Limitless! Ford teams up with Lexie Alford on historic journey round the world in all-new electric Explorer

and have been helping people take on ambitious adventures ever since – we can’t wait to see how our electric future will keep that rebellious spirit going.”

Lexie broke the world record by becoming the youngest person to visit every country in the world by 21 years old. She now continues to explore the planet, showcasing the wonders of the world, while encouraging others to do the same. Lexie leads the way for a new breed of explorers with an uncompromising curiosity and driven by the same rebellious attitude as Wanderwell.

Just as Ford supported Ms. Wanderwell in the 1920s, the automaker is collaborating with Lexie Alford on this 21st century journey to celebrate the modern-day explorer with a passion for sustainable travel, and also to showcase what is truly possible in an electric vehicle.

“Aloha Wanderwell’s story is particularly inspiring for female travellers, but it truly encourages everyone to push their limits and explore new places,” said Lexie Alford. “I am excited to follow in the tyre tracks of this legendary trailblazer, while showing what the electric future of overland travel can look like. There’s going to be many obstacles and challenges, but that’s part of the fun of travel and I’m going to be documenting it all online!”

The futuristic new Explorer combines German engineering with striking American style, and is packed with smart technology and clever ideas to help drivers and passengers stay connected and comfortable on their own adventures. Features includes a supersized movable touchscreen that can also conceal a secret locker; generous storage up front; and wireless connectivity with smartphones. All this comes together with electric powertrains that can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in just 25 minutes.

Aloha Wanderwell was an explorer, a filmmaker, a wife, and a mother. She began her journey around the world at age sixteen, and visited places that no western man or woman had ever seen before. Ms. Wanderwell’s daring voyage began in Nice, France, and she would eventually sail homeward from Kilindini Harbour, Mombasa. Throughout the journey she had to adapt to challenging circumstances; kerosene replaced gasoline, and crushed bananas were used as grease for moving vehicle parts.

David Savage is Vice President, UK & Ireland for Geotab, the leading IoT and connected vehicles provider. At the official opening of the company’s Innovation Hub in High Wycombe in the UK (see story on page 60) we caught up with him about Geotab’s plans for Ireland, competing against OEMS, and how data can help in the transition to an electric fleet.

Geotab is a global player operating in over 100 countries but what are your plans for the Irish market?

Ireland is an important market for us. Our vision from a UK and Ireland business perspective is to be the number one telematics player in both of those markets. However we’ve only really launched into the market this year - we have had an aborted start because of Covid. So last year was about laying the foundation and building the brand awareness, identifying where we can add values in the market. We see sustainability in fleet electrification as being one of those key areas. We now have someone on the ground in the Irish market who has the experience but also knows the market very well. The feedback he has been able to give us on the technology, product and marketing sides, and the relationship side of it has been invaluable.

What’s your approach to getting new business?

We operate an indirect sales model. We don’t sell direct to end users, rather we have partners who sit in the middle to contract fulfil. We have a very strong partner network across the UK and Ireland. I would typically dissect those partners into two verticals - the ones we