Enter the Mustang Mach-E, a gamble so great for the world’s sixth-largest automaker that the galloping horse on the vehicle’s grille is one of the few things in common with its predecessor. The Mustang’s slinky silhouette—long hood, short rear deck—has been altered to accommodate the bulbous curves of a four-door, albeit still rear-wheel-drive, utility vehicle. Its signature snarl, courtesy of the internal combustion engine, has been replaced by the subtle whine of a battery-powered electric motor. (Ford will add an artificial sound for the benefit of unwary pedestrians and U.S. regulators.) It’s expected to retail in the $40,000 range with a $7,500 federal rebate, a substantial premium over the $27,000 gasoline-powered base Mustang but competitive with electric-auto maker Tesla’s popular Model 3 sedan. Its range is approximately 300 miles, also on par with the Model 3.
One particularly interesting feature is not digital at all. It is its "frunk" - the front trunk. It has 4.8 cubic feet of storage, big enough to hold a carry-on-size suitcase, but it's being tipped as a tailgating or picnic-basket carrier, since it also has a drain located at the bottom of the storage compartment. With such, Ford says that the frunk can be packed full of ice and used as a cooler for camping or tailgating. It also sounds like the perfect place for dirty or muddy things, since the frunk could be easily rinsed out.
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