The automotive industry’s transition to electric vehicles isn’t going as planned. Adoption is slower than expected, and recent policy changes—in the US especially— could further hinder sales. That’s why Ford has no plans to build an electric Mustang anytime soon.
According to a new Automotive News report, Ford will continue building the gas-powered Mustang well into the 2030s. While the automaker previously considered making the next-gen model an EV, the company has apparently backtracked on that idea.
The report doesn’t specify when we can expect an electric Mustang, but we imagine that if CEO Jim Farley had his way, Ford would never make one. In May 2024, the Blue Oval’s boss said:
‘One thing I can promise, however, is that we will never make an all-electric Mustang.’
That’s a bold proclamation, and the correct one if Dodge’s endeavor to electrify the Charger is any indication. The V-8 engine is a staple in the Mustang lineup, and that’s unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.
Farley wants to keep the V-8 alive for “as long as God and the politicians let us,” but that doesn’t mean Ford won’t eventually add some form of electrification to the Mustang. The CEO also said in 2024 that the automaker has been testing partial electric powertrains and believes they “work well for performance drivers.”
It’s doubtful we’ll see a hybrid Mustang this generation. Ford just launched the seventh-generation one for 2024, and we likely won’t see the eighth-generation car debut until the early 2030s.
That said, a hybrid powertrain could boost the Mustang’s performance and efficiency. The 5.0-liter V-8 already makes 500 horsepower in the Dark Horse, and an electric motor could easily (we hope) add 100 hp or more to the combined output.
We also can’t forget about Ford’s 5.2-liter Predator V-8 that makes 815 hp in the GTD. A bit of electricity could put a Ford Mustang within spitting distance of 1,000 hp from the factory.
Maybe a bit of the future mixed with old-school American muscle won’t be a bad thing.
