Mustang Mach-E

Make
Ford
Segment
SUV

Almost a year ago, Ford and Volkswagen announced a partnership agreement that will see the two automakers cooperate in a number of areas, including electric vehicle platforms and other related technologies. Joining forces, without exchanging equity, saves both companies billions in the long run. While VW was interested in somehow utilizing the Ranger pickup truck's architecture, Ford has an interest in VW's MEB platform that underpins the ID.3 and upcoming ID-branded range of EVs.

Jump ahead to earlier this month when a new rumor claiming Ford wanted to build a so-called "baby Mach-E" to be built on the MEB platform. While Ford is considering plans to further extend the Mustang family, this baby MEB-based Mach-E idea is false.

Ford Authority learned from a Ford spokesperson the following: "There are no plans to offer an all-electric Mustang based on VW's MEB architecture. We remain on track to offer one MEB-based fully electric car for our European customers and are considering a second vehicle. Beyond that, we don't comment on speculation about future products."

In other words, a mystery MEB-based vehicle will not come to the US, but the statement does not flat-out deny a smaller Mustang Mach-E built on another platform. Last April, Ford announced a $500 million investment in electric truck and SUV start-up Rivian.

Rivian has built a flexible skateboard EV platform that will serve as the basis for its R1S and R1T models. Given Ford's huge investment, it makes that it would want access to that platform for a future vehicle(s) of its own. In November, we learned Ford's premium brand, Lincoln, is set to receive its own Rivian-based electric compact SUV by 2022. This could easily also become a Ford, like a baby Mach-E. But one thing is for certain: VW will not be involved.