Mach e RWD extended range performance in Snow

[ank_style]

Hi,
I am from New Brunswick, Canada. I planning to place an order for 2023 Mach E Premium RWD Extended range but considering Atlantic winters, I am not sure how RWD EV will perform in winters ? Other option is Mach e CR1 but it doesnt offers some rich features like Premium. Will appreciate any guidance on Mach e RWD performance in snow ?

Thanks

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[nrevezzo]

IMO I would not own anything but a front drive car in a snowy environment. In this case my advice is go with the AWD version of the model you choose.
Here's another piece of unsolicited advice. Unless you can live with losing 50-55% of range during cold weather, don't get an EV.

 

[Northofnine]

Hi,
I am from New Brunswick, Canada. I planning to place an order for 2023 Mach E Premium RWD Extended range but considering Atlantic winters, I am not sure how RWD EV will perform in winters ? Other option is Mach e CR1 but it doesnt offers some rich features like Premium. Will appreciate any guidance on Mach e RWD performance in snow ?

Thanks

Hi,
I live in Innisfil Ontario. North of Toronto.
IMO, I would get the AWD Premium if you can.
That's what I have and after just over 100,000km I would not drive in the winter without front or AWD.
The AWD with good snow tires handles everything I have driven through in my almost 2 1/2 years of owning the car. My commute is approx 225 km round trip.
As stated you will lose about 30% range in the winter.

Hope you find this helpful.

 

[Mach-Lee]

I am from New Brunswick, Canada. I planning to place an order for 2023 Mach E Premium RWD Extended range but considering Atlantic winters, I am not sure how RWD EV will perform in winters ? Other option is Mach e CR1 but it doesnt offers some rich features like Premium. Will appreciate any guidance on Mach e RWD performance in snow ?

Snow tires will be a must for you. Even with AWD the car still has a strong RWD bias and can step the tail out if you throttle too hard. AWD primary helps climbing slow, slippery hills such as an inclined driveway or steep city street, otherwise the front motor shuts off and doesn't do much above 30 km/hr. If you don't have any hills to go up in the winter, you probably don't need it.

 

[grisensko]

I live in Quebec, in the Mtl north shore area.

I have a Mach e premium RWD STD range.

I never saw any other 2021 premium RWD... But to me they are a better option than a select AWD.

I have absolutely no problem in winter driving with good snow tire.

It break like a AWD, start slower and you become aware of the situation so you drive more according to the weather.

With all the weight well distributed, all the driving assist feature this does not feel like an old RWD F150 with empty trunk at all.

I am on the wait list for a Lyric and might go RWD again... Or keep the mach e.

Ps: Of course if someone break in front of you in a 60 degree hill and you need to restart in a snowstorm you will have some issues. But you need to drive accordingly.

PS2: I once had an Infinity G37X. It was AWD , but really rear biased... Fun ... But not easier to drive than the mach e in winter.

 

[ank_style]

Here's another piece of unsolicited advice. Unless you can live with losing 50-55% of range during cold weather, don't get an EV.

Yes, Range is the reason, I was leaning towards LR RWD.

 

[ank_style]

Hi,
I live in Innisfil Ontario. North of Toronto.
IMO, I would get the AWD Premium if you can.
That's what I have and after just over 100,000km I would not drive in the winter without front or AWD.
The AWD with good snow tires handles everything I have driven through in my almost 2 1/2 years of owning the car. My commute is approx 225 km round trip.
As stated you will lose about 30% range in the winter.

Hope you find this helpful.

Just to confirm, it is AWD Std or Long range ? and what is your winter range ?

 

[JamieGeek]

RWD CA Rt1 in the Detroit area here.

No issues driving it around in the snow and cold for 2 winters now. Of course the Detroit area is pretty flat so I haven't had the opportunity to get it stuck on a hill or other steeply inclined surface. Even without snow tires its fine.

In the winter I see about 200+ miles on the GOM at full charge (so 60% of range, not 50%).

In the summer, however, the CA Rt1 really shines with the GOM regularly showing 310+ miles. Frequently get 3.5+ miles/kwh on the highway in warmer weather.

 

[ank_style]

I live in Quebec, in the Mtl north shore area.

I have a Mach e premium RWD STD range.

I never saw any other 2021 premium RWD... But to me they are a better option than a select AWD.

I have absolutely no problem in winter driving with good snow tire.

It break like a AWD, start slower and you become aware of the situation so you drive more according to the weather.

With all the weight well distributed, all the driving assist feature this does not feel like an old RWD F150 with empty trunk at all.

Yes, I am certainly going for studded winter tires if I am going for Premium RWD LR.

 

[PA Bob]

I tried to get this post going when I was buying my car. No one really seem to have any information on it. I hope you do better than I did.
I did not get the extended range battery because it was $5000 more plus it knocked the price of the car out of the range to be able to get the PA rebate. By getting the standard range battery with rear wheel drive I was only off by about 60 miles of range. Plus I saved $5750. It seems to me that since the car is well balanced on the front and rear axles, and it is 4500 pounds, it should go pretty good in the snow. there are some really good videos of a Rear Wheel drive Tesla in the snow. It showed that it ran really good and heavy snow. I’ve had my car 2 winters now. We haven’t had any measurable snow in the mid Atlantic over those two winters so I can’t tell you any results. My conclusion is rear wheel. Drive is fine especially if you get good snow tires. Good luck.

 

[Northofnine]

Just to confirm, it is AWD Std or Long range ? and what is your winter range ?

HI Again,
AWD Long range.
at 90% charge in the winter GOM is at about 350km.
I will charge to 100% only if its really cold out. Better safe than sorry.
I do mostly hiway driving so that doesn't help my range. I keep cabin heat low and use heated seats and heated wheel.

 

[Pmullin7]

I have the GTPE, in southern Ontario, running on Michelin Cross Climate 2s, so I can snowbird. Max range in summer at 90% charge is about 370km, lowest I've seen in winter was 310. YMMV or course.

The tires are excellent year round, but the car is not a deep snow beast, regardless of the rubber.

 

[Tom L]

Snow tires will be a must for you. Even with AWD the car still has a strong RWD bias and can step the tail out if you throttle too hard. AWD primary helps climbing slow, slippery hills such as an inclined driveway or steep city street, otherwise the front motor shuts off and doesn't do much above 30 km/hr. If you don't have any hills to go up in the winter, you probably don't need it.

Mach-Lee’s advice is right on. I have a CR1 with RWD and switch to Michelin X-Ice winter tires for winter. We had 100 inches of snow this past season in Wisconsin and the car handled all situations beautifully. With the original OEM tires I often had difficulty with my inclined snow covered driveway, sometimes requiring me to back up into my neighbor’s driveway so I could get a longer run at mine.

 

[ATL]

Have lived in NB and ON; driven RWD, FWD, 4WD, AWD. Getting around in the worst conditions in mainly about tires (winter), driving skill, and knowledge of the physics of winter driving. Getting around safely in your Mach-E also involves planning, discretion, and is greatly facilitated by AWD.

 

[P. T. Magoo]

Mach-Lee’s advice is right on. I have a CR1 with RWD and switch to Michelin X-Ice winter tires for winter. We had 100 inches of snow this past season in Wisconsin and the car handled all situations beautifully. With the original OEM tires I often had difficulty with my inclined snow covered driveway, sometimes requiring me to back up into my neighbor’s driveway so I could get a longer run at mine.

Same experience here as Tom L but with lighter winter conditions in MI just north of Toledo. My CA R1 RWD is a little squirrelly with the stock tires in snow, much better with Michelin X-ice snow tires which as a bonus have a slightly fatter footprint than the OEM pizza cutters. I like the Michelins because they add a lot of traction and not a lot of tread noise or harshness. When I switch back to the standard tires in the spring I do notice a reduction in noise and a slight range improvement, but the noise and decreased range are more than made up for in peace of mind in the snow on the back roads to and from work. I've driven AWD vehicles in the winter before and they're awesome, but for me the RWD is perfectly adequate with the right tires installed.

Additionally, with the occasional winter business trips to Flint and back in a day I need the big battery and RWD combination to avoid having to pull off the road for a public charge.

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