2021 Charge Mustang

Video Credits: Charge Cars

Year: 2019 | Project Status: Finished | Credit: Design Lead & Services Supplier

Charge Cars Mustang is a contemporary luxury EV reimagined by the London-based company Charge Cas. Using the original 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback (the car that Steve McQueen drove in his cult movie Bullit) as a source of inspiration, the ’67 fastback is a mixture of two very different worlds: on the outside it’s a restomod keeping the original design of the 67’ Mustang, but with a few modern exterior details, while under the skin it’s a brand new contemporary electric vehicle featuring the latest technology available on the market.

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Image Credits: Charge Cars

In 2019 Miroslav Dimitrov was brought in to support the start-up company (only 15 people at the time) in the development of their brand-new EV project – the 1967 Fastback Mustang. He worked closely alongside the Design Director co-leading the design development of the project and managing several areas simultaneously.

Miroslav’s invaluable contribution extended beyond design; his wealth of knowledge and extensive experience played a crucial role in shaping Charge Cars’ design studio. His expertise streamlined their operations, bringing in professionals with proven track experience and implementing OEM processes. His strategic guidance became instrumental in steering Charge Cars towards design excellence and operational efficiency.

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During the initial sketch phase various degrees of changes to the exterior look and feel of the car were proposed. The brief was then clearly formulated by the company owner Denis Sverdlov – to create a modern interpretation of the most iconic muscle car of all times, but keeping it as close as possible to the original. Therefore, minimum changes to the exterior and focus on execution and attention to the details.

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Image Credits: Charge Cars

Several bodies of the donor car were scanned and the exterior was partially reverse engineered in order to improve the surfacing and allow the lines to flow better. Some body panels were also executed in carbon fibre to save weight. Additionally there are some modern touches such as flush door handles and bespoke jewel-like LED headlights and tail lamps. The side intake in front of the rear wheel of the original car was also used as a place to house the charging port. A new front grille was introduced to bear the Charge logo and last but not least important modern wheels with big wide tires compliment the exterior of the vehicle.

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Image Credits: Miroslav Dimitrov & Charge Cars.

Featuring contemporary touches like streamlined door handles and specially crafted LED headlights and taillights, reminiscent of fine jewels, the result is unequivocally modern. Defined by its minimalist elegance, it upholds the boldness and strength of the iconic 1960s design. Unique wheels were carefully chosen to enhance the Mustang’s powerful presence and inject personality into its overall appearance.

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Interior Sketches:

Re-Designing the interior of the most recognisable American Muscle Car with a big touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard and a fully animated instrument panel poses a formidable design challenge! Instinctually, the inclination veers toward preserving a more “mechanical and analogue” feel, resonating with the car’s heritage, as initially conveyed in sketches and concepts. However, Mr. Sverdlov envisioned a departure from tradition; considering this as a modern EV built upon Arrival’s cutting-edge platform, the cockpit of the ’67 Mustang demands a thoroughly contemporary approach, devoid of any nods to its original incarnation.

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Image Credits: Charge Cars.

The interior of the poduction Charge Cars Mustang features a large touchscreen with bespoke interface to Charge, running on Arrival software to provide onboard technology and connectivity such as sat-nav, music streaming, traffic light recognition, and adaptive cruise control. With sleek bucket seats, a minimalistic steering wheel with buttons, and an infotainment screen, you’ll be excused if you mistake it for a modern car on the inside!

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Image Credits: Charge Cars.

Diverging from its predecessor, traditionally rear-wheel-drive, the ’67 Fastback now boasts a 63 kWh battery pack powering four electric motors (100kW each) and delivering a total 536 horsepower. Accelerating from 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds, it achieves an impressive range of 322km on a single charge. Introducing a brand-new suspension system, featuring MacPherson struts upfront and wishbones in the rear, and outfitted with AP Racing brakes, the vehicle embodies cutting-edge engineering. For more information about Charge Mustang EV’s technology, please visit their website.

Charge Cars Headquarters near London Heathrow. Image Credits: Charge Cars.

The Charge Cars Mustang is also entirely customized to suit the desires of each individual customer, including options such as sustainable vegan leather for the interior. With only 499 cars slated for production, it firmly holds its ground in the supercar domain, starting at £350,000.

Video Credits: Charge Cars.