Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

The Ford Mustang could ditch its V8 and eventually go fully electric

By
1 of 7
ford mustang lithium electric muscle car concept shown at sema 2019
Image used with permission by copyright holder
ford mustang lithium electric muscle car concept shown at sema 2019
Image used with permission by copyright holder
ford mustang lithium electric muscle car concept shown at sema 2019
Image used with permission by copyright holder
ford-mustang-lithium-ev-concept
Image used with permission by copyright holder
ford mustang lithium electric muscle car concept shown at sema 2019
Image used with permission by copyright holder
ford mustang lithium electric muscle car concept shown at sema 2019
Image used with permission by copyright holder
ford mustang lithium electric muscle car concept shown at sema 2019
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re not convinced the automotive world is about to undergo a dramatic transformation, take a look at the sports car segment — the most hallowed space in the industry — for evidence. Mazda is considering making the next MX-5 Miata either a hybrid or an electric car, Chevrolet is allegedly preparing two hybrid variants of the new, eighth-generation Corvette, and Ford won’t rule out an electric Mustang. We’re not talking about the recently unveiled Mach-E, either.

Recommended Videos

The idea of electrifying the Mustang is controversial, but it’s not new. The Blue Oval traveled to the 2019 SEMA show with a Mustang-based, 900-horsepower electric car named Lithium (pictured above) in tow. It even had a six-speed manual transmission, which is extremely unusual for a battery-powered model. Don’t get your hopes up: It’s just a concept for the time being. It was built to gauge the public’s interest in an electric Mustang, and to show skeptics what’s possible.

While the Lithium hasn’t been approved for production, one of Ford’s high-ranking engineers said we’ll see something like it in showrooms sooner or later. It’s inevitable; the industry has already started pivoting away from piston-powered engines.

“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,” explained Ron Heiser, the Mustang Mach-E’s chief engineer, in an interview with Australian website Motoring.

Don’t send Ford a deposit yet (or, alternatively, don’t picket outside its headquarters down yet). Heiser didn’t announce that an electric Mustang is on the way; he merely stated that we’ll reach a point where selling a car that’s not electric will be impossible, likely because it will be illegal in most countries. When we’ll get there depends on who you ask; BMW opined that electric cars are overhyped, Honda said they won’t become mainstream in the near future, and Toyota pointed out there’s no demand for battery-powered vehicles in the United States, so designing hybrids makes more sense.

Speaking of, that’s the route Ford is taking as it looks for ways to electrify the Mustang. In 2018, the company announced plans to release a Mustang powered by a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain in 2020. It didn’t reveal whether it would add a mild hybrid system, regular hybrid technology, or a plug-in hybrid setup to its emblematic pony car, but insiders suggested the model would land with a naturally aspirated V8 engine. Now, 2020 is around the corner, so we likely won’t have to wait long to learn more about it. If it’s the EV you’re after, however, the good news is you’ve got time to save up for it.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon
Contributor
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
The Ford Mustang Mach-E isn’t just getting cheaper, it’s getting better
A red 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E in a field.

Ford and Tesla have both made headlines over the past few months for engaging in a relatively aggressive pricing battle. The Mach-E and the Tesla Model Y are among the most popular electric cars out there, and they've both gotten a fair bit cheaper in the last few months. The model Mach-E now sells for $42,995, and the base model Model Y goes for $47,490 -- both before incentives.

I've reviewed a number of different Mach-E models over the past few years, and they're always one of my favorite cars to drive. But after driving the Mustang Mach-E California Route 1 Edition for a week, it was apparent that the Mach-E isn't just getting cheaper -- it's also getting better.

Read more
VW previews its next electric car in trippy camouflaged form
Front three quarter view of a camouflaged Volkswagen ID.7 prototype.

The Volkswagen ID.7 is VW's next electric car, and while it won't be fully revealed until later in the year, the automaker provided a sneak peek at CES 2023.

VW said the production ID.7, which will be revealed in the second quarter of this year, will be influenced by the ID.Aero concept first shown in China in 2022. The camouflaged prototype VW brought to CES has the same general shape as the ID.Aero. It's a streamlined sedan that VW claims will have up to 435 miles of range as measured on the somewhat lenient European WLTP testing cycle.

Read more
Jeep is launching its first two electric SUVs in the U.S. in 2024
Rendering of the Jeep Recon electric SUV.

Jeep will launch four electric SUVs for North America and Europe by the end of 2025, with at least two coming to the U.S., the automaker confirmed Thursday. While Jeep has some plug-in hybrids in its lineup, these will be the brand's first all-electric models.

The first of these models to launch will be the Jeep Recon, which is scheduled to start production in 2024, with reservations opening in early 2023. While it won't be fully revealed until next year, Jeep confirmed the Recon will have a "one-touch power top, removable doors, and glass," similar to the current Jeep Wrangler. While it doesn't replace the Wrangler, it's definitely inspired by the iconic off-roader, Jim Morrison, head of the Jeep brand in North America, said during a presentation of the electrification plan.

Read more