Yes, Ford Will Produce an Actual Electric Mustang
Ford all but confirms that America’s favorite muscle car has electric and hybrid variants on the horizon.
When it comes to the future of vehicles, it is impossible to ignore the concept of electrification. Electric cars, EVs, and hybrids are an undeniable and significant emerging market. But some vehicles just don’t seem to have electricity in its DNA. Certainly many would argue that the Ford Mustang falls into that category.
However in light of recent events, it is hard to deny the writing on the wall. Following its recent debut at the L.A. Auto Show, the Mustang-inspired all-electric Mach-E SUV has already sold out.
A few weeks prior, Ford showed off the Mustang Lithium concept at SEMA. Produced by Ford and Webasto, the Mustang Lithium was an interesting turning point for many doubters. With the Lithium, we saw a real Mustang. Electric, yes–but a powerhouse with 900 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque.
“Ford has made no secret of the fact that we are electrifying our most popular nameplates,” said Ford’s product development chief Hau Thai-Tang. “This one-off Mustang prototype is a great opportunity for us, together with Webasto, to showcase to our customers what a new electrified powertrains can do for performance in a car they already know and love.”
After these two pivotal successes, Ford is moving forward and embracing electricity in the future.
Ron Heiser, Chief engineer of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, talked to Motoring about Ford’s plans for a charged Mustang. He explained that the Mach-E will be important, and will underpin many of Ford’s future EVs.
“This is a new platform, it’s our new EV architecture,” Heiser said of the Mach-E platform. It is a strong platform to build on, versatile, and able to run a number of batteries, as well as rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations.
If you’re getting into the game, you want to go big. Which is why Ford chose to debut the platform with the best of American muscle.
“We chose the first vehicle on this platform to be a Mustang,” Heiser says.
However, as for how much the Lithium will influence upcoming pony cars, Heiser was coy.
“I can’t speak to that,” he says. “But I think if you look out in the future–who knows what time frame that is–the market is eventually going to roll over to EVs.”
So, yes, the Mustang is going electric. No, not all ‘Stangs will be swapping out their V8s. However–as the times they are a’ changin’–it will be an available variant. It’s no longer a question of if, but rather when will see a electrified Mustang roll into dealers. Some may scream sacrilege, but the facts are that Ford will have to plug in to keep competitive in the changing market.
And we understand that idea of an electric Mustang might never really sit right with pony car purists. However, we can’t deny that if it delivers the sound and the fury of the Lithium, it definitely piques our interest.
Photos: Ford; The Mustang Source by Derin Richardson
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