Ford Mustang Lithium is Electric, Manual and Oh-so Powerful

Among the 50+ custom Ford vehicles on display at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this week, the Mustang Lithium developed by Webasto is stealing the spotlight for a lot of good reasons.

Instead of using a tuned version of the iconic 5.0-litre V8 to amp up performance, this unique, one-off Mustang prototype chose to go the electric route—and it paid off big time.

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A Phi-Power dual-core electric motor and dual power inverters give the machine more than 900 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of instantaneously available torque—all powered by an 800-volt Webasto battery system with EVDrive Technology that can discharge a mega-watt of electrical energy.

At 800 volts, that’s twice the voltage of most electric cars on the road today. This allows the system to be lighter, more powerful and generate less heat, and more electric force than most battery-electric systems on the road today.

While 1,000 pound-feet might seem excessive, the Ford Mustang Lithium features a unique set of drive modes that apply a controlled amount of torque for different driving scenarios including Valet, Sport, Track and Beast.

But wait, it gets even better. How about a manual transmission? More specifically, the prototype uses a drag strip-proven version of the Getrag MT82 six-speed transmission with billet internals. This is pretty much unheard of for a fully electric car. Ford Performance half shafts and a Super 8.8 Torsen differential help supply power to the road via lightweight, staggered 20-inch wheels wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.

Other highlights include Ford Performance’s Track Handling Pack and strut tower brace, Brembo six-piston front brakes from the Shelby GT350R, a TurboDX charging solution and TurboCord portable charger.

As an electrified, street-ready beast, the Ford Mustang Lithium further stands out with a one-inch lowered stance, custom carbon fibre body components, Sankuer Composite Technologies side splitters and rear diffuser, plus a mighty cool Webasto hood with see-through polycarbonate windows,

“Ford has made no secret of the fact that we are electrifying our most popular nameplates,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s Chief Product Development and Purchasing Officer. “This one-off Mustang prototype is a great opportunity for us, together with Webasto, to showcase to our customers what a new electrified powertrains can do for performance in a car they already know and love.”

The Mustang Lithium sure is a great way to make fans wait until the world premiere of the all-new, Mustang-inspired electric SUV on November 17.