Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV: Everything we know
Days before the official reveal, we've learned a huge amount, thanks to the the leaky internet.
The leak included plenty of photos that show the Mustang Mach-E inside and out.
Given the popularity of crossovers in the US, it wasn't necessarily a surprise when Ford said it intended to build a utility vehicle that leaned heavily on the Mustang for inspiration. What was more surprising was the fact that Ford said it would be electric.
Since that initial announcement, the automaker has started to offer up small nuggets of information as we march steadily toward its eventual reveal. Days before the curtain is scheduled to come down at the official unveiling on Nov. 17, however, a massive leak let this pony out of the stable early. Let's take a look and see what we know about this upcoming electric SUV so far.
Looks and variants
To date, we've only had two official teasers for the Mustang-inspired EV -- a dark rendering that shows, well, a whole lot of Mustang rear-end design and one that shows the side profile, and a side-profile outline. The traditional taillight area of the Mustang translates well to a larger body, but then again, all the true SUV bits remained shrouded in the teasers, so there wasn't really much to go on.
That is, until Thursday. Ford's consumer website published official photos that showed the electric SUV in all its glory. The headlights grab the Mustang cues and hang onto them, though they sport their own unique lighting element. The grille proudly displays the pony badge. The rear preserves the Mustang coupe's tri-element taillights but offers its own take. From the side, the rear haunch largely mimics the pony car. It's not the sexiest-looking thing, but points for effort to tie the Mustang Mach-E into the original car's lineage.
Many people believed that Ford had teased the 'Stang-themed SUV in a series of videos intended to dispel common electric-vehicle myths, and it would have been our best look yet, showing off an SUV shape shrouded in curve-covering camouflage. Ford has since confirmed, however, that vehicle was a rolling testbed for battery development and not reflective of the final vehicle. It is not, in fact, the Mustang-inspired SUV.
That's probably a good thing, because the camouflaged car in those videos didn't look like much more than an Escape-based crossover, which would have been rather deflating for folks hoping for the equivalent of a Mustang on stilts.
Regarding potential variants, we know thus far that Lincoln will borrow the EV SUV's platform for something of its own creation. Ford's North American president confirmed in January that Lincoln will take the platform and build its own EV, although one shouldn't expect it to resemble Ford's vehicle in the slightest. The major leak also confirmed we'll see a few trims. The Select model will be the starting point, a Premium model will be present and there will be a First Edition. At the top of the range is a California Route 1 model and the leak also mentioned a Mustang Mach-E GT.
While many of us quickly jumped to conclusions and assumed this was Ford's Mustang-inspired EV, the automaker put the kibosh on that rumor.
Powertrain/drivetrain
Well, we know this upcoming SUV will be electric, so that's a good start.
The underlying EV tech is still largely a mystery. The battery will likely be a lithium-ion unit, but we don't know that for sure, nor do we know if they'll use prismatic cells or another type. Thursday night's leak shared a lot of information about the range, though.
The Mustang Mach-E Select will boast an estimated 230-mile range, while jumping to either the Premium or California Route 1 trims sees the range climb to an estimated 300 miles. The GT model did not have specs attached to it. The 300-mile range matches previous bits of information we learned, such as a European Ford EV website claiming it would come in around 370 miles on the WLTP cycle.
All the electric power will flow to the rear wheels but all-wheel-drive configurations will be available, too. We don't have horsepower figures, but Ford's own leak mentioned a 0-60 mph time in the five second range for the First Edition model. No word on how quick the Select, Premium and GT trims will scoot to 60 mph, though.
Whatever the electric powertrain is, it'll need charging. We know the electric SUV will benefit from a 12,000-strong charging station network. Ford has worked with multiple partners, including Electrify America, to provide access to stations across the US -- including 150 kW DC fast chargers. The leak added a 150-kW DC fast charger will dump 47 miles of range into the battery in just 10 minutes.
Name
On Nov. 14, Ford finally made it official: This electric SUV will wear the "Mustang" name. The electric SUV is called the Mustang Mach-E, Ford said in a real, nonleak announcement.
As a refresher, Ford said at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show it would revive the hallowed Mach 1 name as a possibility for the Mustang-inspired electric crossover. That... did not go over well, especially with long-time Mustang fans who are not ready to follow the crowds to high-riding utility vehicles. The automaker has since stepped back on that nomenclature, leaving it mostly a mystery.
In late 2018, the automaker filed a trademark for "Mach E," which blended the old and the new a bit better than simply reviving an old badge and slapping it on something new.
Release date and price
In October, Ford revealed it will show the Mustang-inspired electric SUV on Nov. 17. That's one day before the press flocks to the LA Auto Show, so expect to see the EV debut at a standalone event before taking the stage at the auto show after.
Following the debut, Ford will launch the electric SUV in 2020. This won't be a concept -- we're going to see the real deal in the metal very soon. Included in a Nov. 14 announcement were details about ordering the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV. We now know order books will open immediately after its debut on Nov. 17. The automaker will take a $500 refundable deposit to put interested buyers in line for one of the first models. We also know there will be a First Edition variant.
The Nov. 14 leak added price information straight from Ford's website. Those looking to park a Mustang Mach-E in their driveway will be looking at a $43,985 cost before federal and local tax credits or incentives. Just over $50,000 gets buyers into the Premium model with 300 miles of range, and the California Route 1 trim will set you back $52,400. The First Edition checks in at $59,900.
As for where it will be built, Car and Driver reports that production of Ford's Mustang-inspired SUV will take place at the automaker's plant in Cuautitlán, Mexico, which used to assemble the US-spec Fiesta . That doesn't mean Ford doesn't have EV plans for the US, though -- two other electric vehicles, one of which will likely be the Lincoln variant on the same platform, will be built in Michigan.
Originally published Oct. 2.
Updates, Oct. 17: Adds information about FordPass Charging Network in the powertrain section of the story; Oct. 31.: Adds information about the SUV's reveal date and design; Nov. 14: Confirms model's name, adds information about ordering; Nov. 15: Adds photos, range information and pricing from a Ford leak.
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