Photo: Ford
Not to be confused with that quirky crossover known as the Mach-E, the Mustang needs no introduction. A symbol of Americana pretty much everywhere around the world, the best-selling sports coupe strikes a chord with its unmistakable looks, the baritone burble of the V8 underhood, and a fair bit of performance.
Opting for the Shelby GT500 with the Predator V8 kicks that performance into overdrive, the only ‘Stang with a dual-clutch transmission and more than 700 horsepower from the factory. The thing is, not even Ford can stay true to the ethos of America’s favorite pony because of the electric vehicle onslaught.
Remember the Mustang Lithium, co-developed with Webasto? That’s an official from the Ford Motor Company, packing in excess of 900 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque along with a six-speed manual. That’s right; the Blue Oval decided to put a good ol’ stick shift in the electric Mustang concept!
“Electric drive is essential to the future of Ford,” reads a statement from the Dearborn-based automaker. If you ask chief engineer Ron Heiser if an EV option will happen, he’ll likely answer that Ford doesn’t comment on future products. That’s exactly what Heiser told the peeps at Motoring.com.au, but with a twist.
“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.” It’s not known if the S650 generation of the Mustang will borrow the new platform from the Mach-E, nor is Ford willing to mention if the CD6 architecture can be fully electrified.
Another scenario would be to underpin the internal combustion-engined S650 on the CD6 of the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Navigator while the all-electric Mustang would borrow some underpinnings from the Mach-E. This two-pronged approach to development might seem a little costly, but don’t forget that both platforms are Swiss army knives that will spawn numerous models over the upcoming years.
The Ford Motor Company isn’t alone in this electric revolution either. Having partnered up with Volkswagen, the Blue Oval will develop and launch two MEB-based models in Europe in the nearest of futures. The American automaker’s platform is very scalable as well, compatible with rear- and all-wheel-drive vehicles.
Remember the Mustang Lithium, co-developed with Webasto? That’s an official from the Ford Motor Company, packing in excess of 900 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque along with a six-speed manual. That’s right; the Blue Oval decided to put a good ol’ stick shift in the electric Mustang concept!
“Electric drive is essential to the future of Ford,” reads a statement from the Dearborn-based automaker. If you ask chief engineer Ron Heiser if an EV option will happen, he’ll likely answer that Ford doesn’t comment on future products. That’s exactly what Heiser told the peeps at Motoring.com.au, but with a twist.
“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.” It’s not known if the S650 generation of the Mustang will borrow the new platform from the Mach-E, nor is Ford willing to mention if the CD6 architecture can be fully electrified.
Another scenario would be to underpin the internal combustion-engined S650 on the CD6 of the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Navigator while the all-electric Mustang would borrow some underpinnings from the Mach-E. This two-pronged approach to development might seem a little costly, but don’t forget that both platforms are Swiss army knives that will spawn numerous models over the upcoming years.
The Ford Motor Company isn’t alone in this electric revolution either. Having partnered up with Volkswagen, the Blue Oval will develop and launch two MEB-based models in Europe in the nearest of futures. The American automaker’s platform is very scalable as well, compatible with rear- and all-wheel-drive vehicles.
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