Are you going to miss the smell of petrol when electric cars take over the world? You won’t be the only one. In a recent survey conducted by Ford, one in five drivers admitted that the smell of petrol would be what they missed the most after changing over to an EV, while 70 percent said that they would miss the petrol smell to at least some degree.
But fear not, Ford has a solution (albeit a somewhat tongue in cheek one) and it comes in the form of a Mustang-branded fragrance that smells like petrol. Before you rush out to place your order, keep in mind that the new fragrance, called Mach-Eau (inspired by the all-electric Mustang Mach-E) is not actually for sale, but rather it’s something of a publicity stunt, designed to raise awareness around electric cars.
Unveiled at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Mach-Eau fragrance was created by Olfiction, with ingredients that each add a specific element to the scent’s story.
“The new scent is designed to help usher these drivers into the future of driving through their sense of smell,” Ford said. “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.”
Its creators looked into the chemicals that are emitted from car interiors, engines and petrol. This included benzaldehyde, which is an almond-like scent given off by car interiors, and para-cresol which is key in creating the rubbery scent of tyres. These were then mixed with ingredients like lavender, blue ginger and sandalwood, which added rubbery and smokey accents.
“Judging by our survey findings, the sensory appeal of petrol cars is still something drivers are reluctant to give up,” said Ford communications director Jay Ward. “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.”
