Electric Mustang revealed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt_Mzo6F1Zw

The electric Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV has been shown to the world in a livestream which included actor Idris Elba, founder Henry Ford’s great grandson and company chairman Bill Ford, and president Jim Hackett.

In a streaming reminiscent of a gospel revival meeting complete with choir, Ford revealed the Mach-E (no, not named after Elba) has about a 480km range, can add around 75km every 10 minutes on a 150kW DC fast charger and is ready to order now with premium and first edition models expected in 2020 and more to follow in 2021.

The electric Mustang is likely to start around the US$36,000 mark. It can get to 96km/h in under six seconds and has a Tesla-like screen which one watcher describes as “like a giant cell phone”.

Voice activated by the command “OK Ford”, the Mach-E uses artificial intelligence and high-tech connectivity to provide a hands-free service. It can answer and map out where the nearest coffee stop is, for instance.

A smart phone FordPass key locks and unlocks it and can also be used to access charging stations.

Bill Ford says the Mach-E “goes like a rocket ship” and can “fit the whole family and whatever you want to put in it”.

Other chat comments on the Ford launch site included that it was a “Tesla rip-off”, a “Tesla Model Ford”, “Not a real Mustang” and much more.

Explaining his connection to Ford, Elba says his dad worked in Ford factory for 25 years and he did two years mainly night shift on Ford’s East London assembly line.

EVtalk previewed the launch.