It is for the first time in 55 years that Ford is expanding the Mustang family, and welcoming it to the age of electric cars. The all new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E has finally been unveiled and it comes inspired by one of the best-selling sports coupe in the world. Developed in a century-old brick building a few blocks away from Henry Ford's first factory in Detroit, Ford brought the Mustang Mach-E to life through a development process concentrated entirely on customer needs and desires. The Mustang Mach-E will arrive in the US late in 2020 and will be available with the standard (75.7 kWh lithium-ion battery) and extended range battery (98.9 kWh lithium-ion battery) options. On offer, will be a rear-wheel drive version or an all-wheel drive. The battery is located on the floor between the vehicle's two axles - and tested at temperatures as extreme as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The batteries are secured inside a waterproof battery case surrounded by crash-absorption protection. They are liquid-cooled to optimize performance in extreme weather and to improve charging times.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E takes design cues from the Mustang sports coupe
Let's talk about design a little later then, but first let's star with the power the Mustang Mach-E has to offer. Equipped with an extended-range battery and rear-wheel drive, the Mach-E has an estimated range of 483 km on a single charge. In the extended-range all-wheel-drive configurations, Mach-E is targeting 332 horsepower and a torque of 565 Nm. Ford even says that the Mach-E will be able to run from 0 to 96 kmph faster than a Porsche Macan. Ford will offer two special performance versions. The GT is targeting 0-96 kmph in under 4 seconds, making it faster off the line than a Porsche Macan Turbo3. The GT Performance Edition, meanwhile, is targeting a comparable 0-96 kmph in the mid-3-second range to a Porsche 911 GTS. Both GT configurations are targeting an estimated 459 horsepower and 830 Nm torque.
Mustang Mach-E will be available with Brembo's all-new performance Flexira aluminum calipers, which maintain the functionality of a fixed caliper while being designed with the dimensions of a floating caliper. The Mustang Mach-E will be available with three drive experiences - Whisper, Engage and Unbridled - each offering finely tuned driving dynamics. Features include custom-designed vehicle responsiveness such as sportier steering controls, ambient lighting, sounds tuned for an authentic all-electric experience, and dynamic cluster animations that are tied to driving behaviour.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E gets an estimated all-electric range of 483 km
When the vehicle launches, a new Mach-E 4 all-wheel drive system will be available that can apply torque independently to the front and rear axles to deliver impressive acceleration and improved handling over the rear-wheel drive model. Ford tuned this system to provide excellent traction on the road, rigorously testing the vehicle in wet and snowy terrain to help control for slippery conditions. Mach-E is the first production vehicle to be tuned by the Ford Performance team utilising Ford's racing simulator in North Carolina.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E gets a 15.5 inch touchscreen infotainment system with the latest generation of SYNC connectivity
Making its debut in the Mach-E is the next-generation SYNC communications and entertainment system. According to the company the interface uses machine learning to quickly learn drivers' preferences, and gets even better over time thanks to advanced over-the-air updates. The next-generation SYNC's 15.5-inch screen and simple interface ditches complicated menus, making it easier to access features with touch, swipe and pinch controls that every smartphone owner will be comfortable using.
Ford designers have worked extensively with customers to understand how they would prefer to use the interior of their vehicles. Designed with SUV-size proportions to seat five adults, the Mach-E has plenty of space at the front, rear and even between the wheels. In addition to the exterior front trunk, the rear trunk offers 821 litres of space. With the rear seats down, the Mach-E boasts 1688 litres of space - more than enough room for luggage, camping gear or whatever else you may want to move around. Premium available Bang & Olufsen speakers are seamlessly integrated across the front, floating above the air vents like a sound bar. A floating flip-up armrest doubles as a place to store purses or bags. Traditional Mustang design cues like the double-cowl instrument panel round out the interior.
Let's now get into the design of the Mustang Mach-E. We aren't big fans of how it's turned out but it has its own identity though the Mach-E is instantly recognisable as a Mustang. Thanks to signature elements such as its long, powerful hood, rear haunch design, aggressive headlights and trademark tri-bar taillamps the Mach-E reminds you of the Mustang. The big question now is, will we see it in India. Well, don't expect it to come so early considering the country does not boast of infrastructure for all-electric cars, but we sure hope to see a new generation of it when it does come in probably the next 5 years.
