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Ford’s Mustang Mach-E straddles the world of EVs, SUVs and muscle cars
You can decide if it’s an actual Mustang.
The Mustang is the official muscle car of the United States. The keyword here is car and that's why it's odd that Ford decided to call its new electric vehicle the Mustang Mach-E, when it's clearly not a car. It's a crossover with hints of Mustang design. While the name is perplexing, it's not difficult to understand why the Mach-E, with a range of up to 300 miles, took the most iconic name in the automaker's lineup.
It'll help it sell.
It's a bold move that could help the automaker catch up with competitors that already have electric vehicles on the road. An EV SUV is always a smart move in the US and calling it a Mustang? Just a bit of icing on the cake. There may be a purist backlash, but for the average person looking for an EV that's from an automaker they trust, the Mach-E will pique their interest.
Ford seems to have a version of the Mach-E for every type of driver. It'll be available in five trim models starting at $43,895 and will start rolling into showrooms in late 2020. The First Edition (270-mile range at $59,900), Premium (300 miles at $50,600) and GT (235 miles at $60,500) showing up on the road first. The California Route (300 miles at $52,400) and Select (230 at $43,895) will both land in early 2021.
The cars will be available all-wheel or rear-wheel drive depending on the trim level and options available. Rear-wheel-drive versions will have a single electric motor while the all-wheel-drive versions will ship with two power plants. The torque and horsepower will also vary from 255 horsepower and 306 pounds-foot of torque all the way up to 459 horsepower and 612 pounds-foot on the quick GT level that'll do zero to 60 in under four seconds.
The battery packs available on the regular models will be rated for 75.7kWh, with the extended range getting a 98.8kWh pack. The vehicles will also support charging up to 150kW.
In addition to all the tech under the hood, the interior will sport the next-generation Sync 4 infotainment system (which was unveiled a few weeks ago) looks way better than the current generation Sync. It'll include the FordPass charging network feature that shows available chargers in the nav and along a route.
In the car, there is a large portrait display, sort of like a Model S. At the bottom of the display is a single knob for control. Of course, it also supports touch and it can answer conversational requests via "OK Ford." The company took a quick swipe at Tesla when it noted that it also has a dash cluster display.
The Mach-E supports over-the-air updates and has a phone as a key feature that works via Bluetooth and Ford also announced a future update will bring hands-free driving to the Mach-E.
Ford famously announced it would stop selling cars in the United States except for the Mustang which continues to be a hit for the automaker. Instead, it's decided to focus on SUVs and trucks. It's a business decision that mirrors the country's desire to drive larger vehicles. The result is Ford's first big EV -- an SUV with a Mustang badge.
