First Thoughts

Yesterday, Ford revealed the newest member to the Mustang stable the Mach-E, an all electric Performance SUV. Our first reaction to this was nervousness mixed with intrigue. By Ford putting the storied name of Mustang on to an Electric SUV was a huge move for the company. The engineers are really going to have their work cut out for them if they are going to keep Mustang fans happy.

We started to think of why Ford would do this, it’s clear that the Mach-E is going to be ushering in the future of automobiles in Ford's lineup. This is geared towards the future of performance drivers, one that care for the planet and still want a high end ride. Many other companies are starting to release all electric vehicles trying to keep up with consumer preferences. By putting the Mustang name on this vehicle it proves how serious Ford is going to be in the electric market.

Pricing

The first thing you’re probably wondering is the price range on the vehicle. The Mach-E will priced from $51,000 at the lower end to $80,000 for the GT model. There are going to 5 available trim levels starting at the Select the lowest trim offered, next is the Premium followed by the California route 1 & First Edition and lastly the GT trim level.

Driving Range & Charging

Another very common concern is the range that one charge will take you, for the Premium and California Route 1 trim level with the extended battery pack you can travel up to an estimated 475 KM on a single charge that is enough to travel from Guelph to Ottawa without charge. If you do find yourself low on battery, the battery is capable of adding 75 KM in 10 minutes of charging. Meaning stopping at a rest area for half an hour will give you enough charge to go an extra 225 KM. Battery life should not be a problem for the Mach-E Mustang. Also finding a charging station should never be an issue as all public charging stations across Canada are highlighted in the image below.

Design Features

There are a few design points that jump out right away when looking at the Mach-E the massive 15.5 inch touch screen, the front trunk/cooler and the lack of door handles on the exterior of the vehicles. All of these features have been added to make this a functional modern SUV.

The 15.5’ display screen is going to feature the newest version of SYNC (SYNC 4) that will allow the user to completely control all setting of the vehicle in one touch. Users will no longer need to use the box voice activated controls of previous SYNC system and will be able to use a more conversational tone when talking to their vehicle. Similar to the Google home drivers will simply need to say “OK Ford” and the voice commands will be enabled. This SYNC 4 system will be added to many 2020 Models in the Ford line up as well.

The next feature that has caught our eye is the front trunk/cooler! The trunk will be large enough to hold a large piece of travel luggage but even more importantly the trunk will be plastic lined and have a drain meaning you can spray down the cargo space or hold liquids. This will be perfect for those trip up to the cottage or beach as your favourite beverages will be cold as soon as you put your Mustang Mach-E in park!

The removal of the exterior door handles was done to improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Now simply push a button the door and the door will open or produce a small handle to open the door, once the vehicle is put into drive the door handles will sink back into the body.

A feature that is not currently set to be apart of the Mach-E for launch but will be added in the future is Hands-Free Driving capability. Ford is planning on releasing an update to the Mach-E that will be downloaded automatically to the vehicle once the program has been cleared for highway driving. The program will require the driver to be paying attention to the road but will not require their hands on the steering wheel.

Ordering& Release Dates

The Mustang Mach-E will be available for ordering in April 2020, with the availability to reserve yours today will a refundable down payment placed. The SUV will begin to ship in late 2020 and all Trim levels will be released in 2021.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we know that this is a far leap from the standard Mustang that our customers are used to but change is always necessary to stay prevalent in today’s ever changing market. The Mustang Mach-E is the first of its kind and the ground breaker for electric vehicle’sin Ford’s lineup. We think once the dust settles and you have driven in a GT Performance model all doubt will be cast aside.