What Was A Ford Mach-E Prototype Doing At GM Milford Proving Grounds?
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The Motown rivalry between General Motors and Ford never falters… or does it? After all, The General and The Blue Oval did recently collaborate on developing two transmissions recently. And now, GM Authority spotted a prototype of Ford’s upcoming electric crossover, believed to be called Mach-E, leaving the GM Milford Proving Ground. Though we didn’t get enough time to pull out our camera and capture the circumstance, we’re fully certain that it was the Mach-E prototype (pictured here), making us scratch our heads about what might be happening.
According to our sister site, Ford Authority, the Mach-E will be an all-electric, “Mustang-inspired” crossover that represents Ford’s first EV CUV to take on the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Hyundai Kona electric. The Mach-E name is a play on the Mustang Mach One moniker.
The Mach-E will have a fastback profile and a few Mustang-inspired styling elements. Mechanically, however, the Ford Mach-E will be based on a front-drive platform. The vehicle is believed to go on sale in late 2020 as a 2021 model, and pricing is expected to start around the $40,000 mark, with a confirmed range of 300 miles in the U.S.
And all that brings us to the real question: what is a heavily-camouflaged, pre-production Ford doing at Milford? After all, like General Motors, Ford has several of its own testing facilities around the world, one of which is the Ford Proving Grounds located in nearby Romeo, Michigan.
One could suggest that GM is benchmarking a competitor’s product, as we have seen the automaker do various times prior at Milford. However, GM benchmarks production models, rather than prototypes, and it’s far too early in the development of the Ford Mach-E for GM to get its hands on one.
Another remote possibility is that GM and Ford are collaborating on electric vehicles. The two automakers haven’t officially announced an EV partnership, but the duo did recently co-develop two transmissions – the front-drive 9-speed (for GM applications) and 8-speed (for Ford applications), as well as the rear-drive 10-speed transmission. As more automakers pair up to co-develop vehicles, especially EVs that continue being an unprofitable affair for all automakers involved, could it be possible that GM and Ford have quietly joined efforts on the electric front? We reached out to Ford for comment, and got a very clear “no” from Ford Global EV Communications Manager, Emma Bergg.
For its part, Ford is behind the curve when it comes to electric vehicles, as the Dearborn-based automaker hasn’t offered an all-electric vehicle since the Focus EV – a battery-electric variant of the Focus hatchback. Priced around $30,000, the Focus EV had a 115-mile range. By comparison, the current Chevrolet Bolt EV offers double the range (a total of 238 miles that’s up to 259 miles in 2020) and starts at $36,000. Meanwhile, GM is working on a Bolt-based crossover, dubbed the Bolt EUV, that should launch during the 2020 calendar year.
Time will tell what the Ford Mach-E was doing at the GM Milford Proving Ground. In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV news and around-the-clock GM news coverage. And if Ford is more your speed, then check out our sister publication, Ford Authority.
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“what is a heavily-camouflaged, pre-production Ford doing at Milford?”
Just broke down there, it’s a Ford after all……..
Who filed for bankruptcy and ran to the government like some welfare queen? Besides Chrysler.
That’s due to poor financial decisions GM made, but for engineering……. First! On Recall Day…..
How are those new Silverados selling? Still behind Ram? Camaro? Still behind Challenger?
Lol, that’s it?. Ram make 50. cent for every Silver’s dollar, an old discounted Dodge truck with new sheets and an I-Pad dash is not the latest tech and who cares about the shrinking muscle car market?. Again an old Dodge with a big engine don’t make it competitive, plus the Camaro been having an uptick with the LT1 package.
…..but those sales (or lack thereof). So disappointing…..sad design, ugly, outdated upon delivery….poor GM. They never learn.
Who ran to the government in 2009 after the bail outs for a $5.9 billion dollar loan wiggled through the energy department?
It has yet to be repaid.
Yes Ford got their money too.
The comments on here make me think i am reading a kids show program
you’re killing me Smalls!
Ford didn’t get any bailout money.
Why do u think it’s a ford
The tow company confirmed
Dearborn’s Odd Road Failures….
I meant Dearborn’s Road Odd Failures..
Try to edit but that’s what happens when Ford designs your website…. ?
It’s a mule.
Well we know it’s not the transmission.
What many miss in the EV investment GM is making is that one yes it is to sell themselves to the stock market not as a an old automaker but a leading tech company.
The other point is to develop EV systems they can sell to other automakers who ca not afford or are staffed to develop this tech on their own.
I expect GM to sell and license the technology they develop and it will become added income.
Companies like Ford and many others need this tech but just can’t afford to do it themselves.
They also don’t want to merge with others and remain independent.
I am willing to bet GM is selling or has licensed tech to Ford here. Or they even may have been brought in to sort out the Ford as a consultant.
For Ford to go to a GM facility tells me GM is doing the work.
This deal may be just one of many we never hear about.
GM back in 1985 hired Porsche engineering to tune the suspension for the 1988 Fiero. That remained a secret for years that Porsche tuned the turn in and on center feel for Pontiac.
For years a myth of Lotus doing the work went around till Yom Goad Pontiac Engineer told how GM designed the suspension and Porsche Engineering was used as a tuning consultant.
Is there a confirmed picture of the supposed Mach E at the Milford Proving Ground? All the pictures in this article appear to be taken on Oakwood Blvd in Dearborn near the Ford Research and Engineering Center.