Most Lincoln luxury cars are derived from the more blue collar models of parent Ford. For once, that might be a good thing.
Ford’s first mass-market, long-range electric vehicle will be a crossover inspired by the Mustang. That was always a bizarre proposition: the Mustang isn’t what comes to mind when one thinks of eco-friendly transportation, and the association may anger fans of the ‘Stang. Now it turns out that Lincoln will get its own all-electric model based on the same platform. The electric Lincoln will have unique styling, presumably not inspired by an unrelated muscle car.
Kumar Galhotra, head of Ford’s North American operations and former boss of Lincoln, confirmed that the luxury brand would get its own version of the Mustang-inspired crossover in an interview with Automotive News. He said the Lincoln would be “absolutely” distinct in exterior design.
“You can make beautiful vehicles in different ways,” Galhotra said. “The BEV [battery-electric vehicle] technology gives us so much freedom to sculpt that vehicle exactly how we want it. We’re going to create elegant Lincoln BEVs.”
Galhotra did not say when the electric Lincoln would arrive, but the Mustang-inspired electric model is expected to launch in 2020, with an estimated range of around 300 miles. Ford previously said it would launch six all-electric models by 2022. The Lincoln will likely be part of that contingent.
Many automakers are developing electric cars to meet stricter global emissions standards, but for Lincoln it may just be a matter of keeping up with the competition. Incited by Tesla, luxury brands are launching a wave of electric cars, such as the Jaguar I-Pace, Audi e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQ, and upcoming Porsche Taycan. Lincoln’s arch rival, Cadillac, just announced plans for its own electric crossover. Cadillac parent General Motors plans to launch 20 all-electric models by 2023.
Ford is investing $11 billion in hybrid and all-electric vehicles, including hybrid versions of the Mustang and F-150 pickup truck. At the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, Jim Farley, Ford president of global markets, also confirmed an all-electric F-150. Ford may also collaborate with Volkswagen on electric cars as part of a new partnership between the two companies.
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