The Ford Mustang family is gearing up to receive an all-new model, joining the brand’s best-selling sports car range and giving shoppers a new electric vehicle option that’s designed to do the Mustang name proud.
For decades, Mustang has promised freedom, performance and driving pleasure and the new Mustang Mach-E seeks to fulfill this promise by bringing the age-old pony-car’s nameplate into the growing world of electric motoring.
The result? A new crossover that runs on batteries, wears a Mustang badge on the grille, and will provide drivers with Mustang-like performance figures, all without burning a single drop of fuel.
There are mixed reactions from the public about calling this one a Mustang, though Ford says the Mach-E embodies the Mustang’s spirit and it might just be preparing us for a future electric Mustang sports car.
Preliminary reports indicate that Ford’s electric Mustang crossover will get about 475 kilometres of range per charge, 460 available horsepower, as well as available all-wheel drive.
Initial performance estimates indicate that high-performing Mach-E variants will deliver acceleration to rival a Porsche 911 GTS, and shoppers can choose between two battery options, and from various special models and performance configurations, too. Owners of top-dog Mach-E models get 0-100 km/h in the mid three-second range, noiselessly. And, with no gasoline engine or transmission, the Mach-E is smooth, silent, never shifts, has no power curve, and never needs an oil change.
During an internet live-stream of the new Mach-E, social feeds were full of commentary about the styling. This electric crossover captures much of the Mustang Coupe’s visual energy, as well as several signature styling elements. The result is a clean, athletic and poised look, complete with Mustang-esque headlights and taillamps, and full Mustang badging adorning the body.
Drivers can select between various drive modes which change the character of the Mustang Mach-E by triggering various subsystem calibrations. Drive modes include whisper, engage, and unbridled, allowing the operator to fine-tune the Mach-E’s currently-deployed blend of power and comfort. Magna-ride suspension will be available as well, helping add further polish and refinement to the ride and handling equation.
Electric vehicles are intended to be recharged while not in use, rather than refueled en route to another location, as is the case with most gasoline vehicles. Ford says most EV owners do about 80 per cent of their charging at home, in which case a household Level-2 charger will add about 35 kilometres per hour of range to the battery. On a public Level-3 fast-charge station, the approximately 475-kilometre battery can be juiced from 0 to 80 per cent in about 40 minutes — for instance, while the driver has lunch or does groceries.
When the Mach-E goes on sale, it’ll count electric crossovers like the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-PACE among its competition. Interested shoppers can sign up for the Mach-E now, and customer deliveries are set to begin in the spring of 2021.
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