[benbsb29]

Not sure how many of us saw this day coming, but it's here. The Ford Mustang is now here in an electric avatar!

The Ford Mustang Lithium is an “ultra-high-performance battery electric Mustang fastback prototype”.

It has a claimed 670kW of power and an astonishing 1355Nm of torque (900 horsepower and 1000 foot-pound of torque in the old money) that Ford claims is “instantaneously available” due to the way electric motors deliver their acceleration.

Ford says the Mustang Lithium “amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver”.
To tame this phenomenal power, the Ford Mustang Lithium has four drive modes that limit output depending on the scenario: Valet, Sport, Track and Beast.

Under the bonnet the V8 has been replaced by a dual-core electric motor and dual power inverters, powered by an 800-volt Webasto battery system with EVDrive Technology that can discharge a mega-watt of electrical energy.

More details here

[ChiragM]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Not sure how many of us saw this day coming, but it's here. The Ford Mustang is now here in an electric avatar!

Interestingly, this one-off prototype comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

From Ford:

In a unique twist, Mustang Lithium features a manual transmission and uses a drag-strip proven Calimer-version of the Getrag MT82 6-speed transmission with billet internals to handle the 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Interestingly, this one-off prototype comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

A Manual Electric Car is game changing & bigger news than Mustang going Electric.

Ray of hope for us enthusiasts who had lost hope & thought that we'd be driving emotionless electric cars in our old age.

Though this is a 'one-off project' but hope this Manual Transmission + Electric car combo is mastered by other manufacturers & commercialised too.

Well Done Getrag

Well Done Ford

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

IMHO - looks like they are trying to build the hype before their real electric competitor gets launched - the Mustang-inspired SUV.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...uv-leaked.html

No doubt the next-generation Mustang will be electric, or have electric options though!

Originally Posted by karan561

Manual Transmission + Electric car combo is mastered by other manufacturers & commercialised too.

The trend should catchup when mainstream manufacturers enter the electric fray. Yesterday only I typed the same about the electric superbike prototype from Kawasaki, which seems to have a conventional manual GB.

[Sunil2307]

A manual electric woaahhhh!
Hopefully this will be the dawn of a new era in electrics.

[R2D2]

That Mustang's torque is a killer. What can this car do for the 1/4th mile and 0-100?!

And this made me utter swear words but in a good way:

Ford F150 electric can tow a train

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Interestingly, this one-off prototype comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

From Ford:

EVs don't need a clutch due to the instant and wide power band from zero rpm. The photo shows a traditional gear level.
In the abence of a clutch, it wouldn't be the traditional stick shift for sure.

[GTO]

Knowing Ford and how they can inject "fun" into almost any segment of car, this one will be deadly. Eagerly waiting to read some driving reports because the power & torque figures are killer! Am sure a Car & Driver or Motor Trend will get their hands on this prototype.

Will there be any significant benefits to an MT in an EV? Other than highway driving range & top speed (as seen in the Porsche Taycan's 2-geared rear), I have my doubts.

And will be interesting to see when one upshifts? Like, in an ICE car, the engine sound is usually our cue .

[thirumalkumaran]

One thing wha t I feel done right by using a manual transmission is limiting the speed of the motor.
We know Electric motors deliver torque instanly and from low RPM, but when the RPM increases to deliver more power, the consumption of electricity is increased as well.

Using a Manual transmission might reduce the need of the motor to spin at high RPM to deliver power, thereby reducing heat & power consumption while increasing the range.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

More details here

Another article with more detail can be read here.

[Sutripta]

^^^
Does not shed any light on the question on everyones mind - the 6 speed MT.

Regards
Sutripta

[giri1.8]

Now that is true muscle car spec. INSANE numbers. Design could have been less aftermarket-ish, especially the interior.

Originally Posted by GTO

And will be interesting to see when one upshifts? Like, in an ICE car, the engine sound is usually our cue .

Artificial sound through speakers would be the way!

[Sankar]

6 speeds!!!

While keeping the motor speed low and increasing the range using more than one ratio is a sensible thing to do a SIX speed manually shifting transmission seems to be a backwards move. I think it is just a study before the reveal of their EV which is supposedly based on mustang platform.

Even in the case of a multiple ratio transmission it would be best if its allowed to shift automatically.

Tesla dual motor cars have electric motor with different drive ratio at front and back. Rear is geared short for acceleration and front motor is geared tall for range. GKN has a two speed torque vectoring transmission for electric vehicles, its called etwinster. Taycan is a two speed unit of Porsche's own design. Ford's 6 speed manual, Does it have a hurst pistol grip shifter?

Ford's 6 speed manual seems to be a hype generator. Or if they think they need 6 ratios it might be better flex the brain cells into developing a CVT transmission which can handle the torque without slip. If that happens then it would be the ideal transmission with infinite ratio, light weight and compact.

[Sutripta]

My thoughts trying to make sense of it:-
Maybe they did not want to go to trouble of developing a new two speed gearbox which could handle the torque. So use something.
Why not block off the ratios not needed? Would have landed up with a weird shift pattern.

[Sankar]

They might have just bolted the electric motor to the existing drive train in place of the combustion engine. That is possible and a simple thing to do like some EV conversions people have done there. Otherwise why a 6 speed manual and that too the same transmission from their existing 6 speed manual transmission Mustang.

Ford's purpose is served when they work on their real EV away from the limelight while the 6 speed manual transmission mustang generates oohs and aahs and whys.

I saw this video last year, posting it here now. I do not think a manual transmission is going to be fun in an electric car. Manual in an electric is very very different from manual in a combustion engine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCDc6YIAVAs