First Look: Mullen’s High-Performance Five RS

Having revealed the Mullen Five crossover EV in 2022, the startup automaker unveiled a high-performance variant, the Five RS at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Designed and built in the United States, the Mullen Five RS’s horsepower was not specified. The automaker saying only that it would be more than 1,000 horsepower and more than 850 pound-feet of torque. That’s good enough to deliver a 0-to-60-mph time of less than two seconds, 1.2 seconds quicker than the base Mullen Five, along with a top speed of more than 200 mph from its 100-kWh battery pack.

The Mullen Five has as much as 325 miles of range, the Five RS’s range will be no more than 300 miles, although the exact range has not yet been finalized. Built using an 800-volt architecture, recharging from 0 to 80% will take 35 minutes with a Level 3 charger, 11.5 hours with a Level 2.

Being a dual-motor model, all-wheel drive is standard as is a two-speed transmission ala the Porsche Taycan.

A STRONG VISUAL STATEMENT

But the Five RS certainly has a bolder presence than the Five, but designers had a strong foundation to work with. But as design of the vehicle was brought in-house under design chief Andre Hudson, who was brought in following stints at General Motors and Hyundai.

“Outside the proportion is quite different from the original cars shown. It’s much leaner, more muscular. The cabins grown a little bit to make it more functional for the packaging,” Hudson said. “We’ve done authentic carbon details forged carbon details throughout.”

But Hudson points out that the automaker is proud to be an American company, which led the team to use 13 stripes in the lighting detail. There’s also unique beautiful aerodynamic passthroughs throughout the car, while a massive decklid spoiler dominates the Five RS’s rear view.

“We don’t want to be over the top too much because we like to think that it’s still a mature car,” Hudson said.

GREATER PERFORMANCE

Nevertheless, its power may make you feel a bit less mature given horsepower reaches into four figures. But Mullen has upgraded its crossover EV with standard 21-inch summer tires; 22s are optional. They help the Five RS stop in 110 feet from 62 mph thanks to six-piston Brembo 15.7-inch two-piece carbon-ceramic rotors up front and 14.6-inch rotors in the rear.

But this is no small vehicle, weighing 5,070 pounds and measuring 193 inches long, 80 inches wide without mirrors, 64 inches tall on a 116-inch wheelbase. Ground clearance is 6.7 inches.

But the added performance comes with a higher price tag. While base models start around $55,000, the Five RS starts at $295,000, with a track model starting at $365,000. That’s quite a difference form the base Five, and it remains to be seen what consumer acceptance will be like.

Mullen Five RS will reach consumers in 2025, followed by Mullen Five base and touring models.

“What this is is a pinnacle and a marquee vehicle,” said Jason Putnam, Mullen’s vice-president of marketing. “It really allows us to go out to market show our performance, our endurance and competitive nature that allows us to build more awareness in the marketplace.”

Putnam also said that Mullen will sell its cars through traditional retail channels, rather than the direct sales model pioneered by Tesla.

“Tesla, who are obviously the trailblazer in all of this, they’re now 10 plus years into it. And they’re still only in what, 30 states? Putnam said. “If you look at it from like a clean slate, it’s what seems like the easiest approach.”

And. with four five large U.S. dealer groups like Penske and Lithia increasing their presence in Europe, Mullen hopes to make inroads with them in an effort to facilitate European deliveries. “If we can build inroads with some of those groups here that translates into opportunities outside of the U.S.”