Ford to debut new electric vehicle Nov. 17
Ford Motor Co. will debut its first-ever battery-electric crossover on Nov. 17, the automaker said Thursday.
"We’ve busted the myth that electric vehicles have to be boring," the automaker said in a brief press release. "And we’ve got our customers covered with North America’s largest electric vehicle public charging network. Now Ford is gearing up to unveil its all-electric, Mustang-inspired SUV across the globe..."
That puts the debut just a few days ahead of the start of the Los Angeles Auto Show. Automakers around the globe have taken to debuting new product outside of auto shows in recent years.
Expected to be called the "Mach E," the battery-electric vehicle could be an inflection point for CEO Jim Hackett and Executive Chairman Bill Ford as they try to steer the 116-year-old automaker into the next generation of the auto industry.
The automaker is planning to launch the all-new electric crossover in 2020 as a 2021 model year vehicle. Company executives have frequently said it's a "Mustang-inspired" SUV. The vehicle takes design cues from the Mustang, but it's expected to be a four-door crossover design favored by consumers. Company officials also have said they're targeting a 300-mile range, and that the vehicle will be fast.
Ford trademarked "Mach E," "Mach-E," and "Mustang Mach-E" for use on motor vehicles, electric vehicles and passenger vehicles within days of each other in late March and early April. The automaker also recently trademarked "Thunder" and "Evos" for similar uses. The automaker also owns "Model E," a trademark Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk wanted for one of his vehicles.
The vehicle should hit Ford's lineup around the same time the automaker had planned to launch a less-exciting electric vehicle, officials had told The Detroit News earlier this year. Hackett ordered a redesign of an electric vehicle that would have been a compliance play. Engineers and designers came up with the Mustang-inspired electric vehicle debuting in November.
The vehicle is still months away from production. The automaker announced earlier in October that would partner with multiple nationwide charging networks in the United States in addition to giving electric vehicle customers different options for charging vehicles at their home.
ithibodeau@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Ian_Thibodeau