Ford took the wraps off the Mustang Mach-E Rally, the automaker’s first production-intent off-road electric vehicle at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Ford said it will open order books for the Mach-E Rally this autumn and offer the vehicle initially in the U.S. and Europe. Ford did not say when deliveries of the Mach-E Rally will start. The standard street version of the Mach-E is available in 40 global markets.
The Mustang Mach-E “took the freedom and fun of Mustang and made it free from emissions,” Darren Palmer, vice president of electric vehicle programs for Ford Model e, said in the statement on Friday.
“Now with Mustang Mach-E Rally, we’re providing our customers the freedom to venture off the asphalt and beyond the beaten path,” Palmer said.
Ford did not disclose the Mach-E Rally’s technical details such as drivetrain layout, charging times and range.
Engineers will have their hands full readying the Mach E for off-road duty on gravel, dirt and rocks.
For example, engineers have to ensure that the floor-mounted battery pack can’t easily be damaged by rocks, logs and other wilderness obstacles. And the motors, battery and power electronics have to be kept cool under extended duress, not just during the quick blasts of acceleration on the standard Mach-E.