Ford recently teased its highly anticipated all-electric performance SUV with a photo rendering on the web. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker is known to be working on what appears to be a more affordable Tesla Model X competitor after making the announcement at this year’s Detroit Auto Show in January. Its formula consists of using an all-new, dedicated battery electric vehicle platform (BEV), while boosting performance aspirations over economy.
The idea garnered support, that is, until rumors began surfacing that Ford planned to dub the incoming all-electric performance SUV as the new “Mach 1.” This launched die-hard Ford fans in a frenzy, especially the Mustang crew, because the famous Mach 1 nameplate originated with a special, highly desired version of the original 1969-70 Mustang. Naming an electric SUV after one of its iconic cars isn’t what Ford fans really had in mind.
Nonetheless, the rendering does show the silhouette profile of the new SUV’s rear-end, where it clearly takes inspiration from the Ford Mustang’s rear-end and triple-lens taillights. The roofline and shoulder profiles look to be modeled after the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. That said, this new Mach 1 electric SUV will likely have a low-slung, coupe-like roof for both aerodynamics and a sporty appearance, given that Ford is pushing it as a performance EV SUV.
Official details are not yet available, so speculation continues to run high for this latest SUV. Rumors suggest that it’ll be ready by 2020, with promises of a 300-mile driving range.
“It’s an exciting time to be bringing forward a winning portfolio of electrified vehicles,” wrote Darren Palmer, Ford’s global product development director, in an exclusive op-ed for Medium. “My team and I are both proud of and energized by the company’s $11 billion investment to bring 16 fully electric vehicles within a global portfolio of 40 electrified vehicles through 2022.”
This latest performance EV is part of Ford’s most recent electrification campaign to introduce more hybrid and electric vehicles into its vehicle lineup in coming years. As the campaign continues marching forward, this push for electrification will eventually reach the famed Ford Mustang as well. Ford also pledged to focus on building and selling more SUVs and crossovers, as they remain popular, hence the company’s decision to make this new Mach 1 electric vehicle an SUV.
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