Jim Farley mentioned that as long as Ford’s fleet business thrives, the V8 Mustang will be here to stay.
- Jim Farley calls BEVs a “terrible solution” for certain applications.
- He also suggested that hydrogen or sustainable fuels might be the answer.
- Ford plans to keep producing the V8-powered Mustang for as long as they can.
Ford CEO Jim Farley Questions All-Electric Future
Ford CEO Jim Farley doubts that electric vehicles will be the sole option by 2035 and is considering other powertrain solutions.
Farley recently visited the UK for the 81st Goodwood Members’ Meeting, where he raced a classic Mustang 289 V8 in the Ken Miles Cup, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the iconic pony car.
During the event, he spoke with Autocar and was asked whether the ICE Mustang would still exist by 2035, the year many regions plan to go all-electric.
“Are you sure?” Farley replied. “I don’t think we know yet. If you need a Transit for work or you’re a rancher with a pickup in the US, electric power is a terrible solution. Even the most radical, decarbonizing politicians can’t afford to alienate these customers.”
“Maybe the solution will be hydrogen, or perhaps sustainable fuels will gain traction. Whenever someone claims to know the future, I hear warning bells. Nothing is certain in our industry.
I’ve heard countless predictions: every car will be electric, every car will run on hydrogen, every car will be diesel. There have been many dead ends.”
Ford Pledges to Keep V8 Mustang Alive
Unlike Dodge, which has transformed the latest-generation Charger into a muscle car with a battery-electric powertrain, Farley insists that Ford will never produce “a Mustang that’s not a Mustang.” This means the Mustang Mach-E will not replace or eliminate the ICE model.
He emphasized that Ford will keep the V8 Mustang in its lineup for as long as possible and believes that a strong fleet business will enable the company to continue offering special cars like it.
In his interview with Autocar, Farley also mentioned that the costly Mustang GTD represents a “down payment” on the Mustang’s future and that Ford will keep selling desirable cars that remain attainable.
