Last week’s online leaks have taken some air off Ford’s sails, but its long-awaited Mustang Mach-E electric SUV is still officially revealed with some fanfare.
The Mustang is the Blue Oval’s move against the Mach-E, Tesla Model 3 and Model X, with other competitors including Jaguar i-Pace and Audi e-Tron Quattro. It also comes ahead of many looted rivals such as the Porsche Macan EV, Nissan Area and Volkswagen ID Cros.
The headline figures based on which tick box you place, with a maximum driving range of 480km, maximum battery capacity of around 100kWh and a 0-2 km / h sprint time of 3.5 seconds less than the 342kW / 830NW GT flagship.
While there is no doubt that it is a brave move from Ford to implement its iconic 55-year-old nameplate with its battery-powered crossover as well as existing V8 muscle cars with which it has become synonymous, the company has Se felt like this option needed to grab public attention.
“The Mach-E is instantly recognizable as a mustang, thanks to its long, powerful hood, rear hunch design, aggressive headlights, and signature elements such as the trademark tri-bar tail lamp,” Ford says.
Mustang Mach-E hits US dealers in late 2020. Presumably by guess, Australia is not in the mix.
“We do not have any specific Australia/New Zealand news regarding Mache. However, we look forward to starting our electrification journey with Escape PHEV next year,” the company said.
The Mach-E will be available with ‘standard’ 75.7kWh and ‘extended-range’ 98.8kWh battery options, with rear- or all-wheel-drive configurations, motor outputs ranging from 190kW to 342kW, and around 340 km of target driving. Range and 480 km
All but the base car will have 150kW onboard DC fast charging capability (115kW for the base car). At 4.7 meters long, it is similar to the Jaguar I-Pace.
It sits on a brand new all-electric architecture with liquid-cooled batteries inside the underbody and is well protected. Ford tested them at minus 40 degrees.
The launch versions will be called Mach-E Premium and First Edition, with the base select and high-grade California Route 1 promised in early 2021.
The hardcore GT is slated in mid-2021. Although performance figures are only ‘targets’ for now, they are very specific.
Ford claims that Mach-E was developed in an old brick building in Detroit, not far from Henry Ford’s first factory.
Three driving modes are there, called Whisper, Engage, and Belgaum, which change things like steering response, ambient lighting, internal sound induction and digital cluster animations. The GT performance version is equipped with a familiar magnetoid adaptive damping system.
Inside you find the latest iteration of Ford’s Sync Infotainment, which uses machine learning to understand your preferences clearly, and which can take over-the-air updates. All of this is displayed on a very Tesla-like 15.5-inch centre screen in a picture layout, with smartphone-style pinning and swiping.
“The next generation SYNC actively starts learning its priorities and making personal suggestions as soon as you start using it,” said global director for Ford Electric electric cars Darren Palmer.
“It can be suggested that if you learn that Mondays are workout days or calling home if you do this every day after work. The result is a cloud-connected assistant and interface that is intuitive, beautiful, and ready for rapid over-the-air updates in the future. ”
The five-seater cabin uses digital equipment for the driver, some hard contact points for ventilation, and near-field communication to turn your smartphone into a key, such as the Model 3. It also has a regular boot, as well. There is also drainage — front boot where an engine will usually sit.
