What is it:
This is the fastest car to be sold by Ford Australia – and it happens to be electric.
It looks like a Mustang face has been grafted onto an SUV body because this car was originally designed as an electric Ford Escape equivalent.
Then the top brass at Ford – including Bill Ford Jr – test drove an early prototype and felt the high-performance version was so fast it deserved the Mustang badge.
So the designers were sent back to the drawing board. This is a true story.
Price:
There are three models in the Mustang Mach E range in Australia.
- Ford Mustang Mach E Select (198kW/430Nm, RWD, 470km) $72,990 plus on-road costs;
- Ford Mustang Mach E Premium (216kW/430Nm, RWD, 600km) $86,990 plus on-road costs;
- Ford Mustang Mach E GT (358kW/860Nm, AWD, 490km) $104,990 plus on-road costs
We tested the Ford Mustang Mach E GT.
The Ford website lists a drive-away price of $115,200 for buyers in NSW. Premium paint adds $700.
Final drive-away prices in other states vary according to registration and stamp duty.
Engine:
There are two electric motors (one for the front wheels and one for the rear wheels) with a combined peak output of 358kW and 860Nm.
Transmission:
All with most electric vehicles (one exception being the Porsche Taycan which has a two-speed electric motor), the Ford Mustang Mach E GT electric motors have one ratio (or gear). Top speed is listed at 180kmh (versus 260kmh for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N).
Driving range and battery capacity:
The battery pack has a capacity of 91kWh.
Claimed maximum driving range is listed at 490km and consumption is estimated at a rate of 21.2kWh/100km (the same energy-use estimate as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which has 84kWh battery capacity).
On test we averaged 16 to 20kWh/100km on a 130km road test loop including a mix of city, suburban, inter-urban and freeway driving.
Consumption was higher (up to 22kWh/100km) at other times during the week.
Real-world driving range estimates were closer to 400km during our test.
0 to 100km/h (as tested):
Ford claims the Mustang Mach E GT does the 0 to 100kmh dash in 3.7 seconds.
On our VBox test equipment, we recorded repeatable 0 to 100kmh times of 4.1 seconds in its fastest mode.
We suspect the anomaly between the claim and our recorded speed is because in the US they (for some odd reason) measure acceleration from a rolling start when recording 0 to 100kmh times.
We measure acceleration from a standing start, as is the global industry norm.
For all its merit and impressive acceleration, the Ford Mustang Mach E is a touch slower than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (3.45 seconds on our VBox test equipment) and the Kia EV6 GT (3.6 seconds on our VBox test equipment).
Emergency braking from 100km/h (as tested):
Impressive despite the hefty weight (2281kg versus the 2230kg for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N) but necessary given the vehicle’s performance.
The Ford Mustang Mach E GT pulled up in 37.3 metres, on par with other performance cars.
Tyres also play a key role in braking; the Ford Mustang Mach E GT tested was equipped with Pirelli P Zero tyres (245/45/20).
Good points:
The Ford Mustang Mach E GT looks great, inside and out.
The massive vertical infotainment screen has a high resolution display and is user-friendly to operate.
Comfortable seats, roomy cabin and cargo hold, fair visibility given the sloping roof line.
Good low- and high-beam headlight coverage. Scrolling indicators front and rear.
Superb tyre grip, excellent brakes, and epic acceleration.
There is a choice of driving modes (“whisper”, “active” and “untame”).
And you can make it sound like a hint of a V8 inside the cabin (using fake sound through the audio speakers) at the press of a button.
Bad points:
Despite being equipped with advanced magnetically controlled suspension, the Ford Mustang Mach E GT porpoises over bumps and other ripples in the road.
The steering feels heavy and the suspension feels underdamped.
Hopefully Ford is already working on a mid-life steering and suspension update.
Hopefully Ford’s engineering department has already bought a couple of rival vehicles (it is common practice for carmakers to purchase rival vehicles for benchmarking).
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is a standout for its blend of comfort and handling, and the Kia EV6 GT deserves an honourable mention too.
Although the Hyundai and Kia share the same platform between them, they have completely different suspension calibrations, but both are more polished than the Ford Mustang Mach E GT.
The Ford Mustang Mach E GT is so powerful you can feel the front wheels lose traction for a split second on a fast take-off. It still feels stable and secure, though, because it’s all-wheel-drive.
There is no sun-blind for the panorama sunroof. The tinted roof has UV protection but I don’t always want the light intrusion.
As is the case with most electric cars, there is no spare tyre, so you’re calling a tow truck if you get a flat tyre.
What the haters say:
That’s not a Mustang. All Mustangs should be V8.
What the haters don’t understand:
I agree the two most basic versions of the Ford Mustang Mach E are not worthy of the Mustang badge.
However, the GT flagship is more than worthy. Indeed, it’s the fastest production car to wear the Ford Mustang badge.
Should you buy one?
If you love performance and are a Ford fan, this is the electric car for you. It would look great parked alongside a V8 Ford Mustang coupe in the driveway.
If you’re not necessarily a Ford fan and want a fast electric car that is not a Tesla, also take the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT for a test drive.
As much as I love all three of these performance electric cars for different reasons, I would pick the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N because it has a better blend of comfort and handling, roomier cabin, stronger performance, and better hardware to handle all its grunt.
