Ford Australia releases Mustang Mach-E details

BY PETER BARNWELL | 28th Jul 2023

FORD’S highly anticipated, fully electric Mustang Mach- E SUV is due to arrive here in Q4 this year with the Blue Oval taking orders for the model priced from $79,990 plus on-road costs for the entry level Select RWD variant.

Full Aussie specifications of the three-variant range have been confirmed by Ford Australia with keen buyers urged to register their interest via Ford’s public website.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E will go up against the likes of Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 (from $69,900 +ORC), Kia’s slightly larger EV6 (from $72,590 +ORC) and the Tesla Model Y (from $69,300 +ORC).

More direct competitors are due soon, including Toyota’s bZ4X.

Mustang Mach-E’s arrival will give Ford Australia deeper penetration into the EV market with “at least” five electrified vehicles by the end of 2024.

The good-looking BEV – which has been available overseas for three years – is “the first production Ford ever developed from the ground-up to deliver pure-electric, zero-emission driving”.

Power comes from a single or dual motor battery-electric drivetrain for what Ford calls “impressive performance and acceleration”.

The entry Select variant runs a 71kWh battery and 198kW/430Nm single electric traction motor on the rear axle with a potential WLTP range of 470km. Acceleration from 0-100km/h takes a claimed 6.6 seconds.

Next in the range is the $91,665 +ORC Premium variant with a 91kWh battery, 216kW/430Nm single electric traction motor on the rear axle, a potential WLTP range of 600km, and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.2 seconds.

The line-up is topped by the GT variant priced from $107,665 +ORC with a 91kWh battery, 358kW/860Nm output from dual electric traction motors, a potential WLTP range of 490kM and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.7 seconds (claimed).

Drilling down into Ford Australia historical car data for locally sold models, we find the Mach-E GT has considerably more torque than any production Ford road-vehicle ever offered here, emphasised by its 3.7 second 0-100 km/h sprint.

It is Ford Australia’s fastest ever accelerating vehicle.

This “hero” dual motor GT variant takes performance motoring to a high level, matching prodigious power and torque with MagneRide adaptive suspension and high-performance Brembo brakes.

The model also features “unique” tyres that are specially designed to distribute the car’s huge torque to the road.

Taking a leaf out of the Tesla playbook the GT features Untame Plus driving mode ostensibly for track use only that is designed to help drivers balance the powertrain output on a track for fast laps and consistency.

The mode simultaneously adjusts traction and stability control for a more “exciting” driving experience.

Other tasty GT kit includes front sports seats, standard 20-inch alloy wheels and specific body-styling to differentiate it from lesser models.

ANCAP has awarded the Select and Premium models with a five-star safety rating. The range-topping GT is yet to be rated.

Standard equipment across all three models includes: autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with car-to-car, vulnerable road user, junction assist, and back-over functionality. Lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, emergency lane keeping, and an advance speed assistance system are also standard.

Two types of battery are used on the Mach-E, durable and cheaper lithium iron phosphate (LFP) in the 71kWh Select battery and nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) in the 91kWh Premium and GT battery each with its own specific benefits.

Ford Australia says the Mach-E is part of an ongoing customer-focused electrification strategy that will give Australian customers the choice of at least five new Ford electrified vehicles by the end of 2024.

The company has already launched the E-Transit full-electric commercial van, with E-Transit Custom BEV and Puma BEV to follow in 2024.

“Mach-E is an extremely exciting addition to our EV line-up, and brings all the excitement of Mustang, with the tech, performance and luxury expected of a fully electric SUV,” said Ford Australia president and CEO, Andrew Birkic.

“We can’t wait for Mach-E customers to get behind the wheel in just a few months.”

2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E pricing*: