It was 2017 when Mark Fields, Ford’s CEO at the time, announced a hybrid Mustang. Since then, there have been rumors and reports of an electrified Mustang—and the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV—but no production Mustang hybrid. Now, we know that Ford is at least working on a hybridized Mustang.
The news comes to us from Ford Authority, which reports that Ford is actively working on a hybrid version of the current S650-generation Mustang. Codenamed the S650E, Ford Authority says that the automaker has built mule prototypes of the car, though it doesn’t know what sort of hybrid powertrain they’re using. The report also says it’s “unclear” when, or if, this car will reach production, given the Trump Administration’s effective cancellation of fuel-economy regulations.
Back in 2023, Ford CEO Jim Farley said the company had no plans to do an all-electric Mustang coupe, but was open to the possibility of a “partially electrified” model. Last year, Farley also said that Ford Racing (née Ford Performance) is testing hybrid powertrains, so the company sees the performance potential in adding electrification.
Since Ford’s initial 2017 announcement, the hybrid performance car has become a much more normalized thing. But no one is doing an affordable performance hybrid—the cheapest is the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, which starts at over $100,000.
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Source: Ford
Ford could blaze a trail here. And it could help in Europe, where the vast majority of Mustang customers want V-8s, but Euro 7 emissions standards are presenting a huge challenge for all internal-combustion cars, especially performance cars.
We know for a fact that the current S650-generation Mustang will continue into the 2030s, so Ford probably has to have its options open. It’s hard to imagine there being a huge demand for a hybrid Mustang in the US now, but down the road, customer tastes and political climates could change. And Ford could still win over traditionalists if the hybrid system adds tangible benefits with minimal drawbacks.
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