Ford Seeks 'Mustang Mach-E' Trademark

While much of the hype surrounding Ford’s electrified future involves the brand’s upcoming “Mustang inspired” crossover EV, due in 2020, there are other models that stand to gain an (albeit milder) electric boost. The F-150 and Mustang, to name a couple.

Ford’s long-running pony car is expected to gain a hybrid variant sometime in 2020, and a new trademark filing sheds light on what name we might expect to see adorning the Stang’s flanks.

According to allfordmustangs.com, Ford recently filed a trademark application for the “ Mustang Mach-E” name with the European Intellectual Property Office. This piggybacks on last year’s European and American filings for the “Mach-E” name.

While the blue oval brand has been loathe to share many details on the hybrid Mustang, a patent uncovered earlier this year point to the possibility of a hybridized V8 pony car that catapults power and fuel economy over the existing Mustang GT. Then again, maybe a smaller Ecoboost motor would suffice. Who knows?

One thing’s for sure: Ford probably isn’t trademarking a Mustang Mach-E nameplate (and corresponding badge) to leave it sitting around. Given the time gap in “Mach-E” and “Mustang Mach-E” trademarks, it’s looking like Ford plans to go the Audi route with its electrified vehicle naming strategy. If it’s true that the Mustang-inspired electric crossover will carry the Mach-E name, then the moniker’s use on the Mustang points to it becoming a sub-brand, much like Audi’s e-tron and Mercedes-Benz’s EQ.

The Mustang’s future at Flat Rock Assembly is hazy, but a source with knowledge of Ford’s product plans tells us the model will soldier on with its current platform when a revamped Stang appears for the 2023 model year. Past rumors claimed that Ford might switch the model to its modular CD6 platform, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

As for the expected hybrid version, there’s no word from our source on when that model will arrive. All Ford has said is that the model will appear in 2020, presumably for the 2021 model year.

[Image: Ford]