FIRST DRIVE

Mustang reborn for an electric future

Ford Mustang Mach-E review

Whether or not you agree with Ford giving the name of its least ecologically friendly model, the petrol devouring Mustang to its first all-electric offering, you can’t accuse it of going in half-heartedly with the wild horse branding.That this is a product from the Blue Oval is evidenced only by a small Ford badge on top of the windscreen. Other than that it’s Mustang all the way, from the badges fore and aft to the logo on the steering wheel and the puddle lights.

One reason to play down the Ford identity might lie in the pricing - an entry price of €53,100 after grants isn’t extortionate by EV standards, but nonetheless a fair distance removed from what the average Ford customer might expect to pay for a car. The version tested here - the Mach-E AWD with larger capacity battery is priced from €76,100, while expect to pay from €64,400 for the cheapest RWD model with the larger battery.

Opt for the smaller 70kWh battery and Ford says you can expect a range of 400-440km depending on model. That increases to a range of between 500-610km with the bigger 91kWh battery. The other main difference between the two is that the bigger battery can accept fast charging up to speeds of 150kW compared to 115kW for the smaller unit.

Despite the stated range of my test car being 540km, the most the car showed when charged to 100% was 355km. On the positive side, that appeared to be pretty realistic range - the Mach-E estimates remaining driving range based on variables such as past driver behaviour and weather. Average consumption during my week was around 22kWh/100km, rising to 25kWh/100km on motorways which is average for a car of this size.

Sitting in the Mach-E you feel low but high, if that doesn’t sound like a complete oxymoron. Like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, the Mach-E falls into a halfway house height wise compared to crossovers and regular hatchbacks. However you sit quite proud in the driving seat which gives the benefit of good visibility, while there isn’t the amount of body roll you associate with your average crossover SUV.

You notice a degree of chassis rigidity common to EVs that can be a bit unsettling on poorly surfaced roads, but generally the Mach-E rides and handles well. Acceleration to 100km/h from rest is a pretty rapid 5.1 seconds, though unlike its petrol namesake it isn’t a car you feel like flooring just for the sake of it. You’ve an option of three driving modes of Active, Whisper and Untamed which vary the throttle response, ‘engine’ sound and displays. More useful is the One Pedal Drive option which provides powerful regenerative braking to slow the vehicle.

The interior is dominated by the 15.5” tablet-like Central Touch Screen which contains pretty much all of the functionality and incorporates a dial for volume control. While many of these touchscreen systems can be fidgety and distracting, Ford’s latest SYNC 4A interface is intuitive and well laid out. A smaller screen in front of the driver gives vital information like range and speed (Ground Speed in Mustang-speak). As a family car it ticks all the main boxes with plenty of space both for passengers and storage,

One feature which felt like a gimmick was eLatch - instead of a handle you press a button to open the door. Press the key fob and it will light up for a few seconds, but trying to find the button in the dark on an unlocked car will leave you wondering how it represents an improvement over a normal handle.

CONCLUSION

Ford’s first foray into all-electric motoring isn’t the car that will replace the Fiesta or Focus - new models coming in the next couple of years will be targeted more at this market. However a decent driving range, good dynamics and a modernistic yet premium feeling cabin should broaden the appeal of the Mach-E beyond the traditional Ford customer.

Text & Photos: Cathal Doyle – cathal@fleet.ie

SPEC CHECK MUSTANG MACH-E AWD FIRST EDITION EXTENDED RANGE

Price Mustang Mach-E Price Range Battery Capacity Maximum Power Maximum Torque 0-100 km/h Maximum DC Power Charge €76,100 €53,100 - €82,100 91 kWh 258 kW / 351 PS 580 Nm 5.1 seconds 150 kW