Is there any vehicle more quintessentially American than the Ford Mustang? There might be others that evoke America, but none conjure up images of Americana as strongly as a classic Ford Mustang on a deserted highway racing toward the horizon. 

So it may come as a bit of a surprise that a group of British engineers at Charge may have created the ultimate electric Ford Mustang. Here’s everything you need to know about Charge’s electric Mustang.

It may look like a resto-mod, but this Mustang is brand-new

Charge Cars is based in London, England. The company is packed full of engineers and designers who have experience in everything from F1 to supercars. The company also collaborates with Roborace, Michelin tires, and EV manufacturer Arrival. 

Charge’s first production car is the classic 1967 fastback Mustang. While it would be easy to mistake this car for a resto-mod, it is, in fact, completely new. Each one of the 499 Mustangs the company will build starts with a brand new, officially licensed shell.

Here’s what makes Charge’s Mustang so special

The Charge Mustang isn’t an old car stuffed with off-the-shelf EV components. This is an entirely new, bespoke car. The interior can be designed around a buyer’s personal preferences and features digital interfaces and luxury features without losing the classic style of a 1960s Mustang.

The technology comes from the collaboration with Arrival, and the car has a solid set of specs. The 64 kWh battery pack allows for 50 kW DC charging. That will ensure quick charge times and a range of around 200 miles. The electric motors power all four wheels, making the e-Stang all-wheel drive. Peak power is 400 kW, which roughly translates to 536 horsepower. Torque is even more impressive at 1500 Nm or 1,106 pound-feet. That’s serious, and so too is the performance. Charge claims a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.9 seconds. 

The Charge Mustang made its first public appearance in 2019 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Now, after further development, the car is ready for customers. Prices start at $450,000 and go up depending on how they’re customized. That’s a lot of money for an electric AWD classic Mustang, but there is a market for cars like this and bespoke builds. Singer has proven this with their custom Porsche 911s.

What will the Charge Mustang be like to drive?

The finished production version of the car has just debuted, and as of now, no one has driven and reviewed it. Top Gear drove the very first prototype in 2019 and noted that it very much keeps the spirit of the original Mustang without drowning it in current technology.

That appears to be the goal of Charge, to keep everything that makes a classic Mustang great while imbuing it with the latest technology to improve comfort and performance. As quoted by Top Gear, Charge’s boss Mark Roberts said this about the car, “We’ve respected the iconic silhouette and the classic lines of the ’67, but we’ve given the car a fresh, contemporary feel by streamlining features and minimizing panels.”

There is no doubt that Charge’s electric Mustang looks fantastic, and if it proves successful, it could lead to other retro EV builds. And that should get enthusiasts excited as it means that classic cars will remain relevant well into the future.