The Mustang Mach-E Is The Exciting Shape Of The Electric Future

The Mustang Mach-E Is The Exciting Shape Of The Electric Future

Ford just unveiled its first EV, and it鈥檚 stunning. Called the Mustang Mach-E, it appears to get a lot of things right. From the branding to little surprises, the Mustang Mach-E looks to be a hit. 鈥淲e knew we had to do something different and something exciting and something only Ford could do,鈥?Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford North America said at a press event prior to the Sunday unveiling. I think he鈥檚 right. The Mustang Mach-E is the ideal shape of the mass-produced electric future. Henry Ford would be proud. This is an electric car for the masses. It starts with branding. I hate it. The car guy in me is sad that a Mustang will soon be available in a four-door version. And electric. And lifted. That鈥檚 not a Mustang, I want to say. A Mustang is a sports car. And yet a Mustang is an affordable, reliable vehicle, and that鈥檚 exactly why Ford is calling its first EV a Mustang.

Branding is critical for the electric future. Ford is using an established brand that resonates with buyers. Look for this again and again as car companies unveil an electric version of current and past vehicles. An electric Ford F-150 and an electric Jeep Cherokee. Instead of inventing a new model line, like Chevy tried to do with the Bolt, companies will look to convert familiar models to electric. The switch should make for more comfortable transitions. With the Chevy Bolt, consumers understand it is electric, but are still left with new questions. How does the driver sit in a Bolt? Is a Bolt a low-end model? What will the resell value of a Bolt be in three years. With an established model, say a Chevy Cruze, Buick Regal or BMW 3 series, a lot of the questions are more easily answered. Consumers are familiar with the branding and the meaning behind the model. With the Mustang Mach-E, Ford is addressing many questions with just the name.

For example, other companies like Jeep, Honda and Subaru will likely follow the same scheme. It鈥檚 easier for the consumer to rehash current brands. An electric Jeep Cherokee would be a capable, mid-range vehicle with a tall ride height, sophisticated all-wheel drive system and seating for five. An electric Honda Civic would be a small, affordable car, while an electric Subaru Impreza would offer an electric powertrain on a car-based AWD platform. Likewise, unnecessary questions arise if Jeep or Honda or any other car company bring an EV to market under a new name. There is risk in using a legacy name. It can be offensive to die-hard and vocal enthusiasts. Ford is getting backlash with the Mach-E name. I find it offensive on a car-guy level. That鈥檚 not a Mustang, I want to yell. Taking a step back, it鈥檚 easy to see Ford鈥檚 justification. Chevrolet re-released the Blazer last year and experienced a similar revolt.

A Blazer is supposed to be a beefy off-roader, not the small, sporty crossover of the current version. The Mustang brand is arguably one of the most valuable Ford assets. It鈥檚 been around for more than 50 years. Car companies invest fortunes in building and marketing brands and models. It often takes generations to get consumer buy-in, and, at that point, car companies treat them with careful consideration. With the Mustang Mach-E, Ford must have abundant data that shows a projected success. The Mustang Mach-E follows the Tesla Model 3 design language: Big screen in the middle and not much else. The Mach-E builds on the Model 3 to make it a bit more palatable by including an LCD screen in front of the driver. The Bolt did this, too, but the Chevy didn鈥檛 go far enough. With the Mach-E and the Model 3, Ford and Tesla are utilizing smart manufacturing techniques, which will likely be replicated across the automotive industry 鈥?for better or worse. Each car maker manufacturers switches and dials and screens that are installed throughout its models.