Amid a series of Mustang reveals at the Detroit auto show this week, Ford hinted that the name Mach 1 is being considered for its affordable crossover electric vehicle, due in 2020.
Sherif Marakby, Ford Motor Company vice president for autonomous vehicles and electrification, confirmed it: ?There is a possibility; we?re testing that,? he said. Marakby added that the Mach 1 name is intended as an inspiration for the EV project in terms of design, performance, and significance.

The architecture of the vehicle and all its elements?even a component level?are being developed specifically for this application. ?This is the next generation of all the different pieces: the battery, the motor, the inverter, the gearbox,? Marakby said.
For the powertrain team, the aims include a 300-mile range, consistent performance, and reducing any degradation of the battery under adverse weather conditions and over time. Marakby said that Ford is staying away from ambient-air cooling of the battery pack (such as used by the Nissan Leaf) and instead will use liquid cooling. Ford is not going to use a solid-state pack, Marakby said, but he confirmed that the company is researching solid-state batteries and thinks that they?re ?promising for a next generation.?

All-New Floorplan
The all-new architecture is specific for this EV, which means it won’t necessitate packaging sacrifices to fit a large-capacity battery pack. Murakby said that the modular platform can accommodate different bat...