Ford Mustang Hybrid due in 2020, and it may be powerful

Joel Feder
Motor Authority

We all knew this day was coming, but it's just something an auto enthusiast can't prepare for. A Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] Mustang Hybrid is happening, and it will be here in just a handful of years.

To be specific, 2020 is when the Mustang will add a hybrid model. Details are slim, but Ford confirmed it's happening. Claims are it will have the power of a V-8 with even greater low-end torque.

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Naturally, when enthusiasts think hybrids they think Toyota Prius, and then they get the shakes. One has to believe Ford isn't willing to risk ruining the heritage it has built with the Mustang nameplate just to increase fuel economy.

Aside from fuel economy, hybrid systems do have at least one performance advantage. An electric motor and battery pack combine to provide instant off-the-line torque. That torque fill could allow Ford to use larger turbos that take longer to spool up. The result would be more power.

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While it's been confirmed that the engine will be turbocharged, it's unclear whether it'll be a V-6 or inline-4 given the current lineup. A turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 currently offers V-6 power at 310 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, and that sounds like a great base for the hybrid setup.

Part of the appeal of a muscle car/sports car is the experience, the sound, the rumble. Having V-8 power is great, but can a hybrid deliver that experience? Perhaps not, but if the trade-off is more power and better fuel economy, it may be worthwhile.

Stay tuned for more updates as Ford begins to flesh out the Mustang Hybrid.