A new trademark filing points to a likely name for Ford's upcoming Mustang hybrid. The automaker has filed with the European Union Property Rights Office for the rights to the name "Mustang Mach-E."
All Ford Mustangs first discovered the trademark fling and reported it on Tuesday. Motor Authority found the filing and learned that it was only filed on Monday. The filing comes after we reported in December that Ford had filed for the "Mach-E" name alone with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as well as the EU Intellectual Property Office. The Mach-E name has been rumored for Ford's Mustang-inspired battery-electric SUV. That could still be the case, while the Mustang could adopt it simply to designate the hybrid powertrain.
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Ford told MA after discovering the Mach-E trademark last year that “Trademark applications are intended to protect new ideas but aren’t necessarily an indication of new business or product plans.” Indeed, automakers trademark names often and sometimes have no intention of using them.
The Mach-E name is a reference to the Mustang Mach 1 name that Ford used from 1969-1978 and again in 2003 and 2004. In fact, Ford was close to calling its electric SUV the Mach 1, but fan backlash from Mustang owners led the automaker to scrap the name. Ford called it a "very strong reaction" and not in the positive kind of way. To be fair, using a legendary name associated with the Mustang for an electric SUV is a tad sacrilegious. The SUV should go 300 miles on a single charge and sit on one of Ford's five modular platforms it will use for future vehicles.
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As for the Mustang hybrid, we know it will boast V-8 power after a teaser last October specifically showed the future hybrid pony car with an engine sporting four pistons on each side.
