Mach stacks up

Planning my route with military precision... maximum range of Ford Mustang Mach-e, 273 miles. Check. Distance from home to petrolhead cafe Caffeine and Machine, 94 miles. Check. That’s a round trip of 188 miles which should leave plenty of room for excessive energy use and – since it’s a warm day – the use of air con without running out of volts on the M25.

But just like any good general would do, I’ve put in some contingency plans. I’m going to stop at a rapid charging point in Banbury. Run by Intervolt, it is one of the best charging networks in the area. And also one of the only ones.

This isn’t my first go in Ford’s new Mustang Mach-e but it’s my first long run in the Standard Range, the most affordable of all the models by some margin. Price without options is £41,330. Ours has none fitted.

The previous Mach-e I drove cost £57,030, was all-wheel drive (with two electric motors) and had a 99kwh battery to this one’s 76kwh package.

As well as a smaller battery this car has a 266bhp electric motor versus the 346bhp produced by the twin motors in the 4x4 version.

Our car still does 0-62mph in 6.9sec. You have a choice of three driving modes: Active, Whisper and Untamed. None change anything dramatically; just accelerator response, brakes and steering.

Oh, and the noise generator.

This is the best I’ve come across in an EV and makes the Mach-e sound as if it’s got an engine in it. Perhaps not a V8 but certainly a muffled V6.

First thing you’ll notice when you get in is the large portrait-orientated infotainment screen, a la Tesla.

You can tether your phone to it and have other information viewable at the same time. Unlike Tesla, Ford still gives you plenty of old fashioned buttons, switches and stalks. The latter are from Fords lower down the food chain but fine in this £41,330 entry-level Mach-e.

Some of the trim and plastic materials are not brilliant quality either and the leather looks more like plastic.

Although Ford has clearly tried to make the Mach-e as sporty and Mustang-like as possible it hasn’t compromised on space.

Five will fit comfortably and as the floor is flat, even the passenger in the middle rear seat will be comfy. The boot holds 402 litres with the seats up and 1,420 litres with them folded flat. There’s also 100 litres of storage up front under the bonnet.

My charging plan worked perfectly. Out of the eight bays in Banbury only three were being used so I went straight in for a 20-minute blast; enough to make going home completely stress-free and still using plenty of the Mach-e’s performance.

You’d expect a good job from a company that, in the last few decades, has made some of the most enjoyable-to-drive family cars – and

to a great extent they have with the Mach-e. But like most electric SUVS the Ford is heavy.

There’s a limit to what can be achieved with a two-tonne vehicle with a relatively high centre of gravity. It’s not especially sporty to drive, but at least the ride is comfortable.

Coming later in the year is the 487bhp Mach-e GT which its exclusive body styling.

It will be far faster than this one, but I’m not sure it will be hugely better for the family driver.