Ford Invents Gas-Scented Fragrance in Response to EV Concerns
Lisa Steuer McArdle
· 3 min read
There are many perks to driving an
electric car
, especially these days as automakers like Ford
debut new state-of-the-art vehicles all the time. Features like improved range, better performance, tax credits—not to mention the fact that they are better for the environment—are making electric cars more appealing to consumers.
But as the car world goes electric, there are certain aspects of gas-powered cars that won’t translate over to an electric vehicle—like the smell of gasoline.
That’s right—one thing that drivers will reportedly miss after going electric is the familiar scent of gassing up your car.
Ford’s new scent
When Ford did a study asking people what they’d miss about internal combustion engine vehicles, 70% said the smell of gasoline to some degree, according to
Autorevolution
. In fact, one in five drivers claimed they’d miss that recognizable smell. Gasoline even ranked as a more popular scent than both wine and cheese, and was ranked to be almost just as popular as the smell of new books.
The number of people who would miss the smell of gasoline is surprisingly high—so much so that Ford decided to create a premium fragrance aimed at electric vehicle buyers who miss the smell of gasoline.
Ford debuted the fragrance at this year’s Goodwill Festival of Speed in England, where Ford also showed off its electric Mustang Mach-E. The fragrance was dubbed Mach-Eau GT and according to Autorevolution doesn’t smell exactly like gasoline.
Instead, it combines "smoky accords" with certain aspects of rubber and an "animal" element as well—which is reportedly meant to give an impression of horses and underline the heritage of the Mustang brand.
Autorevolution’s report says substances used in the fragrance include benzaldehyde (an almond-like scent given off by car interiors), para-cresol (which creates the rubbery scent of tires), blue ginger, lavender, geranium, and sandalwood.
Unfortunately, those missing the gasoline smell will also be disappointed to learn that Ford’s fragrance is not available to buy.
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Adjusting to an electric car
Since the Mach-Eau GT fragrance was released at the same time Ford was showing off its electric Mustang Mach-E, it should be noted that the car does actually have a feature meant to help drivers with the transition from muscle cars to silent electric power vehicles.
The Mustang Mach-E is equipped with a system that plays a digital audio track inspired by the rumble of an exhaust of an internal combustion engine, according to
Fox News
. The system has a loud setting labeled "Unbridled," and it can also be turned off if the driver prefers. The car market goes electric
MORE: What Will Happen to Gas Stations as We Switch to Electric
Although the fragrance was creative for promotional purposes and is not actually for sale, there may be a real consumer demand for something like this as the car market goes electric.
In fact, many car companies are vowing to go completely electric in the coming years. General Motors wants to be purely electric by 2035, while Volvo plans to do so by 2030. States like California and Washington are also planning bans of sales of new combustion engines.
So even though Ford’s fragrance is not actually for sale, they may want to reconsider bringing it to the market in the next few years.
