2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E X Premium: A DriveWays Review…

by Frank A. Aukofer

The intensely-awaited 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E has crept silently into the nation’s automotive consciousness. Even without the mighty roar of a Mustang Bullitt V8, it is fast, fast, fast.

But it’s a . . . what? An electric crossover sport utility vehicle? With a hatchback? And batteries under the floorboards to keep it planted? What happened to the sport coupes and fastbacks?

They’re still there, spewing greenhouse gases from their internal combustion engines, contributing to global warming. The Mach-E does none of that — at least by itself, though its power is generated by fossil fuels.

Ford marketed a Focus battery-electric until 2018. When the company decided to go all-in on an electric vehicle, it decided to trade on the popular Mustang to deliver a cross between a high-performance sportster and a family four-door crossover.

There are six Mach-E versions with prices starting at $43,995, including the destination charge, for the base rear-drive Select, and working up to the high-performance GT. Driven for this review was the Premium trim with a $50,800 starting price and, as tested, a bottom-line sticker of $56,400.

Part of the additional cost was the optional all-wheel drive and an extended-range battery. Two electric motors, front and rear, deliver 346 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque. Ford and the EPA say that the Mach-E GT can travel up to 300 miles on a full charge. The tested Premium was rated at 270 miles, with a city/highway/combined mpg equivalent rating of 96/84/90 MPGe. As always, mileage can vary depending on the driver and how the vehicle is driven.

The range claim may be optimistic. After 19 hours of charging with a level 2, 240-volt charger, the tested Mach-E’s charging gauge showed a 100% charge with 236 miles of range. That’s about the same as the smaller 2017 Chevrolet Bolt, which advertised 238.

In its defense, the tested Mach E was a pre-production model used for testing. It will not be sold and ultimately will end up in a crusher. This tester had a couple of glitches. The most serious was a tendency to buck and pitch while highway cruising, almost as if the shock absorbers were beginning to wear. It didn’t seem to affect performance but watching the hood rise and fall was distracting.

It also had a cloth cover to hide cargo contents under the rear hatch. But it had flimsy connectors that had a tendency to disconnect when the Mach-E accelerated or was driven hard around corners. Again, the annoyance was likely to be corrected in saleable production models.

A mystery was a one-by-six inch blank instrument on top of the steering column. Ford spokeswoman Emma Bergg (sic) said it was a forward-facing camera for the company’s future hands-free driving system. It will be hooked up over-the-air later in 2021.

The Mach-E has an on-board charger which can deliver up to an 80 percent charge overnight with a 240-volt outlet. With a standard 120-volt household outlet, it can add up to 30 miles of range overnight. The Mach-E Premium also is equipped to handle a commercial DC fast charger with up to 800 volts. Ford is busy establishing what it says will be the largest network of 13,500 charging stations with 40,000 plugs in the U.S. and some areas in Canada.

As you would find with almost any Mustang, gasoline or electric, the Mach-E is exciting to drive. Combine all that horsepower with instant electric torque and it jams the torso into the seat as it rockets away. The Prestige model is rated at 4.8 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph while the top-line GT is said to do the run in 3.8 seconds.

There are three drive modes in addition to a one-pedal drive system that dials in automatic regenerative braking, slowing the Mach-E while helping recharge the battery for extra range. With a bit of practice, a driver can go for many miles without touching the brake pedal.

The drive modes are named Whisper, Engage and Unbridled. They alter steering and pedal feel and even deliver different power sounds, though for the most part the Mach-E is commendably silent and comfortable. One-pedal driving and the other modes are selected from the iPad-like 15.5-inch center touch screen, which also controls navigation, audio and other functions.

Specifications

Model: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E X Premium crossover sport utility vehicle.
Powertrain: Two electric motors, front and rear: Extended range, 98.8 kWh (88 usable); 346hp, 428 lb-ft torque.
Transmission: Single speed automatic with all-wheel drive.
Overall length: 15 feet 6 inches.
Height: 5 feet 3 inches.
SAE/EPA passenger/cargo volume: 101/29 (+5 front trunk) cubic feet (60 behind first row seats).
Weight: 4,838 pounds.
EPA city/highway/combined miles per gallon equivalent: 96/84/90 MPGe.
Range: Up to 270 miles. (236 observed).
Base price, including destination charge: $50,800.
Price as tested: $56,400.