In perhaps the strangest automotive update this side of April Fools’ Day, Ford has created what it describes as a “premium fragrance” for those wanting to switch to an electric vehicle (EV) without forgoing the smell of a traditional petrol vehicle.
In a Ford-commissioned survey, one in five drivers said the smell of petrol is what they’d miss most when swapping to an electric vehicle, with almost 70 per cent claiming they would miss it to at least some degree. Petrol also ranked as a more popular scent than both wine and cheese in the survey, with the new scent designed to help change attitudes while also promoting the manufacturer’s new all-electric Mustang Mach-E GT.
“Rather than just smelling like petrol though, Mach-Eau is designed to please the nose of any wearer; a high-end fragrance that fuses smoky accords, aspects of rubber and even an ‘animal’ element to give a nod to the Mustang heritage,” Ford said in a press release.
Ford revealed the fragrance at last weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, an annual event that attracts petrolheads from across the globe.
Ford is facing an ongoing mission to help dispel myths around electric cars and convince traditional car enthusiasts of the potential of EVs – with almost a quarter (24 per cent) of survey respondents claiming they would miss the performance of petrol cars if they made the switch.
Rev-heads might draw comfort in the fact the Mach-E GT’s all-electric powertrain can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds.
“Judging by our survey findings, the sensory appeal of petrol cars is still something drivers are reluctant to give up,” said Jay Ward, director, Ford of Europe Product Communications.
“The Mach Eau fragrance is designed to give them a hint of that fuel-fragrance they still crave. It should linger long enough for the GT’s performance to make any other doubts vaporise too.”
