Chinese built Mustang Mach-E SUV in works

By uwe.roland.gross on February 6, 2021 • ( 0 )

A “Pony Car” built and sold in China?

You betcha, and, it will be an EV too.

Henry Ford, a staunch anti-communist, is probably rolling in his grave, but it now appears that the Mustang Mach-E is getting a stable across the Pacific, FOX News reported.

Ford has announced plans to manufacture the electric SUV in China for local sale starting later this year through its Changan Ford joint venture company.

It will be the first time that a car carrying the Mustang name has been built in the country, FOX News reported.

The Mustang Mach-E is currently produced in Mexico for the US and other regions.

China is the world’s largest market for electric cars, with over a million sold last year and strong government support for their adoption, FOX News reported.

The Tesla Model 3 was the best-seller in 2020, followed by the Hongguang Mini microcar built by Wuling, which is a joint venture operation between SAIC and General Motors.

Tesla’s Shanghai factory has recently started producing thy Model Y, however, which is a direct competitor to the Mustang Mach-E, FOX News reported.

Ford hasn’t announced pricing for the China-made Mustang Mach-Es, but cars must have a base price below US$46,000 to qualify for subsidies and the Mach-E starts at US$43,995 in the US.

With first deliveries in the US already underway, Ford is enjoying positive customer feedback for its first-ever electric Mustang, Motor1.com reported.

The automaker targets an annual output of 50,000 units for the first year on the market but so far it has produced fewer than 10,000 units from the Mustang Mach-E. Those production numbers should go up significantly soon.

A part of the manufacturer’s “Best of Ford, Best of China” strategy to “offer Chinese customers industry-leading smart vehicles and advanced technologies,” the local production of the Mach-E will be managed by Changan Ford, Motor1.com reported.

The Chinese-built electric crossover will be sold exclusively with the GT trim face. The powertrain selection will be identical with the North American and European models, though the Chinese Mustang Mach-E will just look slightly different.

Ford hasn’t announced when the local production will begin and when the first deliveries to Chinese customers will happen, but an earlier report said the latter won’t begin until the summer of this year, Motor1.com reported.

Ford describes this as “an unprecedented move by a global automaker to locally manufacture high-performance editions.”

As a reminder, the flagship electric pony has 480 horsepower (358 kilowatts) and 634 pound-feet (860 Newton-meters) of torque.

These numbers should be enough for a 0 to 60 miles per hour (0-96 kilometers per hour) spring in just 3.7 seconds.

At a single charge, the top dog should be able to travel up to 250 miles (378 km).

The latest Co-Pilot360 technology, over-the-air update capability and the pony car-inspired design will all be present in the Chinese model, Road Show reported.

Chinese built Mustang Mach-E SUV in works — Asia Times