Arguably the most important new global product for the Blue Oval is the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV. Not only is this the first use of the Mustang name on an electric vehicle (not to mention four-door, or SUV), but it’s Ford’s first new global electric vehicle since the afterthought compliance vehicle that was the Focus Electric. In other words, this is one new vehicle Ford can’t afford to screw up here or anywhere, really. Ford is therefore making one small change to the Mustang Mach-E to suit local tastes in the Chinese market—currently the largest EV market in the world.
That change is to the front fascia of the Chinese-market Mustang Mach-E—essentially the Mach-E’s face. While North American and European Mustang Mach-Es (both sourced from Ford’s Cuautitlán Izcalli Mexico plant) will be available with a handful of different fascia designs—from the grille-less look on the Mach-E Select, and Premium, the aero-friendly California Route 1, and the more traditional grille-faced Mach-E GT—a source at Ford tells us that China will get only the GT bumper and grille arrangement.
It turns out that when speaking with prospective Chinese Mustang Mach-E buyers, most vastly preferred the look of the Mach-E GT. That performance variant features a grille-like graphic that pays homage to the gas-powered Mustang GT coupe and convertible, while other Mach-Es get a more futuristic, Tesla-like grille-less look. With the Chinese market Mach-E getting its own domestic production line, building its own slightly-modified version of the electric SUV is less of a challenge than asking the global production line in Mexico to do the same.
Despite having just a single front-fascia option at launch, the Chinese-market Mustang Mach-E is expected to have the same variety of motor and battery options as North American and European variants, offering rear- and all-wheel drive with as little as 266-hp and as much as 480, and battery packs offering up to 300 miles of range on the EPA cycle. In the U.S., the 2021 Mustang Mach-E is expected to hit dealers by New Year’s Eve; global sales will soon follow.
