Introducing the £350,000 electric Mustang
No, this is not a new, drastically more expansive Mach-E. This is the fully electric 1967 Ford Mustang by Charge Cars, and, yes, I’m obsessed with it.
How does a fully electric version of Ford’s classic 1967 Fastback Mustang sound? Well, that’s what the team at Charge Cars have conjured up. Only 499 of these electric pony’s will be made, and they won’t come cheap either, with each car starting from £350,000.
But this is not just a straightforward EV conversion, oh no. According to Charge’s chief creative officer Mark Roberts, who was part of the team behind the legendary McLaren F1 roadcar, this is a fully, authentic Mustang, built from the ground up. “It’s a brand-new electric Mustang, completely redefined,” he says.
So, what does this new electric Mustang consist of, then? Let’s break it down piece by piece, shall we?
Just look at it
To start with, Charge Cars uses officially licensed Ford bodyshells for each project to make every single car as authentic as possible. Crafted from the first-generation of Mustang’s, the body features all the hallmarks of the iconic pony car design, with its distinctive long hood and short deck.
Whilst the design remains the same, engineers at Charge, which have come from McLaren, Jaguar Land Rover and Williams, introduce all-new, strong, lightweight composite panels, keeping the iconic structural form of the Mustang.
Although the bodyshell is officially licensed from Ford and true to the original, Charge has added bespoke elements, from the LED headlights to lightweight, soft-close doors that feature electronically powered powered handles with near-field communication (NFC) technology.
The images from Charge show the Mustang in a cool, ominous black, but each car has the capability to be completely personalised by its customer, according to Roberts. In fact, he wants all of his clients to “personalise their cars to express their creativity and personality in the colours, materials and details.”
Under the hood
Well, actually, that subhead should be ‘under the floor’ because each Mustang will have a floor-mounted battery pack. Charge’s composite battery tray is a structural part of the bodyshell, specifically engineered for improved weight distribution and handling.
To go even more in depth, the front sub-frame assembly houses two of the four e-motors with Charge-designed suspension, to improve ride and handling. The rear sub-frame is where the other two motors can be found, which combine to power the four-independent-wheel drive system.
According to Charge Cars, the 63kW battery pack will give this Mustang a range of around 200 miles, whilst also reaching 0-60mph in a staggering 3.9 seconds. Add to that a top speed of 149mph, 400kW of peak power and 1520Nm torque, then this old dog will certainly be able to keep up with the new breed of electric vehicles.
With stats like those, you’ll want to put your foot down at every opportunity, but try not to worry too much about your range, as Charge has ensured 50kW DC charging to enable you to top up quickly and get back out there.
All EV hardware including drivetrain, gearbox, and inverters, are also designed and manufactured by Arrival, the manufacturer of electric vans, buses and cars. Each Arrival battery module contains 204 high nickel content NMC 21700 cylindrical cells, with a total energy of 3.7kW – cooled by Charge’s bespoke thermal management system and connected by Flex PCB technology.
There are lots more modern touches all throughout this car, too. Whilst most electric classic car conversions keep a sense of rustic authenticity throughout their projects, Charge has made this Mustang fit for the modern age. As Roberts said, this is a ‘brand new Mustang’, not a conversion project.
On top of your mind-bending torque and your decent real-world range, you’ll also find a suite of driver aids, such as anti-lock braking, traction control, electronic stability control and auto vehicle hold. You’ll also have traffic sign recognition and even lane departure warnings.
When you’re not thrashing this thing around corners and whizzing down country lanes on your Sunday morning blast, you can relax and let the car do all the work for you with adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.
Step inside
The dashboard of the car is dominated by two-high-definition portrait colour screens which combine to deliver a fully connected driving experience. That experience is heightened by the installation of eight flax cone speakers and a DVC subwoofer powered by a hybrid class A/B and D amplifier.
With a focus on customization and personalisation, every Charge customer can create their own, bespoke interior, where your electric seats can be trimmed in the finest materials, from Aniline leather to non-leather performance fabrics.
So, what does the process of ordering and designing your Charge Car consist of? The company’s headquarters is located just five minutes away from Heathrow Airport, and each customer will be invited to its London Custom Design studio to begin the process of building their very own electric Mustang.
Here, you will choose the colour of your Mustang from seven different options: Jet Black; Arctic White Pearl; Premium Ink Blue; Premium Gold; Fire Red Metallic; Liquid Metal; and Classic Bullitt Inspired Green Metallic. Then, you will construct your interior, from the shade of the materials to the different leathers and fabrics.
Final verdict
Although this fully electric Mustang comes with a hefty price tag of £350,000, Charge’s EV pony car has undoubtedly reached a new level of class. The range can compete with most EVs of today, the interior can be whatever you want it to be, and you won’t be able to find many cars with a better design than the ’67 Fastback.
By mixing one of the most iconic designs in automotive history with the performance, safety and comfort of the best electric cars around today, Charge’s Mustang is truly in a league of its own.