Ford is reportedly working on a hybrid version of the current Mustang, but with emissions regulations being relaxed in the US, it could be axed before production starts.
A hybrid version of the current-generation Ford Mustang exists in prototype form, but despite talk of a hybrid Mustang stretching as far back as 2017, changing market conditions may see the new version stalled at the prototype stage.
The specifics of the hybrid system are as-yet unknown, including whether the system in development is a closed-loop hybrid or a plug-in hybrid, and which of Ford’s internal combustion engines it would be paired with.
The news comes following statements from Ford’s CEO Jim Farley, in August, declaring that an all-electric version of the Mustang was unlikely, but that a partially electrified variant was a possibility.
A recent contract agreement with the United Auto Workers union points to the possibility, with mention of a new product being added at the Mustang’s Flat Rock, Michigan assembly plant.
Ford has also joined a number of brands in walking back electrification targets.
In 2021, Ford set a European market deadline for an all-electric range by 2030, but in 2024 announced that it would switch its focus to plug-in hybrids as electric sales slowed and hybrid sales strengthened.
Ford’s hybrid history for the Mustang reaches as far back as 2017, with a $US700 million investment in the Mustang’s Flat Rock assembly plant designed to prepare it for building electrified and autonomous vehicles.
At the time, Ford issued a statement that a V8-powered Mustang hybrid would enter production by 2020, however that vehicle never saw the light of day.
Hybrid plans for the current Mustang again surfaced with the current generation, which was originally to be launched with V6 and V8 hybrids, but by the time the S650 Mustang launched in 2023, neither version formed part of the line-up.
Ford’s current Mustang hybrid plans are far from assured for a future introduction.
Recent policy changes in the USA have seen environmental protection measures softened, meaning the dependency on electrification to meet emissions targets could be removed. If that were the case, the latest Mustang hybrid plans could be sidelined yet again.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
