Ford Mustang Mach-E Electric SUV Unveiled
Ford has unveiled the Mustang Mach-E -- the automobile giant's first all-electric SUV. Showcased at an event in Los Angeles on November 17, Ford Mustang Mach-E will be launched in late 2020. The electric SUV will have standard-range (75.7 kWh lithium-ion) and extended-range (98.8 kWh lithium-ion) battery options with either RWD or AWD. Ford Mustang Mach-E will have as many as five variants -- Select (RWD or AWD), California RT. 1 (RWD only), Premium (RWD or AWD), First Edition (AWD only) and GT (AWD only). While the RWD models will be equipped with a single electric motor, the AWD variants will have two units. Based on the variant, the range of Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV will vary between 210 miles and 300 miles. The power figures will be in the 255 hp-332 hp territory, while the torque numbers will hover in the 415 Nm-565 Nm bracket. Ford Mustang Mach-E will have features like LED projector headlamps with auto high beam, LED lights, sequential rear turn signals, power-folding mirrors, side-door e-latch, panoramic fixed-glass roof and 360-degree camera. The automaker's next-generation Sync communications and entertainment system, which makes its debut in the electric SUV, will be housed in a 15.5-inch screen. A 10.2-inch digital cluster will be available in the electric vehicle.
7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. After that will come the Mustang Mach-E Select, the California Route 1, and then finally the GT Performance Edition. We鈥檝e broken down the full five models separately, but the key takeaways are that there鈥檒l be both RWD and AWD cars, with either Standard Range or Extended Range batteries. Depending on the combination of those, therefore, you鈥檙e looking at 210 miles of range at the lowest, or 300 miles at the greatest. Maximum performance, meanwhile, is 0-60 mph in mid three seconds. Every Mustang Mach-E will get Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 as standard, with adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and speed sign recognition. Down the line, though, the automaker plans to turn on hands-free cruise control. That鈥檒l use an attention sensor mounted on the steering column, much as we鈥檝e seen Cadillac鈥檚 Super Cruise do, and be able to pilot the car along highways, staying in lane without requiring the driver touching the wheel.
It鈥檚 subjective, but I think the Mustang Mach-E鈥檚 cabin is the best in Ford鈥檚 line-up. Clean, and free of unnecessary over-design, it鈥檚 also impressively authentic in its materials. It鈥檚 also worlds apart from the dark, plasticky cocoon that is the regular Mustang鈥檚 interior. Ford鈥檚 palette of materials avoids animal-based products: the seats, dashboard, and door trim is faux-leather, and there鈥檚 microfiber suede on the heavily bolstered Mustang Mach-E GT鈥檚 sports seats. Higher-trim cars get real aluminum, and though there鈥檚 a little shared switchgear - like the window controls - with the automaker鈥檚 other models, for the most part it all feels solid and premium. The driver gets a sports steering wheel with cruise control buttons on one spoke and media controls on the other. Ahead of that is a letterbox-shaped 10.2-inch digital cluster: that shows things like speed, battery charge, and range remaining. It changes according to which of the three drive modes you鈥檙e in, and each layout is animated differently.
In Whisper mode, for example, it resembles rippling black silk, tinted purple when you drive economically. In the center is the 15.5-inch portrait aspect SYNC 4 touchscreen, punctured with a physical knob for volume. It鈥檚 where you choose between the drive modes and handle all the Mustang Mach-E鈥檚 settings. A knob in the center console switches between drive, reverse, park, and 鈥淟鈥?which adds a stronger regenerative braking. It鈥檚 a surprisingly airy cabin, partly because Ford intentionally opted for lighter materials than it would normally pick. There are darker finishes, if drivers prefer. Headroom in the back is a particular surprise: people over six feet will easily be able to sit back there without grazing their heads. The full-length glass roof is an option; it doesn鈥檛 open, but it looks great and contributes 0.2-inches to that spacious feel. Three adults might feel cramped on the rear bench, mind. That bench folds down - there鈥檚 a 60/40 split - to expand the 29 cu.
59.6 cu.ft. There鈥檚 a further 4.8 cu. Ford unveiled SYNC 4 last month, and it comes as little surprise to find that the Mustang Mach-E gets the best of its features. Completely reworked from the ground-up, it promises more smartphone-like interactions as well as greater simplicity. There are no home or back buttons anymore, just a straightforward system of cards. Ford鈥檚 pitch is that SYNC 4 will gradually learn your habits and come to proactively support them. You can, of course, use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto instead, and the Mustang Mach-E supports wireless connections for both. They co-exist better with the SYNC 4 interface, too. Your phone鈥檚 projection is treated like another card in the UI, so that you can be controlling music through CarPlay but using the EV鈥檚 navigation system, for instance. That鈥檚 important, as navigation - standard across all trims - gets some key EV-related features. There鈥檚 natural language voice recognition and online points-of-interest search, and if you鈥檙e looking for a charger you can see how many ports it might have, what type they are, and which are in use.