2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E
BASE PRICE $44,995
VEHICLE LAYOUT Rear- or front/rear-motor, RWD/AWD,
5-pass, 4-door SUV
MOTOR(S) 255-282-hp/306-lb-ft rear; 255-332-hp/
417-lb-ft (comb) front & rear
TRANSMISSION(S) 1-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT 5,000-5,500 lb (MT est)
WHEELBASE 117.0 in
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 186.0 x 74.0 x 63.0 in
0-60 MPH 6.1-6.5 sec (MT est)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON Not yet tested
ON SALE IN U.S. Late 2020same people who tune Mustangs tune
the Mach-E. Fingers crossed that they
threw one of the Shelby guys or gals at it.
Because magnetic suspension similar to
what’s on the GT350 and GT500 will be
an option, we might get my wish.
Two battery packs will be available. The
small pack will provide 210 to 230 miles of
range (depending on whether you choose
RWD or AWD), the big pack 270 to 300
miles, though they’re a ways off from EPA
certification. The small battery holds 75.7
kW-hr of juice and weighs approximately
1,050 pounds; the larger battery is rated at
98.8 kW-hr and weighs 1,275 pounds. Ford
didn’t say, but you can expect the Mach-E
to weigh in at more than 5,000 pounds.
As for charging times, Ford claims the
batteries will DC-fast-charge to 80 percent
in 45 minutes. The team was also quick to
remind us that 80 percent of BEV charging
happens overnight at home. Want a Level
2 home charger? Ford is partnering with
Amazon to hook it up. Buyers will also be
able to purchase the car digitally.
Heard enough to open your check-
book? You can place a $500 deposit on
one right now, though you won’t be able
to purchase a Mach-E outright until fall- Those interested in the Mach-E
GT (Hi, Mom!) will have to wait until late
in 2021. Pricing? Base prices range from
$44,995 for the base model to $61,000 for
the Mach-E GT, and Ford indicated that
unlike Tesla and General Motors, Dear-
born still has lots of those lovely $7,500
federal tax credits left.
Should you be upset? If you’re deeply
conservative in the traditional sense of
the word, oh my, yes! The Mach-E is no
more a Mustang than my Chrysler! And
get off my lawn while you’re at it.
There are millions of Mustang fans out
there—why not leverage their love of the
model and make something way cooler
than a dorky compliance car? Do you
think the front-engine Porsche Panamera
looks just like the rear-engine 911 by acci-
dent? No way, dude. All Porsches must
answer to the 911 and, at the same time,
milk that same 911 for any and all credi-
bility and sex appeal. Looks like the same
will be true for Ford and the Mustang. I
call that smart. Q
W
e got a chance to take an early
ride in an all-wheel-drive long-
range prototype of the Mustang
Mach-E4. If our short time with the vehicle is
any indication, this extension of the Mustang
nameplate just might be a worthy endeavor.
I hopped in the back seat of a camo-
wrapped prototype, and before we even
starting moving, I was impressed by the
Mustang Mach-E’s packaging. At a hair over
6 feet, I frequently find my head smooshed
up against the ceiling when I’m subjected
to the back seat, but that wasn’t the
case here. There was a good 2 or 3 inches
between my head and the glass roof, which
is especially impressive given the electric
SUV’s swept-back profile.
On the street, the instant torque from the
electric drivetrain is immediately apparent.
The Mach-E redefines the term “muscle car,”
in that it doesn’t develop power in a way
that any Mustang ever has—and that’s not
a bad thing.
The car we’re riding in makes an esti-
mated 332 hp and 417 lb-ft of torque with
electric motors spinning the front and rear
axles. Those wanting the ultimate perfor-
mance capability out of their Mustang
Mach-E should opt for the GT, which will
offer 459 hp and 612 lb-ft.
In our brief road loop, the Mustang
Mach-E rode relatively well, but driving
over a railroad crossing sent a sharp jolt
through the cabin. Lesser models will ride
on a conventional suspension, but the
GT Performance Edition will be equipped
with Magneride magnetorheological
shocks capable of lowering the car bythree-quarters of an inch, depending on
the drive mode.
Our experience with the 2021 Mustang
Mach-E was conducted in the car’s
sportiest Unbridled drive mode. (If I had
one criticism of the product briefing, it’s
that there weren’t nearly enough horse
puns like this one.)
Our driver gave us a quick 0–60 mph
blast and a run through a slalom course
to get a sense for the feeling of a high-
riding, Mustang-badged electric SUV.
The acceleration run was impressive—
the driver quoted a mid-5-second 0–60
time, but it felt more like the high-4-
second range to me, and that was with
four adults in the cabin.
The Mach-E team performed a fair
amount of development at a race-
track; although our slalom run only
gave us a small taste, this crossover is
a real handler. Because the weight of
the battery pack is concentrated low in
the chassis and within the wheelbase,
the Mach-E doesn’t have to fight much
inertia to change direction. Body roll is
present but relatively minimal, and the
grip was strong, especially considering
the car was wearing relatively narrow
225-section all-season tires.
Mustang diehards will scoff at the
Mach-E over its name alone, but if a full
series of MotorTrend tests can confirm
the SUV’s promising performance, the
naming will be much easier to swallow.
Ford expects the Mustang Mach-E GT
to slot between the Mustang GT and
Shelby GT350 in terms of performance.
Sounds mighty fine to us. Duncan BradyA Quick Ride in the Mach-E
34 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2020FIRST LOOK