While we were all waiting for the reveal of Ford’s upcoming “Mustang-inspired” SUV on Nov. 17 and next year's Bronco, the automaker snuck something into the 2019 SEMA show in Las Vegas: the Mustang Lithium, a fully electric pony car packing over 900 hp and a tire-shredding 1,000 lb-ft of torque.

The Mustang Lithium is, to be clear, a one-off; if and when Ford electrifies its storied pony car, we expect it to have more in common under the skin with the upcoming EV SUV than it does with the current, decidedly gasoline-drinking sixth-generation Mustang.

But as a street car inside and out, the Lithium stands in decided contrast withthe eCOPO Camaro Chevrolet brought to SEMA last year. That car was meant to post nine-second times at the drag strip; the Mustang Lithium looks to be something you could daily drive.

It was built in collaboration with German supplier Webasto, which is using the vehicle to showcase its modular vehicle batteries and charging systems. And it’s obviously a way for Ford to get people thinking about what one of its most beloved models will look like in a world that is (at least partially) plug-in.

The Mustang Lithium prototype uses an 800-volt electrical architecture, just like the Porsche Taycan; advantages include lighter components (like wiring), less waste-heat generation and potentially faster charging times. Power -- Ford advertises over 900 horses -- and 1,000 lb-ft of torque come via a Phi-Power dual-core electric motor positioned under the hood. We assume it’s connected to the rear end through a more or less conventional driveshaft.

Important information like range, charging time and even acceleration remain unstated, but Ford does claim that, thanks in part to the car’s dual power inverters, it can discharge up to a megawatt of electrical energy. We’re not entirely sure what that means in real terms -- yet another example of how we’re going to have to update our understanding of power in this era of electrification -- but it sounds impressive. (And as for how the car itself sounds, we’re hoping Ford had the good sense not to fake the roar of a V8 over the speaker system.)

Even more intriguing: The Mustang Lithium retains a six-speed manual transmission. In this case, it’s a Calimer-built Getrag MT82; the transmission specialist’s gearboxes seem to wind up on drag cars, which should mean it has a fighting chance of handling all that torque. How a manual contributes to the EV drive experience remains to be seen, but it ought to help it keep some of the model’s analog feel intact -- in addition to giving the car a top speed far in excess of what most single-speed EVs can touch.

What’s surprising about the Mustang Lithium is how grounded in reality it is, at least for a futuristic SEMA concept. It gets strange concept car touches like a Webasto see-through hood, but it also uses Ford Performance half-shafts, a Super 8.8 Torsen differential and Forgeline wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires (and that tried-and-true manual transmission).

The interior, meanwhile, looks more present-day Mustang than far-out spaceship; electric blue accents and a large, 10.4-inch touchscreen display in the center console are the biggest tipoffs that this isn’t a production vehicle.

It is, basically, a surprisingly plausible look at what electrified Ford performance could look like in just a few short years. We sincerely doubt that’s accidental.

Webasto used a 2019 Ford Mustang EcoBoost as the base for its electric conversion. Stock, that car weighs in at 3,542 pounds. According to the Webasto rep, the complete Lithium Mustang weighs about the same as a GT500, which tips the scales at 4,171 pounds. But most of that weight is in the batteries, which can be spread out. Webasto put about a third of the batteries under the hood with the motor, and the rest over the rear axle, which resulted in a perfect 50/50 front/rear weight balance. With the weight sitting over the rear axle, the Webasto representative explained that they felt it was unnecessary to have some sort of wing or spoiler to provide downforce for grip at the back.

As we've mentioned, the Lithium Mustang EV has an 800-volt battery system that can rapidly discharge power, which is necessary for the beastly motor under the hood. Part of what makes that possible is the liquid cooling and heating system that can keep the batteries an an optimum temperature. The potent motors are of the axial flux design, which places magnets on the faces of the rotors, rather than on the periphery, allowing for a compact and power-dense package. One odd feature absent from the Lithium Mustang is DC fast-charging capability. It only supports Level 2 AC charging, but the Webasto representative said the company is working on DC charging support.

This is purely a concept for Ford and Webasto to show what's possible with electric powertrain technology, and Webasto won't be offering a kit for hobbyists. But Webasto is still developing electric tech, and plans to do some field testing on the LIthium Mustang to get performance and range numbers.