S650 Mustang hybrid prototype enters Technology Prove-Out testing, sources confirm.
Original hybrid launch target of 2020 was missed despite Flat Rock investment.
Ford plans hybrid options for all Ford Blue vehicles, including the Mustang, by 2030.
Ford is currently testing a hybrid variant of the S650-generation Mustang, according to sources familiar with the project. The vehicle, referred to internally as the “S650E,” has entered the Technology Prove-Out stage, a phase that includes early testing of powertrain components and vehicle integration.
2025 Ford Mustang 60th Anniversary Package | Photo: FordThe hybrid Mustang project was originally announced in 2017, when Ford committed $700 million to upgrades at its Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan. At that time, the company indicated that a V8-powered hybrid Mustang would arrive by 2020. However, the model never reached production, and the company did not release further updates until now.
Details regarding the hybrid system are not yet confirmed. It is unclear whether the vehicle will feature a traditional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid configuration. It’s also unknown if the V8 or an EcoBoost six or four-cylinder engine will serve as the petrol consumer in the electrified equation. The lack of technical information leaves open questions about power output, battery placement, and performance characteristics.
Despite the uncertainty, this report aligns with Ford’s previously stated plan to offer hybrid powertrains across all models in its internal combustion engine (ICE)-focused Ford Blue lineup by 2030. The Mustang remains a core component of that product group, and the sole remaining car.
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Ford CEO Jim Farley has indicated a preference for partial electrification over fully electric powertrains in certain performance vehicles. In August 2023, Farley said a fully electric Mustang coupe was unlikely. One year later, in August 2024, he confirmed that Ford Racing was actively testing hybrid powertrains, adding that “partial electric powertrains work well for performance drivers.”
The future of the hybrid Mustang may also be shaped by U.S. regulatory changes. The loosening of fuel economy and emissions regulations under the Trump administration could reduce the immediate necessity for electrified models, potentially influencing the timeline of the hybrid Mustang’s release.
Source: Ford Authority
