INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Ford wants the world to take notice of its plans for electric vehicles.And what better way than to build an all-electric Mustang fastback
with a six-speed manual transmission?
And that has us angry over here because it a gigantic tease of a prototype that will never make it
Or least that what Ford is saying.
Ford and Webasto revealed Tuesday the &Mustang Lithium& high-performance battery electric vehicle at the
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show in Las Vegas
The vehicle is a one-off, meaning this won&t hit the marketplace anytime soon, if ever.
Ford does say this electrified Mustang is more than
It also a testbed for battery and thermal management technologies Webasto and Ford are creating for the growing e-mobility automotive
So maybe there is a chance?
The vehicle has a Phi-Power dual-core electric motor and dual power inverters powered by an 800-volt Webasto
The package produces 900 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque, ensuring its muscle car status
The vehicle has custom carbon fiber body components, a 1.0-inch lowered stance and 20-inch staggered fitting forged wheels, according to
Ford.
Ford highlights the manual transmission as the &unique& twist
Electric vehicles have single-speed gearboxes
There is really no logical reason to have a manual gearbox
For those who still love the three-pedal action though, an electric vehicle with a manual gearbox makes all the sense in the world.
The
800-volt battery system is also worth noting
The Porsche Taycan is considered the first production vehicle equipped with a system voltage of 800 volts as opposed to the usual 400 volts
found in most electric cars.
Ford use of 800 volts might hint at which battery systems might turn up in its production electric vehicles
This more robust system should allow for faster charging
For instance, Porsche credits its 800-volt system in the Taycan for allowing it tocharge from 5% to 80% in 22.5 minutes with a maximum
charging power of up to 270 kw.
Ford didn&t reveal battery range
But it offered up a few other specs, including that it has four modes that apply a controlled amount of torque for different driving modes
The modes are Valet, Sport, Track and Beast
The vehicle also has an in-dash 10.4-inch touchscreen display.
&Ford has made no secret of the fact that we are electrifying our most
popular nameplates,& Hau Thai-Tang, Ford vhief product development and purchasing officer, said in a statement
&This one-off Mustang prototype is a great opportunity for us, together with Webasto, to showcase to our customers what a new electrified
powertrain can do for performance in a car they already know and love.&
Ford historically backed hybrid technology
And while hybrids are still part of the mix, Ford has placed more emphasis on the development and production of all-electric vehicles
In 2018, the company said it willinvest $11 billion to add 16 all-electric vehicles within its global portfolio of 40 electrified vehicles
That portfolio will include an all-new Mustang-inspired fully electric SUV in 2020 with a range of 300 miles, and an all-electric F-150 in a
few years, according to Ford.
Ford unveiled in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show a range of hybrid vehicles as part of its plan to reach
sales of 1 million electrified vehicles in Europe by the end of 2022.
