This Ford Mustang Mach-E Winter Road Trip Didn't Go As Planned

Name: This Ford Mustang Mach-E Winter Road Trip Didn't Go As Planned
Uploaded: 2021-02-21T13:57:06Z
Description: Many people who are considering switching to an EV have no clue about electric cars. This Mustang Mach-E video could prove really helpful to newbies.

What went wrong on this winter road trip from Chicago to Wisconsin?

ford mustang mach-e winter road trip

Steven Loveday

By: Steven Loveday

Feb 21, 2021 at 8:57am ET

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Managing editor at YouTube channel Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk, Jill Ciminillo, got her hands on the brand-new Ford Mustang Mach-E electric crossover. She enjoyed the opportunity to take it on a winter road trip around Chicago and up into Wisconsin.

During the long drive, Jill discusses the Mustang Mach-E as a whole, with a primary focus on its range and how it performs, plus a little snow testing. She also shares the trip's positives and negatives. She says if you live in the northern states, and you're planning to buy an electric car, this is a must-watch video. Hmm, what went wrong?

We always try to guess what's in store when it comes to these videos. We suggest that you place your bets as well. Perhaps the Ford had much less range than Jill expected, charging infrastructure was limited, and some charging stations weren't working? Any other guesses before we dive in? Keep in mind, the folks at this YouTube channel don't appear to be EV owners, and most of their content is related to gas-powered trucks and SUVs.

Right off the bat, Jill notes that the Mach-E is showing only about 180 miles of range with a full charge. She resets the crossover's computer since the range estimate is partly based on the previous driver's driving habits. After resetting it, it shows 223 miles, which is still less than its 250-mile EPA-estimated range, but this is due to the cold Chicago weather.

As expected, the cold weather limits the Mach-E's range, but not significantly. Instead, it's the highway driving and consistently high speed that's the main culprit. Jill still feels pretty good about the Mustang's range. In fact, her husband – who says he'd never drive a vehicle that's not a manual, and he's not interested in an electric car – would be okay with the Mach-E. Even in the winter, he'd have no range anxiety driving 70 or 80 miles one way for his job.

The real problem Jill encounters is related to charging. She takes the time to take the Mach-E to a public charging station and only adds about 1% in 45 minutes. She realizes that she actually used more energy just driving to the station, but she doesn't have a Level 2 charger at home.

What do you think?

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Jill reminds people who are considering an EV that it's critical to have a Level 2 home charging system. Plugging into her standard wall outlet would require 96 hours to fully charge the Mach-E. With a Level 2 system, that time drops to around 11 to 14 hours. Of course, this is something many of our readers are aware of, but you have to remember that there are brand-new readers every day, and many folks watching these videos have no clue about EVs. We're glad Jill is being clear about the charging situation.

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