Ford finally has a serious electric vehicle in its lineup, and it’s called the Mustang Mach-E. We’re sure you all have plenty of thoughts on the name, but there’s a car to be looked at here, too.
As it stands, there are only so many electric crossovers out there, most of them by luxury automakers. We decided to pick a few of them and do a quick specs comparison. The Tesla Model Y is likely going to be the Mustang Mach-E’s most direct competitor, but that car is still a giant question mark when it comes to specs. However, the Model 3 is not, so we’re using the four-door sedan as a stand-in for now. The Model Y is probably going to have similar specs as the Model 3 — just watch out for a little less speed and a little more cabin space. All of our other competitors line up mighty close to Ford’s new electric crossover, as you’ll see in the chart just below.
Performance
From a pure numbers standpoint, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E absolutely rocks. The GT makes about 459 horsepower and 612 pound-feet of torque, which is better than every other vehicle in the comparison here. A 0-60 mph time in the “mid three-second range” is also quicker than every vehicle but the Model 3 Performance. So yes, this Mustang will be able to go fast in a straight line when you ask it to.
The lineup offers a range of performance, too. If you don’t need the breakneck speed of the GT, cheaper, slower versions are available. A Mustang that gets to 60 mph in the mid six-second range can be had, as well as a Mustang in the mid five-second range.
Ford also has a great array of options when it comes to total range on a full charge. The maximum-range car will have a 98.8 kWh battery pack targeting 300 miles of range using EPA testing. A standard range Mach-E Select will have as little as 210 miles of range, while everything else is somewhere in between. The quick GT takes a big hit in the range department, with its estimates all the way down at 235 miles as a result of the extra power. Still, only the Model 3 is able to challenge the Mach-E when it comes to the maximum range, boasting 22 miles more on a full charge. The I-Pace and E-Tron are in the low-to-mid 200s when it comes to total range, while the Polestar 2 has 275 miles. This puts the E-Tron and I-Pace on par with some of the lower-range Mach-Es, but the 300-mile-plus range cars handily win this comparison and are still cheaper.
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In extended-range all-wheel-drive configurations, Mustang Mach-E is targeting 332 horsepower and 417 ft.-lbs.2 of torque – with the standard all-wheel-drive variation targeting a faster 0-60 miles per hour time than the base Porsche Macan series.
Along with creating a more sharply angled windshield to emphasize the Mustang Mach-E’s sporty look, Ford also dropped the car’s rail faster and in a more coupe-like style.
Mustang Mach-E delivers three unique drive experiences – Whisper, Engage and Unbridled – each offering finely tuned driving dynamics packaged with a unique sensory experience to make driving even more enjoyable.
Created a few blocks away from Henry Ford’s first factory in Detroit, Mustang Mach-E was brought to life through a development process concentrated entirely on customer needs and desires. The result is a sleek, beautiful SUV that delivers spirited ride and handling, with state-of-the-art connected vehicle technology that makes Mustang Mach-E even better over time.
Clever design and engineering disguise rear-seat roominess and ample cargo space in the Mustang Mach-E.
For the first time in 55 years, Ford is expanding the Mustang line-up with the all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV joining the sports coupe, convertible and special editions, featuring an all-new infotainment system and connected vehicle technology.
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. Now, Mustang is ready to reimagine these ideas for a powerful electric future, with space for customers’ growing needs, all-weather capability, and innovative, connected technology solutions with secure over-the-air updates that continue to improve your vehicle.
When the Mustang Mach-E launches in late 2020, a new all-wheel-drive system (eAWD) will be available that can apply torque independently to the front and rear axles to deliver impressive acceleration and improved handling. Ford tuned this eAWD system to provide excellent traction on the road, rigorously testing the vehicle in wet and snowy terrain to help control for slippery conditions.
In addition to blistering acceleration, the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition is equipped with MagneRide Damping System, an adaptive suspension technology that lets drivers hug the road while delivering an exciting, comfortable ride.
Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition brings the thrills that Mustang is famous for, targeting 60 miles per hour in the mid-3-second range and targeting an estimated 342 Kw (459 horsepower) and 830 Nm (612 ft.-lbs.) of torque.
In the interior, a floating, flip-up armrest doubles as a place to store purses or bags.
Traditional Mustang design cues like the double-cowl instrument panel also round out the Mustang Mach-E’s interior.
SYNC 4’s premium 15.5-inch screen and adaptive dash card interface ditches complicated menus, making it easier to access features with touch, swipe and pinch controls that every smartphone user will be comfortable with.
Designed with SUV-size proportions to seat five adults comfortably, the Mustang Mach-E leaves plenty of space for your friends, kids and cargo.
Making its debut in the Mustang 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.
Drive experience features on the Mustang Mach-E 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.
Inside Mustang Mach-E, a wireless charging pad makes it easier to cut the cord with compatible smartphones.
Ford
Everywhere inside, the Mustang Mach-E represents a fusion of sleek, modern design and smart functionality.
The Mustang Mach-E’s available panoramic glass roof has a secret: a special coating on the glass with UV protection helps the interior stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Using Ford’s new all-electric architecture that places batteries inside the underbody of the vehicle, Ford engineers and designers were able to create a vehicle that’s not only true to Mustang but also maximizes SUV space for five passengers and cargo.
A premium cloth-covered soundbar runs across the front of the Mustang Mach-E, seamlessly integrating B&O Sound System by BANG & OLUFSEN© speakers. BANG & OLUFSEN© 2019 and B&O© 2019. BANG & OLUFSEN™ and B&O™ are registered trademarks of Bang & Olufsen Group. Licensed by Harman Becker Automotive Systems Manufacturing Kft. All rights reserved.
In addition to the exterior front trunk, the rear trunk is outfitted with 29 cubic feet of space. With the back seats down, the Mustang Mach-E boasts 59.6 cubic feet of space – more than enough room for luggage, camping gear or whatever else you may want to move around.
Along with its all-new propulsion system, the Mustang Mach-E holds another surprise under its hood: a drainable front trunk storage unit. Providing 4.8 cubic feet of storage space, the front trunk is large enough to comfortably store the equivalent of a carry-on luggage bag and several smaller bags.
Mustang Mach-E will be available in both Standard Range (75.7 kWh lithium-ion battery) and the Extended Range (98.8 kWh battery) that is targeting en EPA-estimated 300 miles of range in its rear-wheel-drive configuration.
Mustang Mach-E embodies the Mustang spirit – from its sleek silhouette and muscular curves to exhilarating drive experiences that offer unique driving dynamics and sounds.
Mustang Mach-E boldly fuses modern looks with smart design, delivering powerful capability in a whole new shape that can grow with people and their families.
Equipped with an extended range battery and rear-wheel drive, Mustang Mach-E has a targeted EPA-estimated 300 miles of range.
Electric vehicle owners do 80 percent of their charging at home, and Ford is offering a Ford Connected Charge Station that will be able to add an estimated average range of 32 miles per charging hour with a 240V outlet to the Mustang Mach-E RWD with extended range battery.
The Mustang Mach-E is instantly recognizable as a Mustang, with designers preserving the Mustang’s rear-haunch design and trademark tri-bar tail lamps, creating larger rear fenders that give the vehicle a wider feel and a more powerful stance
By moving the vehicle’s front wheelbase forward, Ford was able to give Mustang Mach-E the space needed to design its signature hood and aggressive headlights.
Mustang Mach-E comes equipped with 19-inch machined-face aluminum wheels with high gloss black-painted pockets.
Mustang Family Photo
Utility
Despite the Mustang’s fastback looks, it’s shockingly utilitarian. None of the competitors in this comparison can touch it in cargo space, especially after the large 4.8 cubic-foot frunk is taken into consideration. The E-Tron gets close in cargo space behind the seats, but with only 2.1 cubic feet of space in the frunk (mostly taken up by the charger) it falls behind the Ford.
Passenger space is another win for Ford, but we’ll have to revisit this upon hearing official Model Y numbers. There’s tons more backseat legroom in the Ford than the Model 3 and I-Pace, and it almost edges out the much larger E-Tron, too. Thank the Mach E’s considerably long wheelbase for this interior room. Ford appears to have gotten the packaging right, even with the slick body lines. With the panoramic roof option, it even has more rear headroom than all of its pseudo competition. One noticeable feature we’ll point out is the black-painted roof. It simulates a lower roofline to the eye, but the roof itself isn’t as intrusive on interior space as other coupe-like crossovers have been.
Pricing
Here’s where the Mach-E gets really enticing. Comparing it to luxury EVs isn’t exactly a fair fight, but there’s nothing else with similar performance to compare to. The Hyundai and Kia EVs are all front-drive with much less horsepower, and the Nissan Leaf isn’t even on the same playing field.
The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E starts at a base price of $43,895. That’s before an unknown destination charge is tacked on, and it’s also before the $7,500 federal tax credit is taken advantage of. A Model 3 is cheaper at $39,490, but you don’t get the full $7,500 tax credit with that car anymore. The Model Y is on track to be a fair bit more expensive than the Model 3, making the Mach-E even more enticing.
If you want more than 210 miles of range, you’ll have to pay for it. The 300-mile California RT.1 Edition is a hefty $52,400, and a Premium with all-wheel drive and 270 miles of range is $58,300. The GT will start at $60,500 when it eventually goes on sale in 2021.
All of these trims are still cheaper than the Audi, Jaguar and Polestar, making it a relative performance bargain. The interior isn’t as nice as the luxury cars’ interiors, but it still looks like a fresh and modern place to be in. It’ll be up to folks shopping to choose what their priorities are in an electric crossover. From a performance perspective, the Ford is either on-par or better than many of the more expensive luxury crossovers. There’s no doubt the Audi, Jaguar and Polestar have nicer interiors than the Ford in terms of materials used and quality, but the Ford has the utility.
It’s a tough fight, truthfully. Go ahead and hate the Mustang crossover for its name or its styling. But it’s impossible to take anything away from the car’s performance chops as an electric crossover. We’re excited to slide behind the wheel to see if it’s able to do the Mustang name proud.
Note: A previous version of this article misstated some of the specs for the Polestar 2. It has been updated with the correct information.