Posted on 12/15/2020 10:40:58 AM PST by Red Badger
Key Points
The Mustang Mach-E is arriving at Ford dealerships as its first new all-electric vehicle under an $11 billion investment plan in electrification through 2022. The importance of the Mach-E for Ford can’t be understated as it needs to convince Wall Street that Ford’s EV plans are headed in the right direction. The Mustang Mach-E is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model Y but engineers also took inspiration from the iPhone and Netflix.
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The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s first new all-electric vehicle under an $11 billion investment plan in electrified vehicles through 2022. Michael Wayland / CNBC
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DETROIT – Tesla cars and SUVs are often compared with an iPhone on wheels. Tesla’s four models — the S, 3, X and Y SUV — literally spell out the word “sexy.”
High tech and sex appeal are not things most Fords are known for, but that’s something the 117-year-old automaker hopes to change with the all-electric Mustang Mach-E crossover. It’s the company’s first EV under an $11 billion investment plan in electric vehicles through 2022, and it’s Ford’s first shot at Tesla.
“This was intended to be a tech-forward car,” Darren Palmer, global director of battery electric vehicles at Ford, told CNBC at a press briefing. “It’s nothing like anything we’ve ever had before.”
The importance of this vehicle for Ford can’t be overstated. Its success won’t solely be defined by sales alone. Ford is trying to create some Tesla-type buzz and convince Wall Street that its EV plans are headed in the right direction.
“This is Ford’s statement on EVs on where they are today and sets the tone of where they can go tomorrow,” said Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at IHS Markit. “This isn’t their ultimate EV development because there’s more coming, but where they put their foot down to begin with is important in setting them up for the future.”
Ford has been slower than others like General Motors to fully commit to EVs. It’s something Ford’s new CEO Jim Farley has been very involved in as the automaker focuses efforts on electrifying its money-making commercial vehicles and versions of its most iconic brands, namely the F-150 and Mustang. watch now VIDEO01:25 Ford unveils Mustang Mach-E, an all-electric SUV
The Mustang Mach-E, which is hitting dealer showrooms now, is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model Y crossover — so much so that Ford unveiled the Mustang Mach-E next to Tesla’s design center outside Los Angeles.
The vehicle has a Tesla-like interior with a large 15.5-inch center screen as its control center. Pricing, performance and technologies such as over-the-air updates and driver-assist technologies are comparable to the Tesla Model Y.
Palmer described the functionality of the Mach-E’s infotainment system much like an iPhone, which can learn habits or owners and preemptively prioritize features. It also offers digital driver profiles like “Netflix where you’ve got profiles for each person of the family,” he said. Owners also can program the car to precondition the cabin daily based on driving schedules. The interior of the Mach-E features a vertical 15.5-inch center screen in addition to a 10.2-inch information cluster in front of the driver. The interior of the Mach-E features a vertical 15.5-inch center screen in addition to a 10.2-inch information cluster in front of the driver. Ford, Non-Tesla buyers
Despite the Mustang Mach-E’s similarities to the Model Y, Palmer said the target market isn’t Tesla owners — a group famously loyal to their vehicles and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Ford is going after new EV buyers.
“The typical buyer is the 99% of people who don’t buy EVs today. Our job at Ford, what we do, is bring cars to the majority. And so this one is to bring people into electric cars and show them what they can do,” he said. Palmer added if the vehicle does attract current Tesla owners, that’s fine as well.
About 65% of Mach-E preorder owners are new to Ford, according to Palmer. Many are from coastal areas of the country, where the Detroit automakers typically underperform. Ford Mustang Mach-E Then-Ford CEO James Hackett (3rd R) and team members, including his successor, Jim Farley (3rd L), reveal the company’s first mass-market electric car the Mustang Mach-E, which is an all-electric vehicle that bears the name of the company’s iconic muscle car at a ceremony in Hawthorne, California on November 17, 2019. Mark Ralston | AFP | Getty Images
Henry Payne, a Tesla Model 3 owner and auto critic at The Detroit News, believes the Mach-E may attract some Tesla buyers “who want something different” — specifically in California, where Teslas have become more prevalent than other areas of the U.S. He described the Mach-E, including its driver-mounted information screen, as a balance between a traditional cars and new Tesla models.
“They’re clearly looking at customers and saying if a Tesla is too extreme for you with just one screen, we’re going to give you an instrument display as well so the car’s a little more familiar,” he said. “They’ve made touches like that to make the car more familiar.” Performance
Pricing, performance and EV range for the Mach-E are comparable to the Model Y. Top performance models of the Mach-E will achieve 0-60 miles per hour in the mid-3-second range with an estimated 459 horsepower and 612 foot pounds of torque. That makes it faster off the line than a Porsche Macan Turbo and in line with the Mustang Shelby GT500 and Tesla Model Y. It has an EPS-estimated range of up to 300 miles.
Payne said although the Mach-E is “really good,” he won’t be trading in his Model 3 anytime soon. One major reason is Tesla’s exclusive Supercharger network. Ford and other automakers are using chargers from third-party companies that they don’t have as much control over regarding pricing and functionality. watch now VIDEO01:32 Ford unveils electric Mustang Mach-E race car with 1,400 horsepower
One advantage Ford will continue to have over Tesla for the foreseeable future is an up to $7,500 federal tax credit for EV owners. Both Tesla and GM reached a cap that limits the tax credit to a company’s first 200,000 EV buyers.
Starting pricing — excluding the federal tax incentives — ranges from about $44,000 for the base Select model to $60,500 for a performance GT, which is expected to go on sale in next summer. The Model Y starts at roughly $50,000 or $60,000 depending on the model. Mustang DNA
Many were surprised by Ford using the Mustang name and its iconic galloping pony badge on a crossover. It marks the first time in the car’s 56-year history that Ford has used the name on anything but a two-door pony car.
Aside from its badging and performance, the Mach-E includes Mustang design aspects such as a long hood, rear haunch, aggressive headlights, and trademark tri-bar tail lamps. The “grille” of the vehicle also is cut out to resemble the pony car. watch now VIDEO04:55 Ford unveils all-electric Mustang Mach-E
“We had the performance icons team work with us in tuning, when we made the decision that this product is going to be full on Mustang,” said Mark Kaufman, Ford’s global director of electrification.
Before the decision to make it a Mustang, Ford was benchmarking the vehicle as a “compliance” EV, according to company officials. But that changed after former Ford CEO Jim Hackett took over the automaker in May 2017 and tapped Farley to lead the company’s EV plans.
“Our idea was we didn’t want to create a commodity product. We wanted to put emotion into electric vehicles,” Farley said this month on CNBC’s “Jay Leno’s Garage.” “That’s why we started with a Mustang.”
I assume they are betting on President Harris and Transportation Secretary BootyGig to quickly raise fuel prices to the five dollar range.
I just dropped a rebuilt 390 FE into my 68 Mercury Cyclone GT. Plan to wrap it all up (including Cherry Bombs I’ve already purchased) between Christmas and New Years. It should be a monster.
Some break down sooner than others. My Ford 1999 F250 with 220k miles is running strong with few problems, my mother’s 2015 Focus with less than 40k has been in the dealer multiple times for transmission and steering issues, problems that have recalls associated with them or frequent owner complaints. I have 3 Japanese branded cars (Toyota, Subaru, Mazda) all much higher mileage than my mother’s and with fewer problems between all of them than she has had on the one car.
And I like Ford best of the US makers. My first Ford was a ZX2 I bought in grad school that I had around 12 years, though it was not as bulletproof as the vehicles I drive currently. Don’t get me started on my GM ownership experience, I am liable to start cussing. Won’t touch a Chrysler/Dodge after watching family members’ experiences, and most of those were built before they hooked up with Fiat.
High end German brands used to be good 30+ years ago, but haven’t adapted well to the march of technology. I have heard nightmares with VWs, Audis, and BMWs-overly complicated, difficult to get parts, crazy expensive repairs.
British motors... what do you expect? Darkness by Lucas and vehicles that mark their territory.
Can’t say much for the Koreans. No personal experience there and not many acquaintances with one.
But the Japanese, excepting Nissan since they merged with Renault, make exceptionally reliable cars. I never met anyone who has complained about a Toyota or Honda lemon, but I’ve known plenty who have gotten over 250K with minimal problems.
Actually the 5.0 is a Coyote engine that is a complete redesign with aluminum block and overhead cams. It makes so much power it’s been banned by everyone that does HP shootouts. It puts LS motors to shame.
A Dairy Queen Run in August. I come out with my hands full, as I look up about to step off the curb, at what was a little more than dusk, there it was in the Bright Metallic Red that glisened from the just turned on parking lot lights.
It is more Curvaious than it looks on paper, She's a looker. My youngin who is not a car girl says oh my that is one sexy car.
The wife of the driver (Obviously Ford Employee who had this early production version, yes it had a sticker on the window) brought down the window with a smile and entertained my questions....
And it went something like this, Yes it gets lots of attention, when hubbie drives through a certain high end suburban downtown that has a 25mph speed limit, they get smiles and thumbs up. At the charging station her hub ran into a Tesla owner and he lamented, had I known it would be this nice, I wouldn't have bought the Tesla...
What does this all mean? It's just my 2 cents, Red Badger will remember my lenghtly post when this came out, ya I am fan. For reasons many here won't get or agree with, I think they are gonna sell a ton of them. Time will tell if I am on the money or out to lunch.
I have a 2017 Mustang now too but I got the last V6. The V6 was the only engine in the lineup that runs on regular gas. The Ecoboost and GT only run on Premium fuel which costs so much more. I get 30 miles to the gallon with 300 horse power.
Ugly!!!
It doesn’t breathe therefore it can’t catch the virus. But it’s still required to wear a mask.
I had a '13 V6 and really liked it - got remarried and traded it in on an Outback (mistake) but now have a '19 Ecoboost with the 10 speed auto. If you keep it under 75, it will get 32-33mpg and I have seen 38mpg on long stretches with no downshifting. I use regular gas.
“The Ecoboost and GT only run on Premium fuel which costs so much more”
Only run or only run at full output? The Ecoboost motor in my Fiesta ST happily adjusts down to 87 octane without complaint and certainly without damage; I generally put mid octane in it unless I want to have some fun — in that case 92 octane with two gallons of E-85 mixed in. Will reflash to take full advantage of latter when 3/36000 expires.
“...It should be a monster....”
It will indeed, and when you stomp that gas peddle and get slammed back into the seat, and you get that rush of adrenaline, remember your ol’ Friendly Neighborhood NFHale over and say “This one’s for you, old boy...” as you leave a streak of burnt rubber tracks on the asphalt...
I seriously miss that thrill. Can’t afford a muscle car these days... but it was great to be a kid in the late 70s early 80s with all of that cheap Detroit and Dearborn muscle around...
I did not know that, thank you... I assumed it was the old 302 Windsor rebuilt to modern specs...
I love the fact that when they retro’d the Mustang, they sortkindasorta took the 67-68 style and updated it...
Love the Mopar Challenger and Chevy Camaro too...
All that’s missing now is the GTO and Firebird TransAm... and maybe a Buick Wildcat thrown in :^)...
When we retired we found we needed a second car. My wife wanted me to get a Ford Escort. I told her no way. I was going out in style.
Gotta love the back in the day car stories when you grew up in your driving years of the 60s and 70s.
When I could buy my FIRST car, a 1969 Malibu SS drop top with a 396 for 350 buckaroos, you betchadupa I love it!!! Haha!!!
I worked my ass off loading trucks after school for that car...
Yep.
For sure.
They split the rear axle in 2015 for production cars, not just the Shelbys. Handling is much better. Take my word for it. :)
Ugly. And what’s up with that huge, very distracting screen on the dash?
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