Recognizing the convergence of traditional cars and crossover SUVs, Ford took the controversial step of introducing the Mustang Mach-E, a battery electric crossover wearing the Mustang badget and a name derived from the Mach 1 high-performance edition of the Mustang.
Purists expressed outrage, but as consumers increasingly view crossovers as indistinguishable from other automotive body styles, the move could be considered a preemptive bid to keep the Mustang name relevant for decades to come. Ford has contemplated leveraging the Mustang’s popularity with a family of more practical variants since the car’s very beginning, but this will mark the first time such a proposal will actually reach production.
In keeping with Mustang tradition, the Mach-E will be available with a variety of powertrains and trim levels, providing affordability for the price-conscious and maximum performance for customers willing to spend more.
In the case of the Mach-E, that means a car that will be available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. There is also a standard 75.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack with 288 battery cells and a long-range 98.8 kWh battery pack with 376 cells.
Ford predicts that the extended-range battery will yield 300 miles of driving range on the EPA test when configured with rear-wheel drive. The extended-range all-wheel-drive configurations, Mach-E is targeting 332 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque.
Ford hopes to placate gearheads with promises of impressive performance for this new kind of Mustang. “The Mustang Mach-E wholeheartedly rejects the notion that electric vehicles are only good at reducing gas consumption,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s chief product development and purchasing officer.
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