Ford announced today that it would be working with bike company N plus to introduce two new e-bikes inspired by the automaker’s most iconic brands, the Bronco and Mustang.
There’s nothing new about car companies working with bike manufacturers to co-develop e-bikes in the hopes of exciting gear heads. GM, Porsche, Jeep, Polestar, and others have tried to do the same, with varying degrees of success. But Ford says its bikes will be unique insofar as they are directly tied to two of the company’s most storied models.
G.O.A.T. = “Goes Over Any Type of Terrain”
The Bronco e-bike will, of course, be very rugged and designed to handle rough terrain. The company says that the bike will come with a 750W hub motor that generates 85 Nm of torque for maximum hill-crushing capacity. The bike will also feature a dual-suspension system that Ford has branded “GOAT,” which it says stands for “Goes Over Any Type of Terrain” —and not the other meaning that is much more popular. (Anyway, shouldn’t that be GOATT?) A motorcycle-inspired saddle will be exclusive to the Bronco-branded bike.
The Bronco e-bike will be a Class 3, meaning it can reach a top speed of 28mph but lacks a throttle (which is increasingly popular among American consumers). The bike’s battery can propel it for up to 60 miles of range, depending on route, driving style, and power usage. And it will take up to 3.5 hours to fully recharge the battery.
There will be two Mustang e-bikes, both of which feature similar performance specs as the Bronco e-bike. The standard Mustang e-bike will be joined by a limited-edition Mustang 60th Anniversary Edition model that is available exclusively through Ford dealers. Both bikes will handle in a way that “mimics the iconic sports car,” Ford says.
The Bronco e-bike will sport Pirelli Scorpion Enduro M hardwall 27.5 x 2.6-inch tires, while the Mustang e-bike will perch on Pirelli Angel GT semi-slick tires. Both bikes will come with four-piston hydraulic brakes and full-color center-mounted LCDs that will provide real-time information, like speed, battery life, and range.
Neither bike will be cheap. The Bronco e-bike will start at $4,500, with an additional $350 applied for a paint color other than the standard Area 51. The Mustang bike will sell for $4,000, with a similar option to choose a different paint beyond the base carbonized metallic gray. Both bikes can be pre-ordered now at the company’s website, with deliveries expected to begin later this year.
Other car companies have made similar moves to appeal to those who prefer two wheels over four. Often, when you hear about car companies releasing their own electric bikes, it’s just a brand licensing deal. (Think Jeep’s e-bike or those Hummer bikes from last decade.) Other times, it’s a much-hyped project that ends up falling victim to corporate cost cutting, like General Motors’ Ariv e-bikes.
And of course, the e-bike world has been plagued by financial mismanagement. Early this year, boutique e-bike brand Cake, which had a cobranding deal with Polestar, declared bankruptcy.
But occasionally, something interesting emerges, like Harley-Davidson’s Serial 1 e-bikes. Porsche has proven adept at gathering the necessary pieces to make an attractive e-bike, including the acquisition of leading e-bike drive systems manufacturer Fazua. Recently, Robert Downey Jr. was spotted astride one of the automaker’s $10,000 luxury bikes.
Ford is working with N plus on its Bronco and Mustang bikes, which is not exactly a household name. The company makes e-bikes with Mercedes-AMG, so perhaps the preexisting relationship with an OEM was enough to convince Ford that the partnership could bear fruit.
