The times, they are a’changing, and that’s definitely the case for the Ford Mustang. The latest news and rumors point to what could be an upcoming hybrid powerplant for the iconic muscle car, as well as an electrified future for the Blue Oval as a whole.

Adding Electricity To The Running Horse Badge

This latest revelation comes to us from a recently published patent that was filed way back in July of 2017.

Specifics on the system are pretty technical, but the abstract sums it up quite neatly:

“In one example, the rear-wheel drive system includes an internal combustion engine configured to drive rear wheels of the vehicle, and the front-wheel drive system includes a first electric motor and a second electric motor mounted directly to opposing sides of the engine. The first electric motor is coupled to a first reduction gearbox to drive a first front wheel of the vehicle, and the second electric motor is coupled to a second reduction gearbox to drive a second front wheel of the vehicle.”

Did you catch that the patent mentions both FWD and RWD systems? Not only does that mean the system could be used for both FWD and RWD platforms, but also opens up the possibility for AWD.

Yep, that’s right, a hybrid Mustang with AWD. Is nothing in this world sacred any more?

Granted, that just speculation at this point, but regardless, it looks like Ford is making big moves to completely revamp its classic sports car nameplate. At this point, the Mustang is already offered with a turbo four-cylinder engine with fuel returns up to 30 mpg, so quite frankly, a hybrid doesn’t really seem like that big of a stretch.

We see this elsewhere in the lineup as well. For example, the Shelby Mustang GT500 just revealed at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show feels more like a modern supercar in muscle car wrapping than a straight-up pony car.

As for the future hybrid Mustang, enthusiasts undoubtedly wanna know what the internal combustion part of the equation will entail. Will it be a four-cylinder? Perhaps Ford will bring back the six-cylinder? Or maybe the hybrid will be the range-topper, with a fire-spitting eight-cylinder boosted even further by electric assistance and besting the current Mustang GT?

That latter guess certainly looks like a strong possibility, especially when you consider the example in the patent above shows a V-8.

What’s more, as noted by AutoGuide, Ford has issued statements before that a hybrid Mustang would “deliver V-8 power and even more low-end torque,” but really, that could go two different ways - either with a smaller engine (like a four-banger) doling out more torque and similar power levels as a V-8, or a V-8 making even more torque than normal thanks to hybrid tech.

Regardless, Ford is definitely doubling down on electricity for the future, investing billions into development and considering hybrid applications for its other staple nameplates, including its dominant F-150 truck series.

Rumor has it we could even see a Mustang-inspired EV crossover sometime in the future. Yikes, right?

Of course, Ford’s rivals are taking note. Dodge is considering a Challenger hybrid, while Chevrolet is looking at the potential of a hybrid Camaro. In just a few year’s time, we could see an electrified muscle car shootout at the drag strip.

As for the hybrid Mustang, we could be seeing that as early as next year. For reference, the current Mustang is priced at $26,395, with output levels ranging between 310 horsepower and 480 horsepower.

Would you be interested in a hybrid Mustang, or do you consider the mere thought of such a creation to be utter blasphemy? Let us know in the comments section below.

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford Mustang.

Read our full review on the 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1.

Read our full review on the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.