Holding true to the leaks and anticipation that had developed over the past week, Ford on Sunday, officially unveiled the Mustang Mach-E all-electric crossover. The vehicle will look to take on Tesla and comes out from the Team Edison stable — Ford’s dedicated team working on electric vehicles.
In many ways, the Mach-E launch will be a defining moment in Ford’s illustrious automotive history. To start with, the 55 year old Mustang legacy is transforming into electric — a first for the American automaker considering it has traditionally favoured hybrid models. Also, while it is indeed a new Mustang, it retains all of those ‘Mustang’ features — the short nose and trademark grill, and the overall muscular stance. This is also the first vehicle to come out of Ford’s $11 Bn electric vehicle commitment.
When it arrives in late 2020, Mustang Mach-E will be available with standard and extended-range battery options with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive powered by permanent magnet motors. Equipped with an extended-range battery and rear-wheel drive, Mach-E has a targeted EPA-estimated range of at least 300 miles. In extended-range all-wheel-drive configurations, Mach-E is targeting 332 horsepower and 417 lb.-ft. of torque – with the standard all-wheel-drive variation targeting quicker times to 60 mph than the base Porsche Macan series.
Ford also will offer two special performance versions. The GT is targeting 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds2, making it faster off the line than a Porsche Macan Turbo3. The GT Performance Edition, meanwhile, is targeting a comparable 0-60 mph in the mid-3-second range to a Porsche 911 GTS.3 Both GT configurations are targeting an estimated 342 kW (459 horsepower) and 830 Nm (612 lb.-ft.) of torque.
The Mustang Mach-E comes loaded with an all new infotainment system, along with connected vehicle tech. Ford says that is debuting an all new system, the SYNC, that uses machine learning to quickly learn drivers’ preferences, and gets even better over time through over-the-air updates.
“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.”
Customers can now visit the Mustang Mach-E reservation site to make a $500 reservation deposit. A limited First Edition will be available in extended-range all-wheel drive, with red painted brake calipers, metallic pedal covers, contrasting seat stitching and a scuff plate marked First Edition.
Multiple Drive Modes
The Mustang Mach-E offers three performance oriented drive modes — Whisper, Engage and Unbridled – each offering finely tuned driving dynamics packaged with a distinct sensory experience. Features include custom-designed vehicle responsiveness such as sportier steering controls, ambient lighting, sounds tuned for an authentic all-electric experience, and dynamic cluster animations that are tied to driving behavior.
When the vehicle launches, a new Mach-E 4 all-wheel drive system will be available that can apply torque independently to the front and rear axles to deliver impressive acceleration and improved handling over the rear-wheel drive model.
