Unless you’ve been living under an especially virulent rock, it will not have escaped your notice that Ford introduced the all-electric Mustang Mach-E earlier this week in Los Angeles. Any serious entrant into the EV market is a big deal these days, especially one from the Detroit Three, a group frequently accused (sometimes unfairly) of being perpetually behind the eight-ball.

This alone would have undoubtedly set tongues wagging. Once the build team confirmed they decided to call this all-electric crossover a Mustang, the conversation went into orbit.

Public reaction was as swift as it was predictable. Online comments from the Twitterverse ranged from “an SUV is not a Mustang,” to “this will not resonate.” One user proclaimed the Mustang Mach E to be an “Edsel-level failure” in terms of marketing, a comment that will surely sting anyone at the Blue Oval who’s read that particular case study.

The EV Association of Alberta, not exactly a group given to wild and untamed pronouncements, said on Twitter “Ford certainly took a risk naming it after the iconic sports car — at a minimum, it has sparked much conversation. We hope the vehicle sells for Ford, but perhaps a different name would have avoided alienating a large number of Ford fans…”

That statement is one of the more measured and thoughtful we’ve seen; it’s also the most correct. Ford did take a plunge into the unknown by affixing the Mustang name to this car, a decision that has indeed sparked much conversation.