Mustang Fans Shouldn't Hate the Mach E Because of the Name

Last night, Ford Motor Company finally introduced the Mustang inspired electric SUV that we knew was coming. What we didn’t expect was that Ford is actually calling the electric four-door SUV a Mustang. It is called the Mustang Mach E and it is being marketed by Ford as being part of the Mustang Family, which also includes the Mustang fastback, convertible, GT350 and GT500.

Sure, it has some styling cues that are clearly borrowed from the pony car and the performance numbers sound worthy of the Mustang name, but this is unlike anything that has ever worn the name in the past. Really, this all-electric SUV with four doors is the opposite of the legendary Mustang, but the company still chose to call it a Mustang – adding the Mach E portion to the end of the name to identify it separately from the sporty two-door cars.

Anger Over the Mustang Name
As you might expect, the decision to call the new EV SUV a Mustang has not gone over well with critics. Within the Ford enthusiast world, Mustang owners are outraged that such a legendary name would be applied to the newest electric automotive appliance. Outside of the Ford enthusiast world, Mopar and GM fans are laughing at the fact that Ford has “ruined the name”, a sentiment which is echoed by some Ford fans as well.

While I get the point of view that using the Mustang name on an electric, four-door SUV is an odd choice, I don’t agree at all that Ford has ruined the name. After all, the people who hate the Mach E and who hate what it stands for are still able to buy a “proper Mustang”. It isn’t like the Mach E is replacing the current pony car; it is just a new trim line. A trim line that shares absolutely nothing with the other cars in the family lineup, but in any case, the fact that you can still buy three different V8-powered pony cars is proof that Ford hasn’t ruined the name.

Frankly, if Ford had completely transitioned the 2020 Mustang into the 2021 Mach E, literally replacing the sporty fastback and convertible with an electric SUV, I would be outraged as well. I would agree that the Motor Company had done a disservice to the Mustang’s heritage – but that isn’t what is happening at all.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Is an Impressive EV
If you put aside any anger that you have over the use of the Mustang name, the Mach E is an impressive machine. In some forms, it will offer 300 miles of driving range on a single charge, while also being able to dash from 0 to 60 in the mid-5-second range. In the high performance GT form, the Mach E will get to 60 from a stop in the mid-3-second range. That would make it one of the quickest Ford production vehicles of all time, rivaling the new Shelby GT500.

The Mach E will likely be the best bargain performance EV on the market, offering similar performance to the Tesla Model X for about half the price. This could be the first electric vehicle from a mainstream automaker to combine big range with big performance, and it will do so for a far lower price than Tesla. In other words, this could be a very significant vehicle for Ford, so they chose a very significant name.

Ford has used some Mustang exterior styling create a sporty looking electric SUV, including the running pony logo on the front end. The company wants to drive home the fact that, in addition to being all-electric, it is still very quick and fun to drive. Ford fans associate “quick and fun to drive” with the Mustang name, so with that regard, it is a great marketing move to call this SUV the Mustang Mach E. The move has obviously upset some people, but the fact that the Mach E will be on sale at the same time as the 760-horsepower GT500 should quiet the concerns about Ford diminishing the Mustang name.

Finally, keep in mind that for high performance, V8-powered cars to continue into the future, automakers need to balance them out with super-efficient vehicles. This helps companies fit within the requirement of CAFÉ laws, so an all-electric Mustang Mach E helps to secure the future of the supercharged Mustang GT500.

Watch comparing the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E price with the Tesla Model 3, Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace and click to subscribe to Torque News Youtube channel for daily automotive news analysis.

See you in our next story where we discuss how the EV community helped Ford to design the Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle. Also read Eric Evart's recent story discussing the advantages of Ford Mach-E over Tesla.

Update: Ford Mustang Mach-E is sold out.

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.