A startup is reviving the classic 1967 Mustang as a brand-new, $450,000 electric sports car
Tim Levin
The '67 by Charge Cars.Charge Cars
- The '67 by Charge Cars is a brand-new, electrified take on the 1960s Ford Mustang Fastback.
- Despite its vintage looks, the '67 is very much a modern EV with four motors and 536 horsepower.
Are you considering an electric car but want something with a bit more charm than a cookie-cutter Tesla?
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
You're in luck. If you have an extra $450,000 laying around, that is.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
That's what British startup Charge Cars is asking for the '67, a battery-powered Ford Mustang look-alike that's like nothing else on the market.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
The company launched in 2016 with the idea of "bringing some character and some soul to the world of EVs," Nicholas Osy de Zegwaart, Charge Cars' global head of sales, told Insider.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
At first, it planned to refurbish vintage Mustangs and modernize them with electric motors. But in 2018 it pivoted, deciding instead to build new EVs from scratch that revive iconic cars from years past.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
The '67, featuring the Ford-licensed design of the 1960s Mustang Fastback, is the company's first vehicle. It's currently in development, with deliveries set to start before the end of 2023, Osy de Zegwaart said.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
The electrified classic promises some impressive stats, including a whopping 1,170 pound-feet of torque provided by four motors. (Most electric cars have one or two.)
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
With 536 horsepower on tap, the '67 will zip to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, Charge Cars says.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
Range is estimated at 200 miles, less than most new EVs on the market. Osy de Zegwaart said the car's battery capacity was limited by the Mustang's size. Plus, customers probably won't travel all that far in the '67 anyway, he said.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
While the sports car's overall dimensions and key lines are true to the original, Charge Cars opted to make body panels — the doors, hood, trunk, and so on — out of weight-saving carbon fiber.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
It also made tweaks all around with an eye on style and aerodynamics, including adding flush door handles and smoothing out some surfaces.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
"We've tried to balance function and form and give the car as clean lines as we can whilst being respectful to the original," Osy De Zegwaart said.
The 1967 Ford Mustang GT Fastback. Ford
In some cases it was able to give iconic design elements a new purpose. The charging port, for example, is hidden behind the '67's side air vents.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
Inside, the '67 is more Tesla than Mustang. Its minimalist cabin is dominated by two large screens.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
The car also will have a slew of tech features that bring the Mustang into the 21st century: wireless phone charging, LED headlights, and driver aids like adaptive cruise control.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
Building an EV company from scratch is no small feat, and there's a long list of startups that have struggled for years to bring new electric cars to market. We'll have to wait and see how Charge Cars fares.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
The company will hand-build 499 of the modernized icon at its facility in London before setting its sights on future products. It isn't sharing exactly what vintage ride it's picking next.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
"There's a lot of passionate people in the company and I think everyone's got a different idea of what they'd like to see," Osy de Zegwaart said.
The '67 by Charge Cars. Charge Cars
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