.As the automotive world continues its shift toward full electrification, Ford is getting ready to announce their new EV product on November 17. The poorly kept secret is a, ahem, battery-powered Mustang-inspired SUV to be launched late 2020.
A recent press release from Electrify America regarding their joint charging network venture with Ford details the coming BEV. Rumored to be called the Mach E, it’s intended to have a 300-mile range with an extended battery and rear-while drive. It’s 150kw/h battery will get a 47-mile charge in just ten minutes, and will charge from 10% to 80% in 45 minutes. A performance-oriented dual-motor AWD version will follow.
This is all in conjunction with the aforementioned charging network. It will roll out through 29 cities and 45 states by the end of 2021. Electrify America hopes to have 800 stations with 3500 chargers at this time. While that’s all boring as hell, it would make Ford a legitimate alternative to Tesla, who currently lead the EV race thanks to their expansive charging network.
The Mach E is an All-Electric, Mustang-inspired SUV
The press release doesn’t include performance specs; it’s clear that the current emphasis is on the range and charging capabilities rather than speed and power. However, using the Mustang as the launching point for the eSUV’s design suggests that excitement is part of the package. It’s an interesting choice. While Tesla, and now Porsche, are capitalizing on the excitement factor an electric motor offers, EV’s are still valued more for their green-status. That, and also the fact that the Mustang itself caters to a less than…sophisticated crowd.
Still, it seems we’re in the end-times for the internal combustion engine. Pretty much every nameplate’s flaunting their new or coming EVs. It won’t be much longer until they all announce their strategies for developing nationwide charging networks.
Expect more details to follow after the official release. Hopefully, they’ll include metrics that really matter, like 0-60 times.
