Ford in May announced plans for electric versions of the Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, to be based on one of two new dedicated electric-vehicle platforms the automaker is developing.

Timing for the vehicles hasn't been announced but Automotive News (subscription required), citing an internal memo, reported last week that the mid-size duo will start production in December 2024. If accurate, the electric Explorer and Aviator will likely be introduced for the 2025 model year. The electric Aviator is likely the vehicle Lincoln plans to reveal in 2022 as its first EV.

2022 Lincoln Aviator

2022 Lincoln Aviator

The production timeline is about 18 months later than originally planned, according to Automotive News which reported that the vehicles were intended to be Ford's next major EV launch after the 2022 F-150 Lightning. Citing supplier sources, Automotive News reported that Ford originally planned to build the electric Explorer and Aviator starting in mid-2023 at its plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico, which is currently responsible for the smaller Mustang Mach-E. Instead, Ford will reportedly build the electric Explorer and Aviator at a new site to save the extra capacity at the Mexico plant for increased Mach-E production.

This was backed up by a tweet last week from Ford CEO Jim Farley outlining plans to triple Mach-E production at the Mexico plant to more than 200,000 units annually. The Mexico plant supplies Mach-Es for all markets apart from China, where the electric crossover is assembled locally.

Ford has many more EV introductions planned for the coming decade. The automaker is spending $30 billion through 2025 on electrification alone, and expects 40% of global sales to be made up by EVs by 2030.