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Ford will reveal its all-new Mustang-inspired electric SUV, conceived as a high-performance rival to the Tesla Model Y, next month.
The American firm has released a teaser featuring a sketch of the new machine's profile, confirming it will be unveiled in full on Sunday, November 17, just ahead of the Los Angeles motor show (which will take place from November 18-22) where it will likely be shown in public for the first time. Due to the time difference, the unveiling will occur on Monday November 18, in India.
Due to go on sale in international markets in 2020, Ford claims the as-yet-unnamed model will transfer the spirit of the iconic Mustang pony car into a truly 21st century model.
The new model was given the 'Mach 1' tag during early development because of strong public opinion against the use of the branding historically reserved for Mustangs. However, Ford recently applied to trademark the ‘Mach-E’ nameplate, which seems a perfect fit given the car’s brief.
The new car will be the first Ford designed as an electric car from the ground up, with a bespoke new platform enabling both rear and four-wheel drive. It will crown the brand’s wide-reaching electrification plan under which European customers will be offered a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or fully electric version of every new model launched.
The only technical detail Ford has officially revealed is the car’s range: it will be capable of a WLTP-certified 595km range on a single charge, beating the Tesla Model X (565km) and Jaguar I-Pace (470km). A less expensive version with lower battery capacity and range is also expected.
Ford claims charging will be “effortless” and it is “redesigning the ownership experience to ensure it addresses customer pain points that currently hold back broad [electric car] adoption”. The car’s performance remains undisclosed, although chairman Bill Ford has previously claimed it “is going to go like hell”.
At a Bank of America summit last month, a Ford presentation showed that it would offer a higher-performance variant of the electric SUV, targeting the more accelerative versions of Tesla’s EVs. Although it is not officially confirmed, reports suggest Ford will reveal the car’s name along with the concept before the year is out.
Like many of Ford’s recent models, it’ll be a globally engineered vehicle with few changes between regions. It’s not the only EV in Ford’s product plan as the Michigan-based carmaker is also working on a more affordable electric crossover. Codenamed CX430, it will be based on the latest Focus platform and be similar to the Kuga. The CX430 has been in Ford’s product plan for several years.
The long-awaited push into electrification comes after news that Ford will be dropping former bestsellers from its US line-up: the Taurus, Fusion and Focus, alongside the Fiesta. Ford’s premium hatchback never found huge popularity in the US, but the momentous decision to end Ford’s 110-year presence in the US passenger sedan market sent a clear signal that profitability, not diversity, is the new focus for the brand.
Also see:
New Mach 1 is a Ford Mustang-inspired EV
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