Mustang Coupe

Make
Ford
Segment
Coupe

We've known for some time that Ford is developing a fully electric crossover inspired by the Ford Mustang, but details are so scarce it doesn't even have a confirmed name yet. When it was announced earlier this year, it was tentatively called the Mach 1, but applying such a legendary moniker to an electric SUV garnered such an overwhelmingly negative reaction that Ford was forced to consider a new name. We now know what that new name might be, and it makes a lot more sense.

While nothing has been officially announced yet, The Drive reports that Ford has trademarked the Mach E and Mach-E names. The filings were made with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on November 26, nearly a year after the electric crossover was first announced, and are described as pertaining to "motor vehicles, namely, electric vehicles, passenger automobiles, trucks, sport utility vehicles, off-road vehicles, and structural parts, fittings, and badges therefor; metal license plate frames."

It seems likely, then, that the Mach E moniker will be applied to Ford's Mustang-inspired SUV. This would be a wise decision, as it still sounds close to the Mach 1 but won't upset fans of the original Mustang Mach 1. When asked if the name is related to Ford's upcoming electric SUV, a spokesman told The Drive that "trademark applications are intended to protect new ideas but aren't necessarily an indication of new business or product plans."

We know very little about the electric SUV right now. A teaser image released a few months ago showed that the rear will be heavily inspired by the Mustang, with wide fenders, a sloping roof, and the same three-bar taillight design. It will be built on Ford's new modular electric platform, which is one of five platforms Ford will use in the future, and launch in 2020 with a 300-mile range, but no performance specifications have been released yet.