Ford has, finally, officially, revealed its much-hyped, much leaked, Mustang Mach-E electric crossover.
Developed by 'Project Edison' team
Designed by a small 'skunk works' team, working under the 'Project Edison' banner, the Mach-E is Ford's first proper attempt at a Tesla rival, and its first proper break into the fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) market. First deliveries will start in early 2021, and Ford is already inviting deposits to get yourself in the queue.
Underneath is an all-new electric platform, called Global Electric 2 (GE2), which shares parts of structures with the chassis found under the new Kuga and the current Focus. Ford will offer the Mustang Mach-E with a choice of single (rear-drive) or dual (four-wheel drive) electric motors, and with two battery packs - a 75kWh pack, or a 99kWh pack.
As much as 460hp for the GT version
Single motor versions of the Mach-E will have between 255hp and 290hp, while dual motor versions will have between 255hp and 355hp. Later, Ford is going to offer a top-spec GT variant, which uses two motors to develop the same 460hp as the Mustang coupe's 5.0-litre petrol V8, along with 830Nm of torque. While regular Mach-Es will have a 0-100km/h time of between 7.0 and 8.0 seconds, Ford is targeting a sub-4.0-second time for the GT.
Just as important is one-charge range, and while the car's WLTP figures are still a guesstimate, they are impressive. Figure on around 450km for basic, single motor versions and 420km for dual motor models with the 75kWh battery, rising to as much as 600km for a 99kWh version with a single motor. The batteries are liquid cooled and compatible with the latest generation of 150kW rapid chargers. Higher-spec versions will come with Brembo brakes and Ford's 'Magneride' adaptive dampers, and the Mach-E's chassis has been tuned by the same Ford Performance team that developed the Fiesta ST and Focus ST.
It'll be the most practical car ever with a Mustang badge, too. The boot has a 402-litre capacity, while up front there's a Tesla-style front-trunk (or 'frunk'), with 100-litre capacity.
Tesla-style cabin
Inside, the cabin is very Tesla-esque, with a 10.5-inch all-digital instrument panel and a vast 15.5-inch tablet-style centre screen. The latter takes care of most of the car's functions and options and has an intriguing physical rotary controller fixed directly to the screen. It also uses Ford's latest SYNC4 infotainment software, which is capable of over-the-air updates.
Exterior styling details are lifted from the Mustang coupe. Those include the headlights, the blanked-off grille, and the distinctive 'three-bar' rear lights. The door handles are hidden, with pop-put grips in the window frames, and the car is opened and locked using your smartphone as a key.
Ford Ireland has confirmed that the Mach-E will start at €50,000.
"At the first-ever Detroit auto show, Henry Ford said he was working on something that would strike like forked lightning," said Bill Ford, the company's eponymous executive director. "That was the Model T. Today, the Ford Motor Company is proud to unveil a car that strikes like forked lightning all over again. The all-new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E. It's fast. It's fun. It's freedom. For a new generation of Mustang owners."
"The Mustang Mach-E wholeheartedly rejects the notion that electric vehicles are only good at reducing gas consumption," said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford's chief product development and purchasing officer. "People want a car that's thrilling to drive, that looks gorgeous and that can easily adapt to their lifestyle - and the Mustang Mach-E delivers all of this in unmatched style."