Ford Trademarks "Mustang Mach-E" Name (and new Pony Badge)

[Twin Turbo]

Ford is investing $500 Million in Rivian. Rivian will build skateboards for Ford at the Normal, Illinois plant. Ford will complete a vehicle on the Rivian skateboard. Rivian's capacity in Normal is 250,000 units a year. No real discussion on how much of that will go to Ford.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2019/04/24/ford-rivian-investment/3559641002/

I think most people assume that since Rivian will build trucks and SUVs that this will be the under-pinning of the electric F-150. I was on the media call for this and Jim Hackett stated that the product to be built on the skateboard will be "incremental" to Ford's existing plans. Since I'm pretty sure the electric F-150 was already in the plan, I will take that to mean the skateboard will be used for something else. Also, it is in Rivian's best interest that Ford NOT use their skateboard to compete with Rivian's own RT1. So, my analysis is that it could be a lux sedan to compete with Model S / Porsche Taycan.

I wonder if this "skateboard" is classed as one of Ford 5 new "architectures" going Fordwards. Certainly one of the 5 is purely electric and is 99% likely to be the Mach E

• Body-on-frame truck/SUV
• Unibody FWD
• Unibody van
• Unibody rear-wheel-drive
• Electric car

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[Ericc B]

Imagery from this month's Car & Driver

 

[Bullitt]

Ford is investing $500 Million in Rivian. Rivian will build skateboards for Ford at the Normal, Illinois plant. Ford will complete a vehicle on the Rivian skateboard. Rivian's capacity in Normal is 250,000 units a year. No real discussion on how much of that will go to Ford.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2019/04/24/ford-rivian-investment/3559641002/

I think most people assume that since Rivian will build trucks and SUVs that this will be the under-pinning of the electric F-150. I was on the media call for this and Jim Hackett stated that the product to be built on the skateboard will be "incremental" to Ford's existing plans. Since I'm pretty sure the electric F-150 was already in the plan, I will take that to mean the skateboard will be used for something else. Also, it is in Rivian's best interest that Ford NOT use their skateboard to compete with Rivian's own RT1. So, my analysis is that it could be a lux sedan to compete with Model S / Porsche Taycan.

From what I read, this will be separate from the EV F-150 and Mustang SUV. My guess is it's likely that they tone it down to make an affordable Model 3 competitor (they still have the Model E name reserved from years ago). If the next-gen Mustang comes around 2022 like originally planned and not 2026+, the Rivian platform can be high performance, maybe it could be used for a real EV Mustang (2 door coupe) that has a body designed to work with both the skateboard platform and a traditional engine setup. Seems more far-fetched though.

 

[jake_zx2]

Imagery from this month's Car & Driver

Looks decent... but THROW AWAY THAT DAMN MUSTANG BADGE. IT DOESN'T BELONG THERE

 

[Norm Peterson]

Crossover says . . . "I want to be like everybody else"

Mustang says . . . "I don't"

Let's keep it that way, Ford. Completely separate.


Norm

 

[zackmd1]

Looks decent... but THROW AWAY THAT DAMN MUSTANG BADGE. IT DOESN'T BELONG THERE

Exactly my thoughts. Looks good to me and if I was in the market for a crossover it would likely be one of my top picks but FOR THE LOVE OF GOD remove the mustang badge... Call it Mach E and come up with a Mach E badge and remove the pony....

 

[MaskedRacerX]

The front "grill" should be an OLED panel, then the horse can be animated ...

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