The Ford Mustang Lithium Concept looked great at the 2019 SEMA Show debut and with 900 horsepower, 1,000 lb-ft of torque and a 6-speed manual transmission, it has to be a blast to drive.
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The vast majority of vehicles which debuted at the 2019 SEMA Show were powered by a big V8, but Ford Motor Company went a different route with the Mustang Lithium Concept. As you likely gathered from the headline, the Lithium Concept is an all-electric pony car built by Webasto, the company which provided the electric drivetrain, to showcase their partnership with Ford. This car is a one-off, but Webasto and Ford are working together on other electrification projects that will see production.
As for the Mustang Lithium, it might be one of the more interesting EVs we have seen, as it packs insane power levels and a manual transmission, so you get gear-banging fun even without the roar of the big V8.
The heart of the Ford Mustang Lithium Concept is the Webasto-built 800-volt electric drivetrain system, but unlike some all-electric cars, this EV doesn’t have motors at the axle. Instead, the Mustang Lithium has the battery mounted under the hood where the engine goes, mated to two inverters and a dual-core electric motor. That motor is connected to a Getrag MT-82 manual transmission, with a tradition Torsen rear differential and a set of Ford Performance half-shafts to handle the monstrous amounts of power.
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According to Ford, the Webasto drivetrain delivers more than 900 horsepower and 1,000 lb-ft of torque, so this EV is likely a silent drag strip killer with a good driver and adequate traction. We werent able to get a weight number on this car, but even if it weighs more than a standard Mustang GT, it is surely a whole lot quicker with those power levels coupled with the instant torque of the electric drive.
Other Upgrades
In addition to the Webasto powerplant, the Mustang Lithium Concept has been lowered one inch over the Forgeline 20-inch wheels, wrapped in Michelin Pilot 4S tires and encasing Shelby GT350R brakes up front. A carbon fiber front splitter, side sills and rear diffuser work with the custom paint job to provide a unique look.
Again, Ford was very clear in stating that the Mustang Lithium Concept is purely a one-off show car, but it is interesting how cleanly Webasto was able to tuck a 900-horsepower all-electric drive system into this car while maintaining the manual transmission. I have only ever driven EVs with automatics, but the instant torque of the electric drivetrain with roughly 1,000 lb-ft and the control of manual transmission must provide a very unique feel.
Patrick Rall is a professional writer and photographer with a passion for all things automotive. Patrick has been sharing his automotive expertise in automotive journalism from Detroit for more than a decade covering the Big Three. Having grown up in his father’s performance shop, he spent extensive time at the oval track and drag strip – both driving and wrenching on various types of vehicles. In addition to working as a writer, Patrick previously worked as an automotive technician before moving on to a business office position with a chain of dealerships, and this broad spectrum of experience in the industry allows him to offer a unique look on the automotive world. Follow Patrick on Youtube and Twitter.
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