It's Official: The Ford Mustang Will Go Hybrid In 2020

Whether you want to call it a fascinating development in the pony car world or a god damn sacrilege, this news is huge: Ford is going to make a plug-in hybrid Mustang by 2020.

Ford announced its part-electric Mustang plans today, also revealing that plug-in versions of the F-150 pickup and Transit Custom van will also be here in three year’s time.

It’s part of a $700 million investment programme that’ll add 700 jobs at the company’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant. The Michigan-based facility will be expanded, using funds which were initially earmarked for a new plant in Mexico. The Mexico factory plans - which had been harshly criticised by US President Elect Donald Trump - were confirmed to be canceled by Ford today.

But what will the car be like? Details are understandably scarce at this stage, although Ford has promised “V8 power and even more low-end torque”. It’s hard to glean much from that statement, but with the V6 Mustang dying off this year, it seems logical to expect something along the lines of the 2.3-litre Ecoboost engine supplemented with electric power in the eventual production car.

All this leads to questions surrounding the future of the actual V8 in the range, but we’re quietly optimistic about this big ol’ N/A eight-banger sticking around for a while longer.