Remember the Mustang-Inspired EV Ford is Working on? Here's When We'll Finally See It

In case anyone’s forgotten, Ford’s all-electric, Mustang-inspired crossover is still happening. In fact, it’s happening sooner than you think. The long-awaited and highly controversial model is arriving in concept form later this year — the L.A. Auto Show, perhaps? — and will go on sale sometime in 2020. The yet-to-be-named model (it could be called the Mach-E) is expected to serve as Ford’s champion in the increasingly competitive electric SUV market, a segment with no shortage of new models that are arriving around the same time as the Ford electric SUV. The time for talking is over. Ford’s Mustang-inspired crossover is coming, and, for better or worse, it’s going to be one of the most important vehicles Ford has released in recent memory. Pressure? What pressure?

Everything We Know About the Ford Mach-E: Video

The Ford Mach-E Concept Will Probably Debut at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show

This is not a drill, even though a lot of people probably wish it is. Ford’s been planning for this electric crossover for a while now. Word of the all-electric model first surfaced a few years ago, and speculation has run rampant on what Ford’s plans for the model are. While we still know precious little about the model, it has gone through the proverbial news ringer several times since we first caught wind of Ford’s plans.

Remember the “Mach 1” fiasco? Ford’s initial plan was to use the iconic “Mach 1” name on the electric crossover. That plan was scuttled when it caused riot-levels of uproar from the general public. Smartly, if not begrudgingly, Ford listened to the overwhelmingly negative response from the public. It walked back on its plan to dust off the “Mach 1” name; instead, it applied for a trademark on the “Mach-E” nameplate. Given Ford’s insistence in using part of the nomenclature on its upcoming all-electric SUV, it seems all but certain that the high-performance version of this new electric crossover — there’s going to be one — will carry the “Mach E” name once it hits the market.

As far as actual details about the model, well, let’s just say that Ford’s keeping all that close to its vest. We do know that this model will be Ford’s first-ever electric car that it will designed from scratch, including components like a bespoke new platform that can be configured for rear and four-wheel drive. It’s still unclear if the platform will be of the modular variety. It would seem that with Ford’s ambitious electrification plans, a modular EV-facing platform would help cut development costs of future models. Either way, Ford’s new electric crossover will get first crack at the new platform.

That’s an encouraging number for Ford, especially with rival models like the Tesla Model X (325 miles) and Jaguar I-Pace (292 miles) all offering lower single-charge range under the WLTP’s guidelines. It’s unclear how much range the electric crossover will have under the EPA guidelines in the U.S., but it shouldn’t be too far away from its European counterpart. It’s worth noting, too, that this version of the electric crossover could be the high-performance variant that will carry the “Mach E” nameplate. A more affordable, lower-entry version with a smaller battery and lower range is also in the pipeline. This model could serve as Ford’s champion against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Mercedes-AMG EQC, and Audi e-tron. That’s in addition to another affordable electric crossover that Ford is also developing, one that will be similar in size to the current Kuga crossover and will based on the latest Focus platform. Not much is known about the model other than it carries the “CX430” codename.

If there was still any doubt about Ford’s electric crossover plans, all those doubts should now be put to bed. That’s not to say that Ford is worried about the competition. On the contrary, the automaker believes that it can offer a segment-shifting electric crossover that can bring the fight to the likes of the Model X and Model Y. Challenging Tesla isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially with the automaker having already established itself in the market with the Model X. The entry-level Model Y has yet to hit the road, but it’s likely to arrive before Ford’s electric crossover. That’s another rival that Ford needs to worry about, though, if you ask the automaker, it’s facing the challenge head-on with a model that addresses a lot of customer concerns that “currently hold back broad adoption.”

Ford can say whatever it wants for now, but until we see its electric crossover in the flesh and we find out what it’s capable of, all we have is hype. Lots of it, at this point. Fortunately, all this hype should translate to something more tangible by the time the year ends. Ford’s all-electric crossover is scheduled to debut in concept form this year, and the likely setting for that would be the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. At that point, the hope is that we’ll find out if the electric crossover is all it’s been hyped up to be. More importantly, at least for some people, we’ll find out if it’s worth the “Mach-E” nameplate.