of the Explorer while leveraging an electric vehicle platform sourced from Volkswagen.