Ford has quietly introduced a bold new pricing strategy for the 2026 Mustang Mach-E: if you want to use the front trunk—or “frunk”—you’ll now need to fork over an extra $495. Once a standard feature on every Mach-E since its debut, the under-hood storage space has been demoted to an optional add-on listed alongside such essentials as splash guards and wheel locks.
Buyers configuring their shiny new electric pony car will spot the “Drainable Frunk” tucked under Exterior Options, priced at exactly $495. Ford’s reasoning? Data showed many owners simply weren’t using it much, so why include it for everyone when only some might care?
The move trims production costs while letting frunk enthusiasts pay their fair share. Meanwhile, the base price dropped slightly—about $150 on some trims—but check that frunk box and you’re suddenly out $345 more than last year’s equivalent model.
EV fans who prized the frunk as one of the perks of going engine-free now face a classic automotive dilemma: do without extra grocery-hauling space or cough up nearly five hundred bucks for a plastic tub with a drain plug. It’s the kind of decision that makes you wonder if next year they’ll charge extra for the steering wheel if usage surveys come back low.
Ford isn’t alone in testing these waters—BMW once tried monthly heated-seat subscriptions—but charging for space that’s literally already there feels particularly cheeky. The frunk, once marketed with cheerful photos of coolers and beach gear stashed up front, now sits behind a paywall. Owners of older models might chuckle while popping their hoods for free, perhaps even using the space to store their spare change from not paying $495.
The configurator keeps things straightforward: want splash guards? Sure. Tire inflator kit? Why not. But that front storage you thought came with the electric territory? That’s now a deluxe upgrade. Ford’s planners apparently crunched the numbers and decided the average buyer treats the frunk like a gym membership—signed up with good intentions, rarely visited.
In the end, it’s a reminder that in the world of modern motoring, nothing stays free forever. Not even the empty space where an engine used to be.
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