Electric Pony: Ford introduced the Mustang Mach-E and already works to bring it to Argentina

[Inkriql]

From Los Angeles (United States) - Ford today presented the most revolutionary car - and at the same time controversial - in its history: the Mustang Mach E. It is a sports and 100% electric SUV, which adopted the name of the legendary muscle-car from Detroit, to take the first step in a complete family of new models called "Mustang."

The Mach E is not a concept car. It is a production car that can now be booked in the United States, starting at 44 thousand dollars. It is much cheaper than other similar electric SUVs and promises "the performance of a Porsche 911 GTS".

To baptize an electric car with the name "Mustang", a sports car famous for its V8 engines - noise, waste and pollutants - is a controversial decision. For many Oval fans it can even be a "heresy."

In Ford they defend themselves: “The name Mustang has a personality and a history so rich that it will have the role of becoming an independent sub-brand within Ford, with a range of models that will be innovative in several ways, but that will respect the spirit of speed , fun and freedom that the name Mustang always represented, ”said Ted Cannis, former president of Ford Argentina (2002-2005) and current leader of Team Edison, the Oval team in charge of developing electric vehicles.

The name Edison is also provocative: Henry Ford was always a great friend and partner of the inventor Thomas Alba Edision, who at the same time was the historical nemesis of Nikola Tesla (was it clear to you, Elon Musk?).

Now, does this represent the end of the Mustang V8?

“In no way, we will continue to manufacture many traditional Mustangs in the future. In Ford we all love the Mustang. The entire automotive industry is working for a market that will continue to demand internal combustion engines for at least 15 more years, ”Cannis explained.

As with other automakers, Ford was forced by environmental regulations in the United States, Europe and China to develop a full range of electric vehicles, in order to compensate for emissions from models that will still burn fossil fuels.

In this way, Mach-E can be seen as a "heresy" by Mustang fans. Or as the "savior", which will continue to produce the great V8.

The Mustang Mach-E will be produced at the Ford plant in Mexico, where until recently the Fiesta KD was manufactured. While reservations have already been opened, deliveries will be only at the end of 2020. It will start in the United States and Europe.

"We are willing to offer it also in Argentina and Brazil," said Rogelio Goldfarb, vice president of Communication for Ford South America. “We still don't have confirmed dates, but we are working in that direction. The will exists, ”he added.

The Mustang Mach-E marks the launch of Ford's first 100% electric platform. It is the first model of the Oval brand that will not have versions with internal combustion engines. This platform will be used for other models, which will also use the name Mustang. It is known that in the future there will also be a coupe with this base.

The floor of the vehicle is all occupied by the batteries. In the case of the top-of-the-range version (GT Performance), there are twelve lithium-ion battery packs, with a performance of 98.8 kWh. It is more than what the Porsche Taycan (93 kWh) offers and just a little less than the more sporty Tesla Model S (100 kWh).

The GT Performance has 459 horsepower and 829 Nm of torque. Accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in just 3 seconds. This value will be achieved by activating the operating mode “Unbrided”. "These are the benefits of a Porsche 911 GTS," said Cannis. However, no maximum speed data was provided.

It has two electric motors, one on each axis. The main engine is the rear. The front complementary engine will only be activated when double traction is needed. “This is the first Mustang that can be enjoyed all year. Great news for those of us who live in Michigan, with a meter of snow for a good part of the year, ”said the same executive.

Ford declares a range of 483 kilometers. If you plug it into a 240v household outlet, the batteries recover 35 kilometers of autonomy per hour. With a wallbox (called Ford Connected Charge Station), 50 kilometers of autonomy per hour are achieved. In a fast charging station (350 kw), on the other hand, 75 kilometers are obtained in 10 minutes.

And why was the SUV format chosen? Because it is the segment of the market that is growing the most in the world. The same goes for pick-ups, that's why Ford is already showing the new electric F-150 (see note).

“In addition, it is the first Mustang that can be enjoyed every day and as a family. It has plenty of interior space for five passengers and two luggage trunks. The rear has 407 liters of capacity and the front has 100 liters. The front compartment is airtight and is designed to