EV NEWS / Ford Mustang Mach-E
FORD MUSTANG MACH-E
Is a new EV SUV from Ford carrying the famous pony moniker a Mustang at heart? This is the vehicular anomaly followers of the Blue Oval will have to find an answer to following the reveal of the Mustang Mach-E, Ford’s big gamble to bring the famous muscle car nameplate into the electric age.
The recent debut of the Mach-E sent a jolt through the motoring world – much like the unveiling of its original forebear in 1964 – as this model is the first expansion in 55 years of the Mustang sports coupe range.
Ford maintains the Mach-E is born of the same all-American ideals that inspired the best-selling pony car in the world and is “ready to reimagine the ideas representing the best of the American spirit for a powerful electric future, with space for the growing needs of customers and advanced over-the-air updates that continue to improve the vehicle”.
Calling it Mustang makes some sense as an elegant way of securing the future of the famous badge given the Detroit automaker’s intention to stop selling cars and especially sedans in the US (except for Mustang) and only focus on SUVs and trucks.
Having lagged in terms of EV development (it took a massive investment of R7,2 billion in the start-up company Rivian to fast-track the Mach-E’s progress) and with Ford taking on Tesla – specifically the Model S – with the new model, it needs the clout of an iconic name to help it sell.
It seems to be working; the limited and exclusive Mach-E First Edition – with extended range allwheel drive, red-painted brake callipers, metallic pedal covers and contrasting seat stitching and available for R880,000 in the ’States – was sold out on pre-orders in just nine days.
Ford plans to build 50,000 Mach-E’s during its first year of production, with first US deliveries expected late 2020. This includes the upmarket Premium version, with the base Mach-E Select and efficient Mach-E California Route 1 (a nod to the 1968 GT/CS California Special Mustangs) due early 2021, followed by the sportier Mach-E GT later in the year.
SPECIFICATIONS
The Mach-E share Mustang traits and signature elements such as a long, powerful hood, the haunch rear design, aggressive headlights and trademark tri-bar taillights. Traditional Mustang design cues, like the double-cowl instrument panel, round out the roomy SUV-size interior.
It will be available with standard (75,7 kWh lithium-ion battery) and extended-range (98,8 kWh battery) options with either rear-wheel-drive or allwheel-drive powered by permanent magnet motors. Equipped with an extended-range battery and rear-wheel-drive, it has a targeted range of at least 480 km.
In extended-range all-wheel-drive configurations, Ford claims the Mach-E will deliver 248 kW and 565 Nm of torque, meaning the standard all-wheeldrive variant could be quicker to 100 km/h than the base Porsche Macan.
The performance-orientated GT model (342 kW and 830 Nm of torque) is expected to do the 0100 km/h run in under four seconds, making it faster off the line than a Macan Turbo, with the GT Performance Edition targeting a comparable 0-100 km/h sprint to the Porsche 911 GTS.
This model is equipped with MagneRide adaptive suspension system with three unique drive modes – Whisper, Engage, and Unbridled. Also making its debut in the Mach-E is the next-generation SYNC communications and entertainment system from Ford, with 15.5” screen and simple interface ready to receive secure over-the-air updates.
Ford also offers a home charging station that can add an estimated average range of 52 km per charging hour on a 240 V outlet, while a mobile charger can add around 35 km per charging hour on a 240-Volt outlet.
LAST WORD
At the launch of the Mach-E, Bill Ford, executive chairman of the Ford Motor Company, told the story of founder Henry Ford at the first-ever Detroit auto show saying he was working on something that would strike like forked lightning. That was the Model T. He then compared it to the Mustang Mach-E, stating Ford has again unveiled a car that strikes like forked lightning.
Perhaps, but when the SUV craze starts tapering off (as is already happening in China) and demand for an EV sports car grow Ford may still rue the somewhat desperate decision to call it Mustang – thereby diminishing the brand value of the original pony car.