It’s no secret fleet and leasing companies are seeing a surge in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) due to the federal fringe-benefits tax exemption. One exciting new option for those after a performance-oriented EV wears a famous badge, with a twist: It’s the Ford Mustang Mach-E crossover.
For some people, such a car is sacrilege. For others, it’s a modern take on an iconic model with environmental friendliness, practicality, and the coveted Pony badge. While there are three variants on sale in Ford Australia showrooms, only the base model comes in below the FBT threshold of $89,332.
It’s called the Mach-E Select and is priced at $79,990 before on-road costs. It competes with the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6 and BMW i4, but there’s a fair chance it’ll be luring a wide range of customers — perhaps even some Mustang V8 owners!
Choosing the base model naturally means less performance than the other variants: A lower-cost 71kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery powers a 198kW and 430Nm motor. Still, a 0-100km/h time of 6.6 seconds isn’t exactly slow, and it’s rear-wheel drive for that oversteer-y feel.
As with all EVs the response is instantaneous, with all the motor’s maximum torque on tap immediately. You can cycle through three driving modes called Whisper, Active and Untame, the latter of which sharpens response and changes the artificial interior soundscape. No, it doesn’t sound like a 5.0-litre V8.
At about two-tonnes, it’s not a lightweight, but Ford’s engineers have shown real acumen making the Mustang Mach-E balanced, agile and composed all at once. Sure, the base Mach-E Select can’t match the twin-motor GT (0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds), but it’ll still liven up the morning commute.
By using heavy brake-energy regeneration you can greatly reduce the use of braking, with so-called ‘one-pedal’ driving. I personally love this feature on EVs.
On a side note I got to try my hand at some circle work, skids and track-lapping at the national media launch in the GT model and was blown away. But let’s be honest, in the real world the Mach-E Select is more than enough.
One trade-off for choosing the base model is the driving range, at 470km on the relatively accurate WLTP test cycle. More than enough for most people, the Mach-E Premium nevertheless upgrades to a bigger 91kWh (nickel cobalt manganese) battery pack and gets a 600km range accordingly.
It also falls short of the range claimed by the similarly priced Tesla Model Y Long Range (533km) and Kia EV6 Pure (528km), for those who regularly do long road trips. Good news is that Tesla is opening up its Supercharger network to other brands, while other public charge providers are expanding all the time.
On a 150kW rapid DC CES charger the Mustang Mach-E is designed to charge from 10-80% in 32 minutes, but can also handle a 10.5kW AC charge via a home wallbox that makes it easy to power up overnight. It also comes with an emergency for regular wall plugs.
The interior features two screens; one behind the wheel that displays instrument readouts and navigation directions, and a massive 15.5-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, and a 360-degree camera. It also has a wireless phone charging pad 10-speaker B&O sound system.
The embedded modem means you can connect the Mach-E to the FordPass app, through which you can monitor your car’s whereabouts, check its charge status and more.
As you tend to see with EVs without driveshafts and engines, there are some novel storage solutions including underneath the centre tunnel. There’s also a Tesla-style ‘frunk’ or storage area under the bonnet with a 134L capacity, or room for some soft luggage.
The back seats also have plenty of space for adults, but the 402L (to the package tray) boot isn’t exactly massive. Other issues include the somewhat flat synthetic leather-trimmed seats that could use more bolstering, and some signs of cost-cutting in terms of interior fit and finish. It’s fine but hardly premium in feel.
Given the Mustang Mach-E, unlike the two-door, is designed as a family vehicle, safety is paramount. The Mach-E carries the maximum five-star ANCAP crash rating and comes with driver-assist features such as autonomous braking in drive and reverse, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping aids.
Ford Australia provides a five-year and unlimited mileage vehicle warranty and an eight-year (160,000km) battery degradation warranty. As with many EVs, servicing is also much cheaper than ICE vehicles, with Ford charging either $135 and $180 for services depending on which year it is.
To wrap this up, it’s inarguably great to see more EV options for user-choosers after something new and interesting. The Mustang Mach-E Select brings to the table excellent driving dynamics and the iconic Pony badge, but beneath this it also has great fundamentals and is backed by a large dealer network.
Whether you think it’s a ‘real’ Mustang is beside the point really, especially since Ford will still happily sell you a V8 coupe!