2019 was the year of the Tesla Model 3 , but in 2020 the number of new electric models is increasing sharply. This includes a number of innovative cars, such as the Volkswagen ID.3, which is compact on the outside but spacious on the inside, the Polestar 2 from Volvo and the Chinese Geely, and the Tesla Model Y, a Model 3 in suv form with higher entry and large tailgate. Only one thing these models do not offer: a range of 600 kilometers! There is one more model arriving at the end of the year that reportedly offers this: Ford’s electric Mustang Mach-E. We were able to try it on the streets of London and were curious about the driving performance, the underlying technology and the interface.
The Mustang is not Ford’s first EV, but it is the first designed from the ground up as an electric car. In the US, a Ford Focus Electric has existed since 2011, a modified version of the existing petrol version. It was supposed to come to Europe one day, but that plan was withdrawn. A modified model is also far from ideal, because the battery is then placed in the back instead of in the floor pan, which is less good for road holding. After the Ford Focus Electric, Ford decided to change course at the end of 2017 and invested 9.5 billion euros in electrifying all models, initially in plug-in hybrid versions.
The Mustang look
In addition, a special project group, ‘Team Edison’, developed a completely new electric model from scratch . According to its own words, Ford wanted to develop a car that is better than the existing Ford models. An electric Mustang was soon thought of, but as a crossover SUV. The characteristic long bonnet was retained, but the wheels were moved a little further forward. And to the rear, for more interior space. The Mustang moniker is, of course, in large part marketing, as an SUV is a different type of car than a coupe. But it does indicate that Ford is serious and has great expectations, because the use of the Mustang name also involves risks.
Gone is the signature Mustang grille; after all, no oxygen is needed as for a combustion engine and a grille is bad for the airflow. There are still contours of a grille visible at the front, but this part is painted in the color of the body. An artificial grille is optionally available with a texture of grid elements, over which a glass plate is placed for aerodynamics. At the very bottom is an air intake that can be opened to cool the battery, for example during fast charging. The hood is much larger than necessary for an EV, but Ford says it’s a signature part of a Mustang. It does have the advantage that there is room for a big frunk, or a trunk under the hood where you can store a large suitcase of hand luggage. Moisture can be dissipated and should someone ever be accidentally trapped inside there is an emergency button to open the hood from the inside.
Battery and range
There will be three versions this year, followed by a GT version in 2021. Each version can be equipped with two different battery packs, with a choice of two large 76 and 99kWh batteries. That capacity is generous, with which Ford emphasizes range for a relatively reasonable price. Apart from a rear-wheel drive (RWD) model, there is also an option for four-wheel drive (AWD) with two electric motors, which is more powerful, but also less energy efficient. You will get the furthest with the rwd version; the 76kWh battery is good for 450km according to the wltp standard and with the 100kWh battery that should be 600km. In practice, depending on use, it will be lower, but we cannot say anything about that yet. The efficiency of the Model 3 LR AWD is in any case even better, because it comes out at 560km wltp with a 75kWh battery.
Ford’s pricing is also striking: the 76kWh version with rear-wheel drive costs just under 50,000 euros and for the 99kWh battery you pay ‘only’ 8,000 euros more: 58,075 euros. There is no ev that comes close to that. The Jaguar I-Pace, Audi e-tron and Mercedes EQC all have a smaller battery and are considerably more expensive. The latter also applies to the Tesla Model S. The current LR version does contain a 102kWh battery with a wltp range of 610km.
The battery consists of pouch cells, i.e. flat batteries, which are housed in different packs in the bottom plate. These are modern NMC cells, consisting of lithium-nickel-manganese and cobalt oxide. Ford could not tell us the exact ratio, such as 811 or 622, but it concerns the ones that are also used in the Ford Transit plug-in. The manufacturer told us that it has already purchased a number from LG Chem and that it can scale up the numbers if necessary. Production will start later this year and delivery will take place in the last quarter. Ford reportedly hopes to produce about 50,000 this year.
The battery cells are produced in an LG Chem factory in Poland and the cars are assembled in Mexico. Coolant and high performance air conditioning are used to cool the cells, for example during fast charging. The cells are suitable for fast charging with a peak capacity of 150kW. If the battery is reasonably empty, 95 km of range would have been added in ten minutes. As the battery gets fuller, the power decreases, so from ten to eighty percent charging takes about 45 minutes. Maybe this will get faster in the future, says Ford. The internal charger for the European market can handle three phases, which means that AC charging stations at home or on public roads can be charged relatively quickly with 11 to a maximum of 22kW.
Touch screen with physical dial
Inside, Ford has clearly taken inspiration from other modern EVs, such as Teslas. Compared to the Model 3, there is a plus in the form of a screen behind the wheel, on which the most important information is displayed. On the side is a large vertically mounted 15.5” screen that is touch-sensitive. The most important functions are accessible via buttons on the steering wheel, but changing settings is done via the large screen. On the left is a menu with options that you can scroll through and on the right you can make adjustments. There is support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, so you can also use your own apps. Consider, for example, a navigation app such as Waze. According to Ford, the built-in navigation system also shows third-party charging stations and this is taken into account when planning a route,
Not everyone likes such a large tablet, so something has been devised that we have not seen in this way before: a built-in rotary wheel in the lower part of the touchscreen. The turning wheel is multifunctional; you can press the top and bottom and both sides to switch functions. You can see the active function in the middle of the button. This way you can quickly adjust something without taking your face off the road. In London we were able to get some experience with the interface, as shown in the video, but it was clearly still prototype software. During our video demonstration, the screen stuck in radio mode.
Semi-autonomous driving
The car features integrated cameras hidden in various locations. Together, these cameras provide a 360-degree view all around, so that you can look at the car from above while parking, for example, and you are less likely to overlook a bollard. This system is also in many other cars, such as the Nissan Leaf. The cameras are also used for semi-autonomous driving. According to Ford, the Mach-E is so stable that you can safely take your hands off the wheel while driving. This is not allowed by law, because then it cannot be checked whether the driver is still paying attention to the road. That is why the Mustang Mach-E, just like the Tesla Model 3, is equipped with a camera that monitors the position of your eyes. On the Mach-E, it sits directly above the steering wheel, at least on two of the three test models. This should help make hands-free driving legally possible faster. Cadillac has been using such a system for some time in the US.
Other notable things
As with the Model 3, the car can be opened when you are nearby with your smartphone. There is no door handle, but opening is via a button and a small grip. When you press the button, the door opens electronically. Then you need to open it further. That is a bit awkward, but the lack of handles is good for the airflow. If you have left the keys and your phone in the car, you can always open the door with an old school pin code on the panel of the driver’s door.
The original Mustang is of course characterized by its humming V8 sound, which is logically missing in the electric version. Ford tries to hold the experience a bit with an artificial sound while driving, which can be turned on optionally. This did not yet work in the three test cars we looked at. We rode, as passengers, in hand-made beta models, which were not yet finalized in terms of hardware and software. The latter was especially noticeable, because the interface on the touch-sensitive screen got stuck after some time. The technicians could then do nothing but completely reset the car and that is currently a bit more difficult than with the production models.
Ford also prides itself on the ‘self-learning system’ that actively thinks along. For example, the car can send you a message via an app that you need to charge it for the long journey scheduled for tomorrow, or the navigation can activate automatically based on your driving behavior. We have not been able to experience how well that system works. Tesla has been doing something similar since an update.
Speaking of updates: they are downloaded over the air, via 4g, and installed automatically at night. According to Ford, the car always remains operational because the previous firmware version is preserved. So if something goes wrong, you can always go back.
Conclusion
Regardless of the name and appearance, the Mustang is mainly notable for its technical specifications. They’re not necessarily revolutionary, but Ford has clearly done its best to make the car attractive to a wide audience, without compromise.
It has a long-range, plenty of space for passengers and luggage, a modern interface with over-the-air updates, support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and fast charging speeds for home and highway use. With a price of fifty thousand euros, it is not cheap, but for what it offers and the size of the battery pack, it is very neat compared to the competition.
This seems to be one of the most interesting newcomers of 2020. Whether the high expectations are fulfilled and Ford can produce enough cars, we have to wait and see. This is just a first impression of three pre-production models. For a first impression, we think the Mustang Mach-E has succeeded in any case.