[Auto] Drivetest Ford Mustang Mach-E

[Angrry.exe™]

Beyond the name

Like it or not, the world around us is changing. Sometimes these changes seem so dramatic and bring such a new approach that we tend to react with strong resistance to them. However, nothing is eternal, and as things evolve at this time, we, our entire species, may sooner or later disappear. Kind of harsh, isn't it?

 

That shouldn't be considered an excuse for all the marketing ploys that certain companies do. If you take a look at campaigns to promote certain products today, you may often notice words like "sustainability", "green" and "recycled". Yes, it's fashionable to want to save the planet. But is it worth sacrificing old symbols on the altar of this new trend?

 

Many people said they were upset when Ford decided to use the name Mustang to bring their first real electric car into the world. Yes, there was another effort in 2011, with an electric Focus, but the Mustang Mach-E comes with a completely different proposal.

 

Engine / Transmission

On the new Mustang Mach-E you will receive a variety of decent engines and batteries. Choosing a suitable version will be decided based on two factors: the type of traction you want and comfortable autonomy for you.

The Mustang Mach-E can be equipped with one or two electric motors. If you want an all-wheel drive equipment, you can choose between a version with 269 hp and 430 Nm of torque or one with 351 hp and 580 Nm of torque. Then you will have to choose what autonomy you need, because the 269 hp version is only available with a usable 68 kWh battery. The 351 hp model has a useful 88 kWh battery.

 

If you still want the greatest possible range, there is another option in the Mustang Mach-E range at this time, namely the model with exclusive rear-wheel drive, with a 294 hp engine and 430 Nm of torque. It can only be equipped with the largest battery, the 88 kWh one, for an estimated range of 610 kilometers in the WLTP test cycle. The version made available to us in the few days we tested the new Mustang Mach-E was even the most powerful, with all-wheel drive and 351 hp.

 

Predictably, these resources are delivered instantly to the asphalt from the moment you press the accelerator pedal. This is handled by a Borg Warner gearbox that can support up to over 4,200 Nm of torque. We can, therefore, suspect that he had no problem in transmitting the 580 Nm available on the Ford Mustang Mach-E ER AWD (full name of the tested model) almost telepathically to the road.

 

At over 2.2 tons, the new Mustang moves very well, and the resources are more than enough, even at higher speeds. Being an electric motor, everything related to vibrations, sound and balance has a completely different interpretation and you can not complain about unpleasant noises at high speeds or that you will feel some lack of fluidity.

By activating the Untamed run mode, Mach-E really comes to life. The car screens get a different theme, a digitized V8 sound is pumped through the speakers and the accelerator pedal response becomes even faster.

 

If you leave it softer, Mach-E will do very well in the city. Active and Whisper driving modes will make sure you have everything you need. The latter will greatly reduce the sensitivity of the accelerator pedal to conserve battery resources.

Ford Mustang Mach-E's European rivals have more modest specifications, even in the top versions. Thus, Volkswagen iD.4 offers between 170 and 300 hp, and Skoda Enyaq between 180 hp and 265 hp. The only model that could cause problems for the new digital Mustang is also American: Tesla Model Y. It was recently added to the list of models available in Romania. In the Long Range version, the Model Y comes with exactly the same power as the Mustang Mach-E AWD ER, respectively 351 hp.

Consumption

When it comes to the consumption of electric cars, a variety of factors must be taken into account. The outside temperature will have the greatest impact on the autonomy offered by the battery stored between the axles, in the car floor.

 

In the case of the Mustang Mach-E ER AWD, according to WLTP tests, the autonomy with the 88 kWh battery should be enough for 540 kilometers. Does the American model manage to get closer to the official data? Probably for the first time in the 50-year history of the Mustang name, the answer is yes.

 

Through the city, after traveling over 100 kilometers in congested traffic in Bucharest, the on-board computer displayed a consumption of 17 kWh / 100 km. Considering the 88 kWh useful capacity of the battery, theoretically, the new Mustang Mach-E should have enough energy to cover about 517 kilometers in this style. It's not really 540, but it's very close. In addition, we did not make a discount from consumers, running only in Active mode, with the air conditioning system on, having an outside temperature of almost 40 degrees.

 

Outside the city, on a stretch of national road, with an average speed of 73 km / h, Mach-E showed a consumption of 16 kWh / 100 km, exceeding Ford's autonomy estimates, reaching 550 kilometers. On the highway, consumption increased to 18 kWh / 100 km according to the on-board computer, offering a theoretical range of 488 kilometers at an average speed of 130 km / h. Which proves to us that, in this configuration, this car is not afraid of the highway. And, for an electric, it's a big deal.

 

In comparison, on Skoda Enyaq the consumptions obtained were 18.5 kWh / 100 km (city), 15 kWh / 100 km (National Road) and 22.6 kWh / 100 km (highway), while iD.4 had numbers almost identical to platform brother from Mlada Boleslav.

 

Tesla Model Y Long Range claims a range of 507 kilometers according to the same WLTP tests, but we have not yet had the opportunity to test it to see how the official figures compare with real life.

 

Being an electric car, in addition to the consumption of electrons, you must also consider the charging time for each model. The Ford Mustang Mach-E can be charged at stations up to 150 kW. In the case of our test model, with a useful 88 kWh battery, this translates into a charging time of about 45 minutes from 10% to 80%.

Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen iD.4 can be charged with powers up to 125 kW while Tesla Model Y offers support for chargers up to 250 kW.

 

 

Design

You can't use the name "Mustang" and not bring to the fore some design elements that evoke the legendary car launched by Ford more than 50 years ago. Probably, the new Mach-E will not be accepted by all fans of the brand, but you can not deny the existence of familiar design elements.

The hood is long, as you would expect from a Mustang, and the front is massive, dominated by a huge grille, which includes the famous logo of the Detroit model. It has been "digitized" and if you look closely you may notice that a few horizontal lines have appeared along its length, a detail meant to invoke the fact that we are now dealing with a digital mustang.

 

In fact, on closer inspection of the car, you will notice that the traditional Ford Blue Oval is nowhere to be seen, all the areas where you would expect it to be are decorated with the new Mustang logo.

From the side, the roof profile seems to plunge backwards, typical of fastback models, such as the original Mustang. By the way, here we are dealing with a trick. Initially, you may be tempted to believe that this roof profile leads to accommodation problems for taller adults in the back seats.

 

In reality, however, the top of the roof is separated from the body lines on the side. Being painted black on the top, the ceiling above the passengers is actually a bit higher, giving space even to those over 1.8 meters high.

The rear area is also simply penciled, dominated by LED taillights, which are again a reference to the Coupe that is still in the range of the American manufacturer.

The sum of these aesthetic elements will immediately tell you that this is a Mustang. Maybe a little chubby.