Ford's F-150 Lightning just won MotorTrend Truck of the Year, but it's not the only legacy model to get the EV treatment.

Simone Del Rosario Business Correspondent

Electric Ford F-150 wins major award as these 5 iconic vehicles go EV

Dec 16, 2022

Simone Del Rosario Business Correspondent

By Simone Del Rosario (Business Correspondent), Emma Stoltzfus (Editor), Brent Jabbour (Producer)

Electric vehicles have been getting a lot of attention in recent years with analysts believing half of U.S. car sales will be EVs by 2030. Ford’s F-150 Lightning just won the 2023 MotorTrend Truck of the Year, becoming the second EV to do so. The F-Series isn’t the only legacy model being electrified. Here are some iconic vehicles getting the EV treatment in this week’s Five for Friday.

#5: Ford Mustang Mach-E

Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is a departure from the look and style the brand is known for. The EV is a 4-door hatchback more reminiscent of a crossover SUV than a muscle car. The GT trim boasts 480 horsepower with a 260 mile range and starts at roughly $70,000. For purists, Ford recently unveiled its seventh generation Mustang, returning to its roots with a 5-liter V-8 engine that pushes 0-60 mph in 4 seconds.

#4: GMC Hummer EV

The Hummer was the pinnacle of vehicle excess earlier this century. After all, it was a consumer version of the military Humvee. But sales struggled as gas prices rose in 2008 and after the Great Recession hit, the Hummer eventually retired. But now it’s back as an EV pickup truck. The top-line trim offers 300 miles per charge, 1,000 horsepower and can go 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds. Those benefits will come at a cost of around $100,000.

#3: Porsche Taycan

The Porsche Taycan doesn’t bear the name of the German automaker’s classic models and that’s by design. But its design feels right in line with the 911. The top-of-the-line Taycan Turbo S goes 0-60 mph in fewer than three seconds, has a top speed of 160 mph and a range of 223 miles. The company says it’s the most aerodynamic Porsche ever produced. But there is a downside: the highest-end trim runs just under $200,000.

#2: Volkswagen ID. Buzz

The Volkswagen Bus is one of the most iconic vehicles to ever hit the road. It’s more of a lifestyle than a people mover. The EV version, known as the ID. Buzz, is following in those nostalgic tire tracks. The ID. Buzz is already being sold in the E.U. but won’t be available in North America until the 2024 model. The European model can get roughly 260 miles per charge but is limited to just 90 mph.

#1: Chevrolet Corvette: Electrified

Details are scarce on Chevy’s new electric Corvette other than its announcement by GM President Mark Reuss in April. Unlike Ford’s Mach-E, this Corvette actually looks like it belongs in the same sentence as the Stingray. Car and Driver expects sales to start with the 2024 or 2025 model with a projected price of $100,000.

Tags: Electric vehicles, Ford, Volkswagen

SIMONE DEL ROSARIO:

EVS HAVE BEEN SUCKIN ALL THE AIR OUT OF THE CAR WORLD FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS AND FORD’S F-150 LIGHTNING JUST BECAME THE SECOND EV TO WIN MOTOR TREND’S TRUCK OF THE YEAR. THE F-SERIES ISN’T ALONE IN ELECTRIFYING A LEGACY MODEL. WE’VE GOT THE ICONIC VEHICLES GETTING THE EV TREATMENT IN THIS WEEK’S FIVE FOR FRIDAY.

FORD’S MUSTANG MACH-E ISN’T QUITE THE LOOK THE BRAND IS KNOWN FOR. THE EV IS A FOUR DOOR HATCHBACK MORE REMINISCENT OF A CROSSOVER THAN A MUSCLE CAR. BUT THE PRICE IS WITHIN REACH, AT 48 TO 78 GRAND. THE HIGHER END GT BOASTS 480 HORSEPOWER WITH A 260 MILE RANGE. BUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE THIS VERSION IS AN AFFRONT TO THE MUSTANG, FORD UNVEILED ITS SEVENTH GENERATION MUSTANG THIS FALL, RETURNING TO ITS ROOTS WITH A 5-LITER V-8 PUSHING IT ZERO TO 60 IN 4 SECONDS.

THE HUMMER WAS THE PINNACLE OF VEHICLE EXCESS EARLIER THIS CENTURY. SALES STRUGGLED WHEN GAS PRICES ROSE IN ‘07, AND AFTER THE RECESSION HIT THE HUMMER EVENTUALLY WENT AWAY. BUT NOW IT’S BACK AS AN EV PICKUP. THE TOPLINE TRIM WILL GET YOU MORE THAN 300 MILES PER CHARGE, 1000 HORSEPOWER AND THE ABILITY TO GO 0 TO 60 IN 3.3 SECONDS. TO GET THOSE SPECS THOUGH, YOU’LL HAVE TO SHELL OUT $100 GRAND.

PORSCHE’S TAYCAN DOESN’T BEAR THE NAME OF ONE OF ITS CLASSIC MODELS. THAT’S BY DESIGN, BUT ITS DESIGN GIVES US ALL THE CLASSIC PORSCHE FEELS IN E-V FORM. THE TOP OF THE LINE TAYCAN TURBO S GOES ZERO TO 60 IN LESS THAN 3 SECONDS, HAS A TOP SPEED OF 160 MILES PER HOUR, AND A RANGE OF 223 MILES. IT’S ALSO THE MOST AERODYNAMIC PORSCHE EVER PRODUCED. THE TOP MODEL TOPS OUT AT AROUND $200K.

THE VW BUS IS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC VEHICLES TO EVER EXIST. IT’S MORE OF A LIFESTYLE THAN A PEOPLE MOVER. JUST ASK OUR FIVE FOR FRIDAY EDITOR EMMA, WHO SAYS HER MOM’S 1963 BUS IS HER FOURTH CHILD. THE EV VERSION, KNOWN AS ID.BUZZ, IS NOW FOLLOWING IN THOSE NOSTALGIC TRACKS. IT’S ALREADY ON THE MARKET IN THE E-U BUT WON’T BE SOLD IN NORTH AMERICA UNTIL THE 2024 MODEL. THE EUROPEAN MODEL COSTS BETWEEN 57 AND 68K, WITH A RANGE OF ROUGHLY 260 MILES. IT’S LIMITED TO 90 MILES PER HOUR, BUT REALLY, IT’S NEVER BEEN KNOWN FOR SPEED.

THERE AREN’T A LOT OF DETAILS OUT THERE ABOUT CHEVY’S ELECTRIC CORVETTE OTHER THAN IT WAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED BY GM’S PRESIDENT BACK IN APRIL. UNLIKE THE MACH-E, THE ELECTRIFIED CORVETTE ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IT BELONGS IN THE SAME SENTENCE AS ITS NAMESAKE. CAR AND DRIVER EXPECTS SALES TO START WITH THE 2024 OR 2025 MODEL AND ESTIMATES IT WILL COST UPWARDS OF $100K, A LOT MORE THAN ITS GAS POWERED EQUIVALENT.

THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG AS COMPANIES INVEST IN EVS. MAYBE THEY’LL MAKE AN EV FORD PINTO THAT WON’T BURST INTO FLAMES. THAT’S FIVE FOR FRIDAY. I’M SIMONE DEL ROSARIO. IT’S JUST BUSINESS.