Did Ford just troll Tesla during its Model Y unveiling? The Blue Oval tweeted out a cryptic image of its legendary galloping horse logo in an electric blue shade. Ford previously confirmed that it plans to produce a Mustang-inspired all-electric crossover SUV, one that ostensibly could be a Model Y competitor in 2020.
Maybe it means nothing, maybe it’s a precursor to an upcoming near-term announcement. In any case, it must be fun to steal some of Tesla’s thunder on its announcement night.
The ride height remains hidden, probably because enthusiasts need the idea of a Mustang-inspired SUV to be distributed in small, easy-to-process doses.
Ford
The original story about Ford’s Mustang teaser follows.
Ford hasn’t been shy about its intent to build a Mustang-inspired electric crossover, and now the company has seen fit to give us an idea of what it might look like.
As part of a Medium post discussing Ford’s shift to electric-vehicle development, the automaker put out a design sketch that hints at what we could expect from a Mustang-inspired “fully electric performance utility.”
The sketch doesn’t give away all that much, showing some very obviously Mustang-derived taillights on a body that looks closer to a hatchback than a crossover. In a caption for the image, Ford says it’s targeting a 2020 release date for the still unnamed vehicle, and that it should pack a 300-mile range. We don’t have any information beyond that, though, so we’ll have to wait until Ford sees fit to divulge more info.
It appears that Ford has chosen to gloss over one major Mustang-related tie-in for its forthcoming sporty electric ute. At the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, Ford made public its plans to use the Mach 1 name for its EV SUV. Backlash arrived swiftly and with gusto, and it appears that was all it took to take Ford back to the drawing board. It could still be used, but here’s hoping that it won’t be.
Electrification will eventually make its way to the Mustang proper, too. In Jan. 2017, Ford first announced its plans to offer hybrid versions of both the F-150 and the Mustang. The public still knows very little about those cars, except that the hybrid Mustang is also due out in 2020, but release dates are always subject to change.
Originally published Sept. 6, 2018.
Updated, March 14, 2019: Adds new Ford teaser tweet.
Source: Future - cnet.com
