The Mustang Mach-E is the primary absolutely electrical passenger automobile to reach in Australia from the US automotive large Ford. Whereas it shares the Mustang identify and design cues with petrol powered Mustang coupés, the Mach-E is a completely completely different pony.
The Mach-E is an electrical SUV constructed from the bottom up on a devoted EV platform, which delivers options such because the spacious inside with flat rear ground and a beneficiant frunk (entrance trunk).
Throughout a test-driving occasion on the Gold Coast in September, Ford shared a enjoyable little element with the media that may be discovered on the Mustang Mach-E: The electrical motor housing has the phrases “Electrical ponies stay right here” solid on the surface.
The Mach-E is attention-grabbing within the context of Ford’s struggles to handle its legacy automotive enterprise and develop EVs. Ford is hedging its bets and can proceed promoting petrol powered Mustang coupés for the foreseeable future. Legacy automakers like Ford have to hold their worthwhile ICE enterprise going as a result of they nonetheless don’t know make as a lot cash out of EVs.
The Mustang Mach-E is just not low-cost although. The Choose variant begins from $79,990, earlier than on-road prices, and presents as much as 470 km of WLTP driving vary from its 71 kWh usable capability LFP-based battery.
The top quality GT begins at $107,665, once more earlier than on roads, and can be overkill for most individuals, however is a good excessive efficiency EV for many who need them.
Full pricing and detailed specs for Mach-E Choose, Premium and GT variants could be discovered within the desk on the finish of this text.
Exterior design and storage
The rear of the Mustang Mach-E options those self same iconic three vertical taillights that began with the unique 1964 Mustang coupé, however the Mach-E is a 4 door SUV with loads of house for a household. Die onerous Mustang followers might not just like the Mach-E, however I feel it’s trying automotive in isolation.
There are refined exterior variations to the Choose and Premium variants so you possibly can inform them aside if what to search for, however essentially the most noticeable distinction comes with the GT.
The physique color entrance grilles on Choose and Premium are changed by a black colored faux grille on the GT. The GT additionally options extra aggressive aerodynamics such because the air curtains to lower drag attributable to the entrance wheels.
One of many advantages for producers designing automobiles with devoted EV platforms is the flexibility to take advantage of packaging. That is most noticeable with the beneficiant 134 L frunk discovered throughout all variants of the Mach-E together with the all-wheel drive GT.
The Mach-E frunk additionally options drainage holes which is a novel characteristic I want my Mannequin 3 had, as we frequently throw wetsuits and towels in our frunk after a visit to the seashore.
In what I presume is a carryover from left-hand drive markets, the bodily frunk launch lever is situated on the passenger facet footwell slightly than driver’s facet. Nevertheless, drivers also can open the frunk by way of the central touchscreen.
Exterior door handles are one other space the place EV producers prefer to optimise design to scale back aerodynamic drag and enhance vary.
On the Mach-E Ford has changed conventional door handles with little spherical buttons which come out the door a number of centimetres. You then seize onto a little bit winglet on the entrance door or the body of the rear door to open them wider and get inside.
I discovered the door buttons a little bit awkward to make use of at first and I’m positive Mach-E homeowners might want to clarify them each time new individuals are driving of their automobiles. As an proprietor you’d get used to them pretty rapidly although.
Inside and infotainment
Ford has clearly put a number of effort into the inside of the Mustang Mach-E, because it feels spacious and premium in addition to being very quiet on the highway. Inside specs and infotainment options are very constant throughout the entire Mach-E vary so that you don’t have to go for the Premium or GT to get the perfect choices.
Key options just like the panoramic glass roof and 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system are normal on all Mach-E variants. Multi-colour ambient LED lighting is the one factor lacking from the bottom Choose variant, which isn’t a giant omission. The glass roof has a low emissivity or Low-E coating to minimise warmth construct up within the cabin whereas nonetheless permitting seen gentle by means of.
There’s a great deal of cupboard space for small gadgets all through the centre console, entrance and rear door bins and again of seat pockets for the rear passengers. Passengers within the again also needs to be fairly snug with rear air vents, USB-A and USB-C charging ports, a folding centre armrest with cup-holders and a terrific view out of the glass roof.
The automotive audio sounded nice to me as I examined out my favorite tunes, positively in the identical league as different premium sound methods I’ve spent important time with equivalent to Tesla’s Premium sound and Polestar 2’s Harmon Kardon system from the Plus Pack.
Seats all through the Mach-E vary are created from Ford’s Sensico synthetic leather-based and so they felt snug and good to the touch. The entrance seats are absolutely electrical and could be heated as nicely in the event you’re chilly.
Transferring on to the infotainment system within the Mach-E, it includes a ten.2 inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.5 inch portrait mounted central touchscreen. There’s a large quantity of customisation obtainable in the event you dive into the settings. For instance, you possibly can even change issues like how vitality utilization is displayed from kWh/100km to km/kWh.
Customisation apart, the touchscreen was responsive and pretty intuitive to make use of with straightforward shortcuts obtainable to navigate between the house display, automotive settings, audio and so forth. The instrument cluster reveals key driving info equivalent to present pace and detected pace restrict, subsequent flip info whereas navigating and cruise management settings if enabled.
If you happen to favor smartphone mirroring, the Mach-E helps wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s additionally inbuilt cell connectivity to allow options like over the air updates.
Total it’s onerous to search out any negatives from the within of the Mustang Mach-E. If something, I felt the central touchscreen was mounted barely too upright for my liking. In different phrases, the underside of the display the place the quantity knob sits is barely onerous to see or attain at occasions, however this looks like nitpicking.
Driving expertise
I had the chance to drive each the Choose and Premium variants on the highway in addition to the top-spec GT on the skidpan and racetrack at Norwell Motorplex. The highway testing loop whereas I used to be driving the Choose included stunning surroundings and twisty roads winding up and down Tamborine Mountain.
In my time behind the wheel I discovered even the bottom mannequin Choose with rear-wheel drive felt highly effective, dealt with very nicely and was a great deal of enjoyable to drive. After I was caught behind a automotive towing a trailer up the mountain, I had no hesitation and it felt easy to overhaul when a short alternative arose on a straight piece of highway.
The Premium felt similar to the Choose, the primary upgrades being an additional 130 km driving vary and barely extra energy. Curiously, regardless that the Premium has 23 kWh extra batteries on board, it’s 6 kg lighter than the Choose because of a lot larger vitality density from the nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) prolonged vary battery.
Again on the racetrack, the Mach-E GT impressed me with large quantities of grip from its 50:50 balanced all-wheel drive system, upgraded MagneRide dampers and double the torque of the rear-wheel drive variants. I feel the GT can be overkill for most individuals, however in order for you a excessive efficiency EV then this automotive needs to be in your shortlist to check drive.
One of many different upgrades you get within the GT are Ford Efficiency sports activities seats. Nevertheless, I utterly forgot to concentrate to how the seats felt within the GT as I used to be having a lot enjoyable on the racetrack and sliding across the skidpan.
I don’t keep in mind transferring about within the seat in any respect, in order that’s signal they have to present ample help once you’re pushing the automotive to its limits.
Below regular driving situations, I discovered the Mustang Mach-E was clean to drive and most well-liked the total one pedal drive mode which may additionally maintain you continue to as soon as stopped.
If you happen to’re new to an EV or favor to coast alongside, each one pedal drive and/or maintain mode could be disabled individually by way of on display settings.
All Mach-E variants include Whisper, Lively and Untamed drive modes. Whisper, Lively and Untamed modes are akin to eco, regular and sport modes discovered on most automobiles and modify each acceleration and steering response within the Mach-E. The GT additionally options an Untamed Plus mode, which opposite to the identify truly reduces energy barely to keep up drivetrain temperatures for extra constant efficiency throughout a monitor session.
On the busy M1 motorway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast I examined out the adaptive cruise management and lane centering system. The Mach-E had no points adjusting its tempo with the encircling visitors and stored nicely to the center of the lane. The digital sprint additionally includes a good visualisation of the automotive and its surrounds that can assist you keep a secure following distance even when cruise management is just not enabled.
By way of effectivity, I didn’t get an opportunity to measure this myself in the course of the launch however from what I’ve seen in abroad evaluations the consensus is that Ford’s actual world vary calculations displayed on the sprint are very correct and even barely pessimistic. This helps to alleviate vary anxiousness as you’re not watching vary disappear quicker than the space travelled.
Charging and possession
With regards to charging, most speeds are the identical for all Mach-E variants with 150 kW DC and 10.5 kW AC. Be aware that the automotive solely comes with a mode 3 type-2 cable so that you’ll want to make sure you have a transportable EVSE, wallbox or public charging plan sorted out earlier than you are taking supply.
The cost port on the Mach-E is situated close to the entrance of the automobile on the passenger facet, which is sweet for kerbside chargers however could possibly be awkward at some DC quick chargers equivalent to Tesla Superchargers with quick cables. State of cost could be seen whereas charging in 20% increments by way of LEDs across the cost port unlock button.
Constructed-in navigation consists of correct EV journey planning with detailed info on charging stops alongside the route, exhibiting estimated charging time and arrival and departure state of cost. Ford additionally confirmed the system will keep away from damaged or unavailable chargers however doesn’t take into account how busy a specific station could also be when producing a route.
Servicing intervals for the Mustang Mach-E are each 12 months or 15,000 km and needs to be pretty straightforward to schedule given what number of Ford dealerships there are. Guarantee for the Mach-E is pretty normal at 5 years and limitless km for the automobile and eight years or 160,000 km for the excessive voltage battery pack.
Conclusions
Total the Mustang Mach-E is a really stable and nicely constructed EV that I discovered onerous to fault in any significant method. The Mach-E vary does begin with a fairly excessive price ticket, however the match and end of the automobile in addition to included options throughout the vary make it a worthy contender in opposition to different EVs on this class.
Individuals will naturally evaluate the Mach-E with a Tesla Mannequin Y as a result of they’re each electrical SUVs, though Ford says they’re not attempting to compete immediately with Tesla. I feel the Mach-E is far more of a driver’s automotive than the Mannequin Y, particularly when evaluating each in rear-wheel drive kind.
The petrol Ford Mustang has persistently been Australia’s greatest promoting sports activities automotive in recent times, time will inform if Ford can replicate that sort of success with the Mach-E. Preliminary buyer deliveries of Mach-E will start in December this yr so you’ll begin seeing them on the highway very quickly.
Detailed specs for the Mach-E vary are under.
Variant
Choose
Premium
GT
Worth, excludes on-road prices
$79,990
$91,665
$107,665
Paint colors
Shadow black, included for free of charge.
6 optionally available premium colors for $700:
Star White
Area White
Vapour Blue
Grabber Blue Metallic
Fast Purple
Carbonised Gray
Battery dimension
76 kWh gross, 71 kWh usable
99 kWh gross, 91 kWh usable
Battery provider and chemistry
CATL, lithium iron phosphate (LFP)
LG Chem, nickel cobalt manganese (NCM)
Vary, WLTP
470 km
600 km
490 km
Pushed wheels
Rear-wheel drive
All-wheel drive
Energy / Torque
198 kW / 430 Nm
216 kW / 430 Nm
358 kW / 860 Nm
Charging pace
150 kW DC, 10.5 kW AC
Charging socket
CCS2 combo
Exterior dimensions
Size: 4728 mmWidth: 1881 mmTop: 1634 mmWheelbase: 2984 mmFloor clearance: 172 mm
Size: 4743 mmWidth: 1881 mmTop: 1623 mmWheelbase: 2984 mmFloor clearance: 163 mm
Kerb weight
2104 kg
2098 kg
2281 kg
Space for storing
Frunk: 134 LBoot, rear seats up: 402 L to parcel shelf , 519 L to roofBoot rear seats folded: 1420 L
Service interval
12 months / 15,000 km
Tim has 20 years expertise within the IT trade together with 14 years as a community engineer and website reliability engineer at Google Australia. He’s an EV and renewable vitality fanatic who’s most enthusiastic about serving to folks perceive and undertake these applied sciences.