The time with our Mustang Mach-E GT has come to an end, the blue bolter now back in its Ford stable.
The GT is the performance model of the Mach-E range, the twin motor set-up able to disperse up to 358kW and 860Nm of torque. Not that you deploy all of it all that often. We rarely used the ‘Untame’ mode, only to show electric car naysayers what this nag can do. The fact the GT sinks back on is haunches and allows the front wheels to chirp when giving it the whip adds to the drama of that torque hit.
Thanks to its enormous power output, you can easily find yourself a few kays over the speed limit without trying. There is no audible overspeed warning here, which is probably a blessing. We generally kept to the Whisper mode, where there are still prolific amounts of power. This overtakes on the highway like Phar Lap on a mission. While there’s nothing wrong with the go, the whoa needs a dab of finesse. The brakes are particularly sensitive, powerful, but too quick to act, biting right at the top of the pedal stroke. There is no regen in Whisper mode to maximise your motion, though you can add it by pushing the L button on the selector (not sure what that stands for here, let up, perhaps?) but that’s hardly user friendly. We tried the one-pedal mode, which works well enough in traffic, but not so well when parking, especially on a slope. We never quite warmed to the rotary gear selector either. We’d sometimes turn it the wrong way and then you’re still in drive and not reverse as intended. A lever is easier to use.
With all its power, the GT is not exactly a model of efficiency. Overall we did 2500km, while the average energy consumption was 21.0kWh/100km. According to the energy readout, eight per cent was chewed up with climate use, 80 per cent was consumed driving, another seven was used by the accessories while five per cent disappeared thanks to the exterior temperature.
Using an 8A three-pin portable charger, we would get about 20kWh into the battery over 12 hours, enough for about 20 per cent charge. While the stated WLTP range is 490km, closer to 410km is the reality in warmer months.
Toward the end of our time with it, we headed to Waihi Beach from Auckland. We had a full battery and a DTE of 412km, covering 340km all told there and back, with 67km left when we arrived home. So the DTE is fairly accurate. On the 300kW charger, a 22 – 80 per cent charge took 35 mins (peak rate of 159kW), while a 50kW charger takes mor than an hour for a similar charge.
The GT’s seats proved comfortable, both for short and long haul trips. They have a good range of adjustment and during the hot summer months, the suede-like coverings didn’t get too warm. And so we didn’t require the seat heating function. Nor the heated wheel, or the self-parking gizmo. While the Mach-E is not the most manoeuvrable machine in a tight spot, the surround view camera assistance beats out self parking.
The storage is well thought out with the generous centre bin and the two-tiered console up front. This has a charge pad up top and more storage below. The cup holders do the job while none of the trim pieces fell off during our time. Everything is fairly robust inside and all the surfaces clean up pretty easily.
We thought that the GT’s safety driver assists function well. Apparently there is a driver monitor but we never heard it peep from it. Guess you might actually have to nod off before it sounds the alarm. The active cruise does a good job of both keeping a reasonable distance to the car in front and keeping you centered in the lane. It’ll take (gentle) curves on the motorway pretty competently too.
The front of an electric car is easy to clean without the grille, especially where bugs are concerned. We like the look of the Mach-E, at least in GT form; it sits better on its multispoke alloys than the lower-grade models. Those aren’t so easy to clean however, but with the motors doing some of the stopping, there’s less brake dust to take care of.
The door handles, or lack of, are a talking point for passengers new to the Mach-E. Press the small button and the door pops open. They either think they are completely awesome, or a complete gimmick. Whatever, at least they fulfill their primary task in a fuss-free manner.
The GT’s a decent machine, though not what one would class as decent value at full list price. It originally launched at $124,990 but has since been realigned to $116,990. Better still, there are a few near new examples floating around Ford dealer land with stickers in the mid-sixties, which makes it attractive buying at those numbers.
Mustang Mach-E GT
$116,990 / 21.4kWh/100km / 0g/km
0-100 km/h 3.7s
Motor 358kW / 860Nm
Battery 98.7kWh
Range 490km WLTP
Weight 2273kg
