Not too long ago, Ford made an announcement that it would be building its first crossover/SUV electric vehicle from the ground up. Not only electrified for a healthier environment, but Ford also claimed its new electric SUV would be “Mustang-inspired.” Rumor has it, we may be getting a glimpse of this new SUV sooner rather than later, at this year’s L.A. Auto Show in November. In order to keep up with the current electric market, Ford’s new fully-electric crossover will have to impress; “Mustang-inspired” or otherwise.

When will we see Ford’s new electric SUV?

The Detroit Auto Show has been moved from January to June of 2020, leaving automakers scrambling to show off new vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Though automaker Ford typically uses the Detroit Auto Show to premiere its newest vehicles, the upcoming L.A. Auto Show may be the ideal place to debut its newest all-electric SUV. After all, the L.A. Auto Show, typically held just before Thanksgiving, has often been chosen as the venue to showcase automakers’ more “green” cars, and many car brands have already announced its arrivals for electric cars. 

Audi has already confirmed the debut of its own all-electric SUV, a variant of its current eTron, at the show on November 19th. And they’re not the only ones. November 19th will also be the day that Porsche and Volkswagen premiere their own new models. According to Seeking Alpha, the success of an all-electric SUV would have the “potential to elevate Ford brand onto a whole new more prominent world stage.” But with Audi already producing its own all-electric SUV, Ford will have to step up its game.

What’s in store for the Mustang-inspired electric SUV

Ford’s new electric SUV will be similar in size and shape to the Audi eTron, so it will have to have an affordable price, long battery range, and modern features to keep up with the competition. Though we don’t know too much about the “Mustang-inspired” electric SUV as of yet, it will be a two-row crossover SUV with a sloping hatch in the rear. And Ford better speed its process up, since Ford’s production schedule is already behind Audi’s, leaving Audi the competitive advantage. According to The Verge, Ford’s electric crossover is set to ship out mid/late-2020.

Not too much information has been released about the mysterious electric SUV, but Ford has made it clear that its range will be at least 300 miles. If true, the new SUV’s range would put it far ahead of the competition. According to the Road Show by CNET, there isn’t much known about Ford’s new electric crossover, though its design is “expected to lean heavily on the Mustang’s design and a previous teaser photo showed what looks like the Mustang’s triple-element taillights.” Another source at the Road Show by CNET claims that the new crossover will be available in both rear- and all-wheel-drive powertrains. And although Ford announced that it would revive its “Mach 1” name for the new crossover, it was not well-received by long-time Mustang fans. As of now, the new electric crossover has no official name.

Where Ford is headed in the future

Ford will have to compete with auto giants like Audi, Tesla, and Mercedes if it wants to earn a spot as electric-vehicle-royalty. Though the market has low expectations when it comes to Ford’s ability to breach the EV market, it’s “Mustang-inspired” crossover may change the game forever. In order for Ford’s new fully-electric SUV to stack up against the competition, it will have to be impressive looking, impressively priced, and loaded with impressive features. But if Ford can turn this EV into a success story, it could find itself a contender on a new world stage.