They say there are three types of drivers. There’s the type who already owns an electric vehicle, or EV. There’s the type who would rather walk than drive an EV. And then there are those who understand the benefits of EVs, love the idea of never having to deal with oil changes and expensive gas fill-ups again, and otherwise are on board with the idea, except for all the what-ifs. Drivers of a certain age have seen this electric thing come and go, perhaps more than once. Trying to sell this population an EV with the promise of, “No! Seriously! They’re way better this time!” is difficult. At the same time, these are the drivers who may see a swanky new EV like the Mustang Mach-E for sale and seriously consider the option, at least until fear gets the worst of them.
So why should a driver contemplating a switch to electric specifically consider the Mustang Mach-E? Truly, there are a lot of contenders in the EV market, and many are creating products that experts and drivers alike applaud. The Mustang Mach-E simply possesses that special something that makes a car stand out, that essence that makes classics so memorable. If electric driving is something you’ve been considering, let’s take a look at the Mustang Mach-E to see if it may be your next mode of transportation.
What Happens if I Run Out of Charge?
For many drivers, the fear of the unknown is greatest when considering that it is possible to run out of electric charge at some point, which is commonly known as “range anxiety.” The idea is the same as what you would do with a car that was getting low on gas: find the first refueling station you can. But in the case of the Mustang Mach-E, you really just need an electrical outlet. It doesn’t necessarily have to be attached to a service station, though there’s no denying that a well-equipped service station can be a wonderful part of the daily commute.
All you need for Level 1 charging the Mustang EV is just a regular 120-volt outlet. Granted, it is not going to charge quickly this way. That being said, consider what happens when you run out of gas on the road. Folks don’t carry an entire gas tank’s worth back to their car, just a gallon or two to help them get to a gas station. Similarly, you can plug the Mustang Mach-E into an ordinary outlet and charge it enough to get to a Level 2 or DC fast charger to fill it up more quickly.
It’s true that learning to plug in your car every day will require some practice and discipline. You’ll also have to replace your favorite gas stations in your memory with your favorite EV charging stations. Luckily, Ford makes that easier for you with built-in technology like Charge Assist and Intelligent Range, which can locate nearby charging stations and even provide you with the most efficient route to get there. Just as you would keep an eye on the fuel needle of your gas-powered car, the Mach-E includes gauges that help you understand your current charge and power usage.
One major advantage of an EV is that in many cases you can set up your own charging station at home. You can’t leave your traditional car sipping away at the gas pump in your garage overnight, but that’s exactly what happens when you plug your EV at night. Extra stops at the service station become unnecessary when you reset your available range while you sleep.
Ultimately, it’s not a bad idea to consider how far you actually drive on a daily basis. The 2023 Mustang Mach-E has a standard range of 250 miles on the Select and Premium trims, a 270-mile range on the GT trim, and a 312-mile range on the California Route 1 model. This range is equal to most gasoline-powered cars.
The only time maximum range becomes a real concern is on long road trips, longer than the EV’s maximum range, where recharging on the fly will be required. Ford notes that the national average commute is about 37 miles each day. This could easily be recovered with an overnight charge on Level 2 home charging, which can provide 21 miles per hour of charge. Depending on your commute and driving needs, it may be as simple as plugging in your cell phone and other devices when you sleep.
Don’t Electric Vehicles Have Basic, Cramped Interiors?
The interior of the 2024 Mach-E is one area in which, “Seriously, they’re way better this time” is undeniably true. The bulky battery pack that once took up the entire back seat or trunk of earlier EVs is no longer an issue. Front seat occupants have 43.3 inches of leg room, and rear seat passengers have 38.1 inches. The rear cargo area offers 29.7 cubic feet of cargo space, which expands to 59.7 when the rear seat is folded. The ”frunk,” or front trunk (the space where the engine used to be) offers an additional 4.7 cubic feet of space for cargo, and even includes a drain so you can turn it into a cooler. The Mustang Mach-E is anything but cramped.
As far as “basic” is concerned, the Mustang Mach-E offers plenty of creature comforts. Even the base Select trim is equipped with Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 suite of driver assistance technology. Also standard are BlueCruise technology for hands-free driving on the highway, wireless device charging, and a 15.5-inch touchscreen that leads to the comprehensive infotainment system, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Top-end features, such as a Bang & Olufsen sound system, heated steering wheel, panoramic glass roof, and sport seats can be added by climbing through the trim levels. So while older EVs were, in fact, quite basic and cramped, that is not the case at all in the Mustang Mach-E.
Does It Drive Like a Normal Car?
At the most basic level, an EV drives just like a petroleum-powered vehicle. The controls are the same. The pedal on the right accelerates, and the pedal on the left is the brake. The Mustang Mach-E is equipped with a new-fangled rotary shifter instead of a stick, so that might be a little different, but many gasoline-powered vehicles, including other Fords, have gained rotary shifts as well.
Terms like “one pedal driving” and “regenerative braking” basically indicate ways one can conserve energy while driving an EV. Regenerative braking essentially makes your electric drive system work backwards. Instead of using power from the battery to turn the wheels, it uses the power of your turning wheels to charge the battery. The load this puts on your wheels causes the car to slow down far more quickly than if it was just coasting along. The term “regenerative braking” means that the car is applying a braking force to the wheels in order to regenerate electricity to charge the battery. It’s not going to extend your range by a lot, but all of those little sips make the difference through your commute.
If you’ve ever taken your foot off the gas pedal to slow down rather than applying the brakes, that’s essentially how one pedal driving works. Rather than slam on the gas and stomp on the brake to stop and go, you moderate speed with the accelerator and brake as needed. In an EV, one pedal driving applies regenerative braking to further reduce your speed when you back your foot off the accelerator pedal, providing the ability to both accelerate and decelerate with the one pedal. The standard brakes are still available to provide more braking power if needed.
Plus, EVs have the added bonus of accelerating extremely quickly. While the Mustang Mach-E GT has an impressive 0-60 mile per hour time of 3.5 seconds, the most basic Select trim still only takes 6.3 seconds to make the same journey. The gasoline-powered Mustang takes 4.2 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour from a stop. Only you can decide whether 2.1 seconds is a meaningful difference to your commute.
Is Going Electric Scary?
Fear of the unknown is reasonable, especially for drivers who may have tried out some of those earlier forays into electric or hybrid driving that were not as refined as today’s offerings. Yet at the same time, more and more drivers are contemplating the potential savings and benefits of driving an EV compared to the potential for problems. There are a lot of brand new EVs on the market, many of which are too new to have established a solid reputation.
Next year will mark only the second year of production for the Mustang Mach-E, which means it, too, is a fairly new vehicle. However, drivers are already praising its simplicity of use, its impressive driving manners, and the fact that it’s easy on the eyes, something that can’t be said for older EV designs that haven’t aged well. If you are in the market for an SUV, perhaps it’s time to consider going electric. Yes, there will be a learning curve, and you will have to do some things differently. However, the vast savings in fuel usage and never having to schedule an oil change ever again are very compelling reasons to make the change. Start by test driving a Mustang Mach-E for sale to determine if the time is right for you to make the electric switch. You may just be convinced.
