Ford is Bringing ‘Eluminator’ Electric Crate Motor to SEMA (But You Can Already Buy It)
Mainstream electric-conversion solutions are still scarce, but Ford is aiming to change that with the Eluminator.
It’s no secret that the future of the automotive industry is electric. With the Mach-E, Ford expanded the Mustang family to include an all-electric crossover, and come 2028, there won’t be a new internal-combustion Mustang. The forthcoming Lightning means even the venerable F-150 is taking the plunge, and interest in the electric F-150 has proven strong enough that Ford has actually doubled its production targets. That said, mainstream electric-conversion solutions are still scarce — but Ford is aiming to change that.
Because at SEMA this year, the Blue Oval is scheduled to show off an electric crate motor. Dubbed the Eluminator, it’s a big step toward a solution for shadetree mechanics, and could have a tremendous impact on the future of the hot rod hobby. Ford Performance gave attendees at this year’s Woodward Dream Cruise a sneak peak, and while many details remain unknown, it sounds promising. The specs we do know come from our friends over at Carscoops, who offered this intel:
Ford was tight-lipped on specifics, but told us the motor will produce 281 hp (210 kW / 285 PS) and 318 lb-ft (431 Nm) of torque. Those are decent figures and Ford’s Chief Product Platform and Operations Officer, Hau Thai-Tang, noted the output is higher than what was available on the Fox body Mustang.
Furthermore, CAD files released by Ford Performance show the electric motor is 22.5 inches (570 mm) long, making it significantly smaller than Ford’s traditional crate engines. That being said, it will need to be accompanied by a battery pack.
Now, I’m not going to pretend that I’m dizzy at the prospect of 281 horsepower and 318 lb-ft of torque, as the horsepower wars have ruined me. But the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 proves Ford’s engineers already know how to make big electric power, and it’ll just take some time for kit that serious to trickle down to the cheap seats. That being said, if you know how modern electric vehicles are built, they often use multiple motors in one vehicle. Or, if you’re just looking for a classic cruiser, 281 ponies with INSTANT torque isn’t all that bad — you’d probably lay waste to Fox Bodies and New Edge Mustangs alike.
The bigger question here is what Ford plans to do about the batteries, as that’s going to present a challenge. Because you can already buy the Eluminator over HERE at Ford Performance for $3,900. But there’s still word about battery cost, size, and other things like controllers and accessories. AKA, how will your swap actually work?
Given the relative simplicity of swapping one internal combustion power source for another, just marketing a crate motor makes sense. But until there’s a modular battery system available for electric motors like this, that means any conversion will require a lot of mechanical knowledge, and some creative solutions for the question of where to put the power source. Personally, I think it would be cool if Ford offered a package spherically designed for the classic Mustang, so interested folks would have the option of an OEM-sourced package. Hopefully, we’ll have more info after the big show in Sin City, so stay tuned.
Photos: Ford
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