Ford Mustang Mach-E Recalls
Not all recalls affect all years. Check NHSTA for details.
September 2021 - Inadequate Front Windshield Bonding/FMVSS 212
September 2021 - Inadequate Panoramic Roof Glass Panel Bonding
March 2021 - Loose Subframe Bolts
The Mustang Mach-E was released in 2021 to much fanfare and anticipation, but also a lot of controversy about using the Mustang name for an electric vehicle that is also a crossover. It boasts up to 305 miles EPA-rated range when new and hasn't been on the road long enough to really evaluate its used range.
However, reviewers are quick to point out that while the Mach-E is an electric vehicle, it is also - most certainly - a sports car. It’s 0 to 60 time is rated at 4.8 seconds by Ford, which is quicker than a 2021 Porsche 718 Boxster T, and just as fast as a Macan GTS. As Jerry Perez of The Drive points out, neither of these cars "you could consider a slouch.”
The Mach-E comes in rear or all wheel drive with between 266 to 480 horsepower. It is also available in a GT and GT Performance trim, which lower its 0 to 60 times to 3.8 seconds and 3.5 seconds, respectively. These trims put it in competition with the 760-horsepower Mustang Shelby GT500.
There are five trims for the Mach-E that each come with their own EPA ranges. Note that battery capacities below are usable capacity, rather than gross battery size. This is in line with Ford's usage:
The Select trim is the base level with a 68 kWh battery, all-wheel or rear-wheel drive, 266 HP and an estimated range of 230 mi (RWD) or 211 (AWD). It comes standard with wireless integration for Apple and Android, navigation, connected services via smartphone, charging cables, and Ford's Co-Pilot360 package of driver assist and safety tools.
California Route 1 comes only with a 88 kWh battery in RWD only and an estimated range of 300 mi. In addition to the above features, it has some aesthetic touches and more autopilot functionality via Ford's BlueCruise system. The Premium comes with rear or all-wheel drive and the standard or extended range battery. It has heated seats and wheel, an automated drivers seat adjuster, and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system.
GT & GT Performance are AWD configurations and both have an 88 kWh battery, a staggering 480 HP and a range of 270 mi or 260 mi. The Performance trim comes with 20 inch wheels and enhanced handling and ride comfort. Finally, the First Edition is basically the Premium configuration but with upgraded interior design aspects. It is only available in extended range.
The Mustang Mach-E is an all-electric vehicle, running solely on power provided by a high voltage lithium ion battery. It has zero tailpipe emissions. Although the Mach-E is too new to know exactly how it will age, battery electric vehicles typically hold their range well over time.
Range is how many miles a car can go when fully charged. Like with an ICE car, factors like outside temperature, driving conditions, and driving style can affect the efficiency and energy needs of the car. Battery powered cars are most efficient when the temperature is warm, terrain is flat or downhill, and the car can use its regenerative braking feature to recharge the battery. So, while the EPA rates vehicles with a single "range," this number is really an estimate under a set of highly controlled conditions. Short term range changes tend to reflect external factors, while permanent range effects point to vehicle degradation and age.
Read more about how temperature affects range.
The Mustang Mach-E has only been on the road since 2021 so there is scant evidence for how range degrades with time. However, we know that most EVs hold their charge very well and that batteries are warrantied against capacity loss for 8 years or 100,000 miles. Due to the recent release of the Mach-E, Recurrent has limited vehicles in our research community so some of our findings are preliminary pending more data.
In the Recurrent data set, we track the maximum achievable range at 100% charge for vehicles in different locations and conditions. New vehicles, less than a year old, should have used ranges very close to their original rated range. We have seen vehicles with a maximum range as low as 151 miles and as high as 378 miles. Of course, battery size and trim level affect the projected range, but less than we would have expected. Of course, this disparity may widen as we get more data on Mach-E's. On average, the 88 kWh battery is getting around 260 miles and the 68 kWh battery seeing 250 miles.
The main ways to measure vehicle efficiency, or energy use per distance traveled, are MPGe and miles/kWh. You may see these values on new car stickers or on dealer listings. The MPGe for the Mach-E is between 82 MPGe for the GT Performance and 101 MPGe for the California Route 1. In terms of miles per kWh, and efficiency rating just for EVs, this translates to 2.4 - 3 miles per kWh. These values are below average for most EVs, which is expected given the Mach-E's focus on performance and power, rather than economy. The trims with more horsepower and torque can be expected to see lower efficiency.
Our community of Mach-E drivers give their car a Charging Score of 4.15/5, meaning that most drivers are somewhat satisfied with their charging experience. The Mach-E has a pretty large battery and it can take a while to charge: on a standard, household 120V plug it gets only 3 miles an hour, meaning that a full charge on a household plug can take several days. A level 2 charger can refill the Mach-E at around 20 miles per hour of charge at a charge speed of 10.5 kW on-board.
The Mach-E is also compatible with DC fast charging at speeds up to 150 kW which can add 80% charge in around 50 minutes. However, many drivers and reviewers note that charging past 80% on a DC fast charger can take an additional hour or more, due to sharp restrictions that the vehicle's battery management system imposes after hitting this state of charge. Perhaps this is because Ford recommends unplugging after you hit 80%, anyhow. We suspect the inconsistency in charging speed based on state of charge explains the lackluster charging score for this model.
The Mach-E uses lithium ion batteries - a power dense, high voltage technology that works well for storing a lot of energy. Although the lithium ion batteries in an EV are much stronger and more durable than those in your phone or laptop, they will still start to lose power and capacity with age and use. Battery degradation happens because of two things:
a) the age of the battery (also known as 'calendar' aging)
b) how the battery is used, charged, and stored
Calendar aging is inevitable - it starts the moment a battery is made. However, there are things that can cause a battery to degrade faster. The way an EV is charged and stored will impact the rate of battery degradation, so there are ways for an EV owners to slow the process. This discussion is covered in a research article on battery degradation.
The battery size, or battery capacity, is measured in kWh. Ford talks about the usable battery capacity for the Mach-E, rather than the total, gross battery size. At least 10% of the gross capacity is held in reserve, protecting the longevity and health of the battery.
The 2021 Mach-E was originally released with a standard 68 kWh battery (75.7 kWh gross) and an optional 88 kWh extended pack (98.7 kWh gross). For the 2022 model year, the usable capacity of these batteries were bumped up to 70 and 91 kWh while the gross size remained the same. These are large batteries for an EV - needed for both the range and power that the Mach-E provides.
Ford offers an 8 year, 100,000 mile warranty against defaults or extreme degradation in the high voltage battery. The warranty ensures against degradation beyond 70% of the original capacity over the coverage. The warranty is also transferable to new owners, and additional warranties are available from Ford for used vehicles, although the battery is not covered under supplementary warranties.
This page shares Mustang Mach-E data collected from 74 drivers across the United States. Each of the 209 thousand miles driven helps to draw a picture of the driver experience. We polled our community to find out what they love and what they could leave with their vehicles.
Most liked features:
"Very smooth driving. Great feel for the road, comfortable, and a pure pleasure
"Good looks, very upscale feeling interior that's more fitting of a $65k upscale vehicle than any comparable Tesla, good urban road manners, good performance, reasonable practicality"
"Great balance of performance, cost, build quality, and looks.
Room to improve:
"Lack of customization of controls, control panel is not very intuitive and required too much time to find things."
"The mobile app and Phone-as-a-Key needs work. Feels like the car had a lot of effort put into it but not the connected services."
"Unpredictability of OTA updates, Ford not coming through with BlueCruise in 2021 as an update, Ford not giving us more of the battery capacity and more than 80% charging capability."
The Green Score for the Mach-E is GREAT. Like other battery electric vehicles, it has no tailpipe emissions. If driving electric isn't environmentally friendly enough for you, you can lower your impact by buying used and avoiding the production and shipment of a brand new car. Finally, you can really up your green game by powering your EV with renewable energy for the ultimate clean machine.
Although there are plenty of luxury and sports car configurations available for Ford's newest Mustang, the entry level MSRP for the 2021 Mach-E was around $43,000 before federal tax incentives. The highest trim level brings the price up to $65,000. This pricing makes it competitive with a range of highly-regarded EVs, including the new VW ID.4, Tesla Model Y, and even a high end LEAF Plus.
The Mach-E was released into the strange, supply restricted automotive market of 2021. It was hard to get your hands on any car, let alone a highly anticipated one. Many customers who had pre-ordered a new Mach-E were horrified to learn that dealers were charging hefty "market adjustments" when they came to collect their new vehicles. Although Ford publicly denounced the practice over twitter, rumors are that it persists.
Cost per range mile is one way to look at the value of an EV across different makes and models. It helps a shopper understand how much of the purchase price is really going towards range, as opposed to amenities, comfort, or brand name. The Mach-E has a cost per range mile of $200 to $260.
Recurrent uses data from the AFDC to determine the range of annual charging costs for the Mach-E. The highest electricity price we use is in Hawaii and the lowest in Louisiana. We assume an average driving pattern of 34 miles a day, 5 days a week, 49 weeks a year with 25% highway driving, plus a few additional highway road trips. For a 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E AWD (presumably a Select, although the AFDC doesn't specify), this puts the annual charging costs between $409 - $1308. More detailed and personalized values can be calculated at the link above.
