Base Platform of a Mach E

[ChehRob]

"A Mach E is just a heavily modified Ford Escape". Or so I was told on another blog. I have considered several EVs. I don't intend to reply to the person on that blog, it isn't worth it. But I am curious as to how accurate he was. My suspicion is that an automotive engineer would find the statement seriously misleading, almost to the point of being a lie.

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[superdave80]

Depends on your definition of 'heavily modified', which is a really vague statement. You could apply that to almost any vehicle of similar size/style.

 

[generaltso]

"A Mach E is just a heavily modified Ford Escape". Or so I was told on another blog.

I guess that's true if you define "heavily modified" as entirely different in every way. I guess it could be said that it's also just a "heavily modified" John Deer tractor.

 

[RickMachE]

"A Mach E is just a heavily modified Ford Escape". Or so I was told on another blog. I have considered several EVs. I don't intend to reply to the person on that blog, it isn't worth it. But I am curious as to how accurate he was. My suspicion is that an automotive engineer would find the statement seriously misleading, almost to the point of being a lie.

Blogs are very good for non-factual information picked out of someone's rear. Almost as good as Facebook...

Mach-E has a dash. Escape does not.
Mach-E doesn't use the letter s, c, or p.

So about 50% similar.

 

[hybrid2bev]

Can’t put it on the internet unless it’s true.


The Mustang Mach-E is built on the Global Electrified 1 (GE1) platform, which is a heavily reworked version of the C2 platform that is used on the fourth generation Focus and third generation Kuga/fourth generation Escape.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/For...E is,generation Kuga/fourth generation Escape.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/For...trified 1 (GE1,vehicle team named Team Edison.

 

[ARK]

My rough method for determining whether an EV is closely related to an ICE platform is to look to see whether there is a transmission tunnel visible on the floor in the middle of the second row.

If this exists on an EV, it means the platform was likely developed from an ICE without tons of work done because the EV has no use for the transmission tunnel and so on a dedicated EV platform, that should not be there.

So for example, the Mach-E is totally flat across the floor of the second row, while the BMW i4 has that transmission tunnel bump because it was developed from or with the platform used for the ICE 4 series. If the Mach-E's platform started life as a Focus/Escape, Ford must have done a ton of work to adapt it to the Mach-E, to the point that I would call it its own platform, not a re-worked Escape.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Here’s another reference doc to explain some of the design limitations that @hybrid2bev mentioned above

https://www.batterydesign.net/ford-mach-e/

I didn’t know that the Mach-E was not a purpose built BEV, but the mods that Ford had to do contributed to the added weight and suboptimal body side structures.

Also note the energy density difference with Tesla: 147 watt-hr / kg vs 171.

 

[dj_stang]

Here’s another reference doc to explain some of the design limitations that @hybrid2bev mentioned above

https://www.batterydesign.net/ford-mach-e/

I didn’t know that the Mach-E was not a purpose built BEV, but the mods that Ford had to do contributed to the added weight and suboptimal body side structures.

Also note the energy density difference with Tesla: 147 watt-hr / kg vs 171.

Excellent resource. On an unrelated note, I wonder if this is the root of the bounciness/underdamping issues present on all models (yes including GTPE although Magneride valiantly attempts to tame it).

 

[xxiii]

You can see a teardown of a 2021 Mach-E AWD (I forget which trim, but not a GT or GTPE) (as well as other vehicles, including tesla) on the Munroe Live youtube channel (specifically the "teardowns" playlist). Of particular interest (I thought) is a discussion of the body design to prevent the battery from being pierced during a collision (which could result in a fire).

 

[ChehRob]

Here’s another reference doc to explain some of the design limitations that @hybrid2bev mentioned above

https://www.batterydesign.net/ford-mach-e/

I didn’t know that the Mach-E was not a purpose built BEV, but the mods that Ford had to do contributed to the added weight and suboptimal body side structures.

Also note the energy density difference with Tesla: 147 watt-hr / kg vs 171.

Thank for those links, it was the sort of wonky information I was looking for. As I read it, the Mach E takes upwards of a hundred Kg hit over a totally optimized design. Some of that weight is offset using (more?) expensive materials. Most of that weight relates to providing protection to passengers and the battery pack, all of which entails mass requiring more mass (and costs) in other places.

Net effect - about the same as carrying one extra passenger. This was on the 2021 model, one can expect some incremental improvements every year. Anybody really interested in these sorts of things should spend some time reading the linked article Greasemonkey provided.

edited ps: the link goes to an article which has three other links - all worth checking out

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Net effect - about the same as carrying one extra passenger. This was on the 2021 model, one can expect some incremental improvements every year.

Spot on. I would just add that I would not expect any change year over year. Ford will not mess around with the car body on such a low volume vehicle. It might actually spillover to other gen 1 designs if they use the same architecture. It is too expensive to tinker with body shop equipment and redo crash testing.

 

[ChehRob]

I am thinking of the sort of changes Boeng and Airbus do, reducing the weight of a particular part, engineering a new part that takes the place of two or three parts. A pound here, a pound there - adds up over time, and reduces costs.

 

[Runningslow]

So for example, the Mach-E is totally flat across the floor of the second row, while the BMW i4 has that transmission tunnel bump because it was developed from or with the platform used for the ICE 4 series. If the Mach-E's platform started life as a Focus/Escape, Ford must have done a ton of work to adapt it to the Mach-E, to the point that I would call it its own platform, not a re-worked Escape.

I owned a 2020 Escape AWD before my MME. The floor in the 2nd row was flat - no hump.

 

[ARK]

I owned a 2020 Escape AWD before my MME. The floor in the 2nd row was flat - no hump.

Are you sure you are recalling correctly, I am looking at one of the photos listed on CarBuzz for the 2020 Escape:

 

[Runningslow]

Are you sure you are recalling correctly, I am looking at one of the photos listed on CarBuzz for the 2020 Escape:

You are right. In my defense, someone opened a door into my temple yesterday.

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