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Next Ford Mustang delayed to plug in electric power in radical shift, report says

According to a forecasting firm, Ford will turn its iconic pony car into an EV at the end of this decade.

2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1
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2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1

EVs aren't bad, but this would definitely be a radical move.

Ford

Oh, this will surely ruffle some feathers. Liberally apply the old salt shaker, but forecasting firm AutoForecast Solutions said this past Monday the seventh-generation is subject to a lengthy delay as the company prepares to turn the pony car into an electric vehicle.

That contradicts in a big way the last pieces of information we learned about the upcoming Mustang. Leaks pegged the car to launch in 2023 with a redesign, likely on the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator's new platform. The forecasting firm said that plan has been shelved, and instead, the new Mustang will arrive in 2028 with electric power. 

Ford declined to comment on the report.

It's worth noting power at the very top of Ford recently transferred to a new CEO, Jim Farley, so scrapping its Mustang plans does seem plausible. Nevertheless, this would be a huge change for a car that's remained in continuous production for decades. Its hallmark has always been affordable V8 performance, despite some lovely smaller-displacement engines along the way. With a shift to a battery and electric motors, the Mustang would enter entirely new territory and absolutely face pushback from its ultraloyal fan base. That's not just a guess, that's absolute fact.

What this means for a long-rumored Mustang hybrid is unclear. We've heard for a long time that we'll see an electrified V8 engine sit under the Mustang's hood, but perhaps such a car will eventually serve as a bridge to the Mustang EV. We also saw the company toy with an electric Mustang in the latest Mustang Cobra Jet dragster. If a full-blown Mustang EV does happen, it'll show the Mustang Mach-E was truly only the beginning.

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E looks like the future

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Watch this: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E: Not yet a good Mustang, but a very good EV
Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.

Article updated on January 22, 2021 at 7:48 AM PST

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Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
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