It's a given that electric vehicles are coming, and with that comes the potential for a new high-performance driving experience. Tesla has led the way, offering electric cars with fantastic performance. The Model 3 can turn high 11s and the Model S Plaid has been in the low-nine-second range in the quarter-mile. Ford plugged itself into the electric car game with the all-new Mustang Mach-E and the Detroit-based automaker recently announced an all-electric F-150 Lightning. Additionally, Ford is setting records with its electric Cobra Jet 1400, which made exhibition runs at last year’s Holley Ford Fest and recently turned an 8.128 elapsed time at 171 mph, the quickest-ever pass for a full-bodied all-electric car.
“At the first-ever Detroit auto show, Henry Ford said he was working on something that would strike like forked lightning,” said Bill Ford, the executive chairman of Ford Motor Company. “That was the Model T. Today, the Ford Motor Company is proud to unveil a car that strikes like forked lightning all over again, the all-new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E. It’s fast. It’s fun. It’s freedom, for a new generation of Mustang owners.”
Earlier this year we got behind the wheel of the First Edition Mustang Mach-E with 346 horsepower and 428 lb-ft. of torque, and while it wasn’t the much-anticipated GT, it provided on-demand torque, unmatched traction (in adverse wet/snow conditions) and impressed us with strong acceleration, sporty handling and an overall fun experience behind the wheel. One of the most interesting features is Ford’s “One Pedal” mode, which provides instant and smooth braking action when you lift off the throttle. This takes a bit of getting used to, but enhances the driving experience, especially in traffic. If will actually bring the vehicle to a complete stop unless you apply power.
What you won’t hear is the traditional, and often glorious, sound from internal combustion, however, electric cars aren’t “silent” either. We experienced typical road noise and Ford includes a mix of artificial sounds that are designed to enhance your experience. To be honest, we didn’t really notice these sounds, but there was a distinct difference to the overall driving experience. Ford’s Mach-E feels more car-like than we expected. Despite the Mach-E’s heft, which runs the range between 4,390- and 4,920-pounds curb weight, it didn’t act like a tank. It was nimble, with accurate steering feel on turn-in and through the corners. We could break the back tires loose for a little oversteer, but it was easily controllable, even at the limit during our autocross runs. From the driver’s seat you look out a short windshield and over a long hood that’s not unlike the two-door coupe with the same name.
“The Mustang Mach-E wholeheartedly rejects the notion that electric vehicles are only good at reducing gas consumption,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s chief product development and purchasing officer. “People want a car that’s thrilling to drive, that looks gorgeous and that can easily adapt to their lifestyle – and the Mustang Mach-E delivers all of this in unmatched style.”
In addition to strong acceleration, Mustang Mach-E will be available with Brembo’s all-new performance Flexira aluminum calipers, which maintain the functionality of a fixed caliper, while being designed with the dimensions of a floating caliper. The GT Performance Edition is equipped with a MagneRide damping system, Ford Performance seats, and 20-inch, machined-face wheels with Ebony Black-painted pockets paired with 245/45R20 Pirelli summer tires. The Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition targets 0-60 mph in 3.5-seconds and an estimated 480 horsepower and 634 lb-ft. of torque.
The Mach-E has an EPA-estimated range of at least 300 miles with the available extended-range battery and rear-wheel drive. It also offers built-in charging solutions that route customers to nearby public charging stations, recommends where to charge on trips, and provides access to over 13,500 public charge stations in the FordPass charging network.
“Ever since the original Mustang took the world by storm in 1964, it quickly came to represent the best of the American spirit: Freedom, progress, fast performance and a touch of rebellion,” said Thai-Tang. “Now, Mustang is ready to reimagine these ideas for a powerful electric future, with space for customers’ growing needs and advanced over-the-air updates that continue to improve the vehicle.”
Much like the selectable driving modes on current Ford products, Mustang Mach-E delivers three unique drive experiences including Whisper, Engage and Unbridled. Each mode offers different driving dynamics designed to give drivers a unique sensory experience. We tried all three and, as you’d expect, Unbridled was the most fun. The various modes change the vehicle responsiveness and feel at the controls to provide sportier or normal steering controls, plus changes to ambient lighting, sounds tuned for an authentic all-electric experience, and dynamic cluster animations that were tied to driving behavior.
The all-new Mach-E all-wheel drive system applies torque independently to the front and rear axles and delivered impressive acceleration and improved handling over the rear-wheel drive model. Ford tuned this system to provide excellent traction on the road, rigorously testing the vehicle in wet and snowy terrain to help control for slippery conditions. Our drive on a 33-degree day that left us with wet and slush-covered roads proved the worth of the design. To be frank, there is just no way you could drive a performance vehicle as aggressively as we drove the Mach-E considering the conditions. We did push the Mach-E in a closed autocross course and found the traction to be amazing. There was no slip on acceleration or even in sharp cornering. Braking action was very impressive, too.
“Thanks to advances in battery technology, the Mustang Mach-E is the kind of car that gets people excited about driving, with a sporty, beautiful silhouette that delivers an incredible shape rarely seen in SUVs,” said Ron Heiser, Ford Mustang Mach-E chief program engineer.
“Whether you want to really feel its performance capability or are looking for the quiet atmosphere that electric vehicles can offer, the Mach-E harnesses the power of electrification to create a unique driving experience while retaining that unmistakable Mustang feeling of freedom,” said Mark Kaufman, Ford enterprise product line director, global electrification. Mach-E is the first production vehicle to be tuned by the Ford Performance team utilizing Ford’s racing simulator in North Carolina.
Along with performance, Mach-E brings a new level of technology and driver/passenger connectivity. Making its debut in the Mach-E is the next-generation SYNC communications and entertainment system, a sleek and modern interface that uses machine learning to quickly learn drivers’ preferences, and gets even better over time thanks to advanced over-the-air updates. The next-generation SYNC 4A’s 15.5-inch screen and simple interface ditches complicated menus, making it easier to access features with touch, swipe and pinch controls that every smartphone owner will be comfortable using.
“SYNC 4A actively starts adapting to you as soon as you start using it, quickly learning your preferences and making personalized suggestions,” said Darren Palmer, Ford global director for battery electric vehicles. “It can suggest going to the gym if it learns Mondays are workout days or calling home if you do that every day after work. The result is a cloud-connected assistant and interface that’s intuitive, beautiful and ready for the future thanks to fast over-the-air updates.”
As SYNC 4A evolves to serve customers better over time, Ford has outfitted the Mach-E with the ability to continuously improve through the delivery of secure over-the-air updates that are capable of enhancing vehicle performance, offering maintenance updates and even adding entirely new features.
