wouldn’t drive a BEV in extreme weather;
51 percent suffer from range anxiety; and
thanks to the success of the Toyota Prius,
42 percent think BEVs require gasoline.
The solution, then, if you’re going to sell
an electric car, is to attract the buyers
who think EV tech is sexy. Who dat?
People who dig performance.
Ford’s design team began by working
on three versions of the Mach-E. The first
was meant to be powerful and emotional.
The second pure and minimal. The third
was slavish to the current Mustang ’s
design language. In the end, Ford picked
the first proposal then added healthy
amounts of Mustang couture. The
result is an aggressive-looking, spacious
five-passenger electric SUV. Having
climbed around inside a pretty-far-along
styling buck, the Mustang Mach-E is just
barely an SUV. If the batteries weren’t
hidden inside the floor, the thing would
look like a hatchback. I think it looks
pretty much OK, though the more butch,
more aggressive GT version is where it’s
at. The Tesla-ish nose has been replaced
by a Shelby-looking snout.
Inside, Ford smartly uses a no-
animals-harmed interior. Scowl and scoff
all you want, but here in Los Angeles, I’ve
known more than a few people who’ve
flat-out refused to buy a car because dead
cow hides were the only interior option.
These seat coverings feel like leather but
aren’t; there’s no cloth option. Think of
the seats as Beyond Leather or Impos-
sible Seats, and you get the idea. Feels just
like the real thing but ain’t.Ford hears you like giant screens.
And large knobs. The Mach-E
features both. Ford actually
considered getting rid of the screen
in front of the driver altogether
like the Tes l a Model 3 but then
quite wisely decided not to.
The faux-leather is fully vegan.FIRST LOOK I 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E
32 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2020