The Ford Mustang Mach-E is the first ground-up, all-electric vehicle from the Blue Oval. We have, of course, already driven this sporty crossover and given our opinions about it, but we're not the only ones with thoughts about this battery-powered pony.
Jason Fenske of the YouTube channel Engineering Explained happens to have a Premium trim example in his possession at the moment – we've already shared with you his take on its handling – and has decided to compare this up-and-comer against a couple products from an EV-only brand: the Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y.
Now, Fenske happens to be a Model 3 owner, so it makes sense that he compares it with the Ford. However, the Model Y is really a more direct competitor, so he also pulls its numbers onto the stage. We're not going to give you all the conclusions Fenske comes to in the video above, but here's how he believes they stack up in some respects.
The metric he begins with is arguably the most important: efficiency. Efficiency matters in EVs because range matters so much. More efficiency means more range for a given amount of batteries. Seeing as batteries are both expensive and heavy, it makes sense to make the most of them. Here, the Ford falls to the California upstart.
Fenske gives us the various battery sizes and ranges of the three models and their variants. But the efficiency battle is summed up quickly with just a couple of them. The Mustang Mach-E with all-wheel-drive and a 98.8 kWh (88 kWh useable) gets an EPA range of 270 miles. With less battery capacity (now about 82 kWh in most recently produced Model 3 and Y), the similarly-sized Model Y with AWD gets 326 miles. Advantage, Tesla.
More Mustang Mach-E comparison tests.
The cars from California also get the nod of speed, aerodynamics, and price for equivalent models. On that last measure, the Mustang Mach-E actually does pretty well when you take into consideration the $7,500 Federal tax credit it is eligible for. And, the rear-wheel-drive version of the Ford is the overall least expensive with incentives taken into account.
Judging the inside of the vehicles, Fenske likes the display behind the steering wheel in the Mustang Mach-E, though he says he doesn't mind using the center screen in his own vehicle. One other advantage worth mentioning is that the Mach-E can run CarPlay or Android Auto, while Tesla products infamously can't.
Turning to driving dynamics, Fenske finds the Ford good to drive – it doesn't have a whole lot of body roll and is responsive and playful, with the rear bias setup making it feel a little tail happy coming out of turns. However, in his opinion he finds the Model 3 the lowest, lightest, and therefore most rewarding to drive. The Mach-E does edge out Model Y here, though.
Overall, he says all three vehicles are solid options. It seems he prefers the Tesla products, but still believes the Mustang Mach-E can pull in plenty of customers as well. We agree and look forward to the continuing electrification of product at all automakers.