Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV leaks ahead of launch

Pictures of the Ford Mustang Mach-E – the US firm's first electric car – have leaked out ahead of its launch at the LA Motor Show on 18 November.

Shots from the SUV’s online customer reservation page show the Mach-E without any of the camouflage that shrouded the prototype spotted in public earlier this month.

Meanwhile, a picture of the interior provides a glimpse inside for the first time: the Mustang Mach-E will come with a huge, portrait touchscreen, leaving the rest of the dashboard relatively uncluttered. A thin, rectangular digital display sits ahead of the driver, while the steering wheel houses a handful of the few physical buttons deployed by Ford’s designers.

The leak has also revealed the car will be available in four trims – Select, Premium, California Route 1 and GT – in addition to the First Edition variant that Ford had already announced. Prices range from $43,895 to $60,500 in the US, although UK figures remain under wraps.

0-60mph times vary from 6.5 to 3.5 seconds, although these are ‘target’ figures for now. The estimated range across the various configurations spread from 230 to 300 miles, however these are derived from the EPA system used in the US: Ford has promised up to 370 miles for the longest-range model under European WLTP regulations.

We've also learned the Ford Mustang Mach-E will accept 47 miles of range in 10 minutes from a DC rapid-charger. Ford is a founder member of the IONITY rapid-charging network, suggesting the Mach-E will be compatible with its CCS chargers.

The Mach-E, a high-performance vehicle inspired by the Mustang muscle car, stays as true to its heritage as can be expected from an SUV: it has a low nose, long bonnet and flared wheelarches for a sporty, muscular look. The tail-light design, and the inclusion of the pony badge on the nose of the vehicle, are clear nods to the iconic Mustang.

Despite the impressive claimed range of 370 miles from a single charge, Ford has chosen to stick with conventional door mirrors, as opposed to the more aerodynamically efficient, range-boosting camera set-up adopted by the Honda e and available on the Audi e-tron.

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Previously, the ‘Mach-E’ had been teased in a 22-second video (see below) which showed the profile of the crossover being designed on a tablet. It was intercut with shots of a clay model that appeared to be a full-size replica of the car.

The Mach-E will be built on a dedicated battery-electric vehicle platform, and is likely to be assembled at one of the firm’s factories in Mexico. Lithium-ion batteries are almost certain to be used, too.

Earlier this year, Ford used its annual financial review to confirm the imminent arrival of the ‘Mach-E’. Originally the marque had planned to build a more practical, family-orientated electric SUV, but has instead opted to begin with a performance model in order to stand out in the market.

The car looks set to hit showrooms in 2020, although the firm will take refundable deposits of $500 after the car has launched on 18 November. Buyers will be able to fully configure their Mach-Es when order books open officially next year.

Ford – which revealed a facelifted version of the Mondeo Hybrid earlier this year – is working towards having 40 electrified vehicles in its global line-up by 2022. Among them is a hybrid Mustang, which is due next year.

It has also bought access to Volkswagen Group's MEB electric-car platform, with which it hopes to build 600,000 electric vehicles in a six-year period from 2023.