Considering buying a Mach E - questions for owners

[zooba21]

Ford is a car company trying to figure out how to merge as a tech company. Tesla is still trying to figure the car company part out. Overall I’m happy, thought I’d have range anxiety but no. I’ve purchased ICE cars that have been around for 100 years and they still have problems. EV’s will have problems in 100 years time as well. Understanding that and accepting it make a difference. Would buy again tomorrow.

Awesome; thanks for your feedback!

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[DYohn]

FYI, we have driven our MME from Phoenix to San Francisco multiple times, from Phoenix to Santa Fe and Taos multiple times, and from Phoenix to St. Louis once. No issue on any of those road trips - except the normal EV issues of planning your charging stops. Next year, with Ford adding access to the Tesla network, cross-country trips will become even easier. I would not hesitate to drive the Mach E anywhere I needed to go.

 

[ebeponyan]

How long does it take to get to 80% in your experience?

There are a ton of threads on charging curves/times, but I'd agree about closer to 30 minutes 20-80%. I have an example here of 25-80% in 30 minutes (and another 10 minutes to 85%) from last month.

 

[Pibbman]

We did a 900mi a few weeks back for the first time so did a few of the 20% to 80% charges.

it usually takes about 25 or so minutes if I recall correctly. It is worth mentioning that you shouldn’t be dissuaded by the length of the times you see. You’d be surprise how quickly 15-20 minutes go by while you make a quick run into a store while the car charges.

i would encourage the next time you take a road trip and you’re at a gas station just track how much time it takes to fill up, go in the store do a bathroom break, pick up some items, etc. I’m willing to bet it is more time than you’d think.

 

[mr_raider]

My use case is similar to yours. A standard range AWD is what I have and it's perfect for urban commuting.
The only times I wish I had the big battery is one long road trips, but that's about twice a year.
As for charger speed, yes the Koreans are theoretically faster. But I found I was mostly limited by charger output than actual vehicle capability.

Its not unusual to pull up to a stall that advertises 100kw and barely get 33kw.
Doesn't matter if your car can do 350kw if the charger is broken.

 

[digdug52]

1. battery recharge time: a few of the others in the mix (the Kias and the Hyundais) have lightning fast recharge speeds (80% in 18 min which is quite incredible!). The Mach e is 80% in 45 minutes which seems so slow compared to these and just in general. Honestly this doesn’t bother me much in practice as it’s so rare I am charging publicly and usually just charge overnight at home. I worry more about it for resale value, wondering if such a slow charge will be obsolete in a few years. Thoughts? And/or how often does this slow charging impact your experience as a driver?
2. tech/software: some of the tech integrations are a major selling point for me on the Ford. I LOVE being able to use the app vs a key with the Tesla and would really love to retain this ability as I am very prone to losing keys and just hate having to carry around a bulky fob vs just my phone. It seems ford is one of the few to actually have this capability with their app but I have read mixed things on how the app can be glitchy or unreliable. Any other real world thoughts on this? It NOT working isn't a deal breaker but if it is terrible and unreliable I don't want to factor it into my decision.
3. door lock: I like the way the doors open (and like it WAY more than the Tesla/Hyundai/Kia flat handles which I hate) but live in a cold winter climate and am curious if there are ever issues with this not functioning correctly/freezing up? And/or if there is a way to override that somehow and open it more manually if there is a problem?

I have both a Mach-E and Model 3 so a good basis for comparison.
2018 Model 3, RWD, Long Range
2021 Mach-E, AWD, Extended Range.


1. Will slower charging be more noticeable in the future, probably, but not so much that it will really matter, other than trying to beat the EV Cannonball record. With the current state of DCFC available, getting maximum speeds is more a wish then an actuality. Honestly, I think the battery capacity will affect resell value more than charging speeds, but even then, it will not make up the difference you paid for the bigger battery when new.

2. Tesla's tech and software is better than Ford's, but the Ford is not bad. As far as Phone as a Key, I use on both cars and on the Tesla, it has been noticeably better. The recent updates for the Mach-E, the PAAK is definitely more reliable. The only issue on both that has been annoying was the change made with Android 13, it messed up both cars PAAK and took both an Android update and one by Tesla (for the Model 3) to fix the issues. Same problem messed up Fitbit syncing as well. I am not sure of what issues iOS does or does not have with PAAK comparing Tesla vs Ford.
The UI response is quicker on Tesla than on Ford Sync, but not so much to make me not like the car. I also like that I can change the temperature for Tesla from the app where I can only remote start the Mach-E and it uses the last temperature settings in the car.
Camp Mode, Dog Mode, Car Wash Mode, Joe Mode all features in the Tesla with no equivalent in the Mach-E. I also find the Tesla Phone App better than Ford Pass

3. I don't mind the door handles on the Model 3, adapted to them easily. The handles on the Mach-E are just as easy to operate. I cannot speak for the cold climate issues for Model 3 handles as not near as cold here in Texas (February 2021 snow and power issues debacle excluded) and both cars stay in a garage.

The Mach-E is quieter than the Model 3 and has a smoother ride. The seating position is higher as well. Around town, I use both vehicles equally, with the Mach-E being the grocery getter since it has the liftgate. Frunk is a little larger in the Mach-E as well. Right now, for most road trips, I take the Model 3 due to the Tesla Supercharger network, although that will be a new option for the Mache-E starting sometime next year.

As far as other options hard to say, I have read good things about the Hyundai E-GMP platform vehicles but not driven one. Bolts, if you can obtain one without dealer markup, are a good bargain for a daily commuter but have the 50 kW DCFC limit so not ideal for road trips.

I will guess by next year all BEV sold in US and Canada will be eligible to use the Tesla Supercharger network, even though some have yet to announce yet, so that is not a huge deciding factor.

 

[AKgrampy]

15 months of ownership and only drive around town so far. Have not yet DCFC’d (only one within 100 miles anyway) so home charging works just fine. No problems with doors down to 30 below.

 

[Bayviews88]

Potential MachE owners should be aware that Ford has changed the EV lease policy as of today, 7/1/23 and the $7500 Federal Tax Credit is now included in lease financing: https://www.teslarati.com/ford-must... take advantage of,with $4,995 due at signing

 

[EasyPass]

Hi All! I am considering buying a Mach E this week and would love some owners thoughts on the couple of things that are holding me back right now. Apologies for the long post!

Background: I currently share a 2019 Model 3 that I am losing in a separation so I am shopping for a new car and am trying to get one ASAP. I have a Tesla wall charger installed in my garage so can charge for more or less free at home. I live in a major city and use a car almost daily but mostly for very short distances — very rarely on a road trip and almost never have a need to use public chargers with the current Tesla.

Desire: I am currently looking at a variety of EV options and hoping to buy asap given some incredible Fourth of July week deals I’ve found. Ideally looking under ~55K and am hoping to finance, although only at extremely appealing interest rates. I would consider sticking with Tesla but their lack of any financing deals makes it a tough sell for me. I’ve test driven new Chevy Bolt EV and EUV, Mustang Mach E, Kia EV & Niro, and Hyundai Ioniq 5 & 6; and in the used department, I’ve tried the 2022 Volvo XC40 and a 2022 Model Y.

At my brother's encouragement, I tried the Mach E and was incredibly pleasantly surprised by it, and am currently leaning toward it. However, a few things holding me back or things I have questions about are the following:

1. battery recharge time: a few of the others in the mix (the Kias and the Hyundais) have lightning fast recharge speeds (80% in 18 min which is quite incredible!). The Mach e is 80% in 45 minutes which seems so slow compared to these and just in general. Honestly this doesn’t bother me much in practice as it’s so rare I am charging publicly and usually just charge overnight at home. I worry more about it for resale value, wondering if such a slow charge will be obsolete in a few years. Thoughts? And/or how often does this slow charging impact your experience as a driver?
2. tech/software: some of the tech integrations are a major selling point for me on the Ford. I LOVE being able to use the app vs a key with the Tesla and would really love to retain this ability as I am very prone to losing keys and just hate having to carry around a bulky fob vs just my phone. It seems ford is one of the few to actually have this capability with their app but I have read mixed things on how the app can be glitchy or unreliable. Any other real world thoughts on this? It NOT working isn't a deal breaker but if it is terrible and unreliable I don't want to factor it into my decision.
3. door lock: I like the way the doors open (and like it WAY more than the Tesla/Hyundai/Kia flat handles which I hate) but live in a cold winter climate and am curious if there are ever issues with this not functioning correctly/freezing up? And/or if there is a way to override that somehow and open it more manually if there is a problem?

Other than these questions I think this is a very good car option for me. I just like the overall interior feel, I am tall and I like the height the seat is at, I love the front and rear trunk space (I am a photographer, cyclist, and have two dogs, so have a ton of big stuff I carry often), backseat spaciousness that met my 6'3'' friend's approval, luxe interior feel, feeling the most like a Tesla/feeling most familiar to me in the controls, usbc port, Tesla charging network integration coming, proximity of the dealer/service to my house, and the fact that it just feels like a “fun” car for my new single life.

Anyway! This is very long but I don't know anyone else who has even ridden in one of these so I am just comparing things and opinions with myself. I would love to get other owners' thoughts in real world experiences as I am making myself crazy comparing these options. I appreciate your thoughts!

1. Conventional Wisdom would have one thinking that since an ICE vehicle can fill up in less than ten minutes, an EV is expected to be measured by that standard. Truth on the ground is than in a hundreds-mile+ road trip stops for fuel/bio-breaks/meals-or-snacks/etc for most people overlap the majority of the time a DCFC would take. This makes the question, for me, a mostly moot point now and in the future for this vehicle. I intend to drive my MME for 10 years or more, and the statistics around charging performance in the context of a road trip will likely not be of concern in anticipation of an ever improving charging infrastructure.

2. The beauty of software defined features in a vehicle is that they can evolve and improve over time. In my first year of two in ownership, PaaK was a iffy proposition. I came to learn, however, that the issue was with my phone, and 90% of problems went away with a new one. Your mileage may vary. Other deficient vehicle soft operations in the first year of ownership were gradually fixed and improved in stages. That is the nature of the beast when there is long term commitment by the vehicle manufacturer. That is both frustrating and exhilarating at the same time, and acceptance with patience goes a long way toward general satisfaction.

3. I've had ZERO issues with the door opening mechanism in a Pennsylvania climate. I have never given a second thought to an alternate method to opening the door.

If you are going to keep the car for many years, I'd suggest that investing energy about concern for resale value is a loosing endeavor. Changes in this industry will be coming in an accelerated fashion in the years to come, and trying to play into all the variables coming down the line is nearly impossible.
"Stop worrying, and start living." -- Dale Carnegie

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

We've driven probably 15,000 miles on road trips, with over 60 DCFC charge sessions. The charge times (from about 25% to about 80%) are such that very rarely do we get back to the car before it's done charging. We plan our stops around meal breaks, exercise breaks, and bio breaks because that's what we've always done and always will do. A rough average to go from 25% to 80% is about 30 minutes, when things are working as expected and we get our average 90 kW charge rate.

We just went through a winter with massive amounts of snow and ice (yes, in Arizona). The doors got ice on them, but the ice never stopped them from working properly. We did get a cover to stop snow and ice from getting into the charge port.

 

[ARK]

I feel like this thread has too much of a focus on charging rate, OP. You have said you only use your vehicle for local driving, you are able to charge at home, and you are unlikely to take a long road trip.

Unless you care for the acceleration boost with the AWD ER, it seems to me you don’t even need an extended range version of the Mach-E, let alone a Tesla for the charging infrastructure or a Hyundai/Kia for the 800v charging.

The best car is in a sense the car you are able to spend the least amount of money on that gets you everything you want. From your use scenario, it seems to me not only should you get a Mach-E if you want one, but your biggest path to savings without giving up anything you want/need is to look at a standard range variant. My two cents.

 

[SWO]

We did a 900mi a few weeks back for the first time so did a few of the 20% to 80% charges.

it usually takes about 25 or so minutes if I recall correctly. It is worth mentioning that you shouldn’t be dissuaded by the length of the times you see. You’d be surprise how quickly 15-20 minutes go by while you make a quick run into a store while the car charges.

i would encourage the next time you take a road trip and you’re at a gas station just track how much time it takes to fill up, go in the store do a bathroom break, pick up some items, etc. I’m willing to bet it is more time than you’d think.

Yep. In 27k miles with multiple road trips, the only time I've sat there watching the charge % wondering "WTF is this going to finish?" is when there's been a limitation on the charger.

Mach-E has more range too, so the difference is going to be less compared to EGMP vehicles on trips with only 1-2 stops. Also seems like more people have issues with preconditioning on EGMP cars, and they coldgate bad in cold weather.

 

[dcortez]

Potential MachE owners should be aware that Ford has changed the EV lease policy as of today, 7/1/23 and the $7500 Federal Tax Credit is now included in lease financing: https://www.teslarati.com/ford-mustang-mach-e-f-150-lightning-financing-offers-june-2023/#:~:text=Lessees can take advantage of,with $4,995 due at signing

It appears that Ford is passing through $4995 in reduced capitalize amount on a lease. Other EV companies are passing through the entire $7500 the IRS gives to the lessor. Some EV dealers that have inventory are giving you the entire $7500 and another $1500 or more to reduce their inventory. You need to read the fine print on your lease offer to confirm that they are not playing games with the numbers. Ask for the "money factor" used to determine the lease terms. 2400 times the MF will tell you the effective "interest rate" on the capitalized amount.

Note that Nissan has stated that you CAN NOT buy their EV at the end of the lease for the stated residual amount. I learned from one Nissan dealer that this has hurt their sales. They have made arrangements with US Bank to finance their Aryia and Leaf leases and USB will honor your right to buy the car at residual value ... or walk away.

I have stopped looking at the Mustang since they will not promise me a Mach E with AM radio. Except for Tesla, VW and Volvo, today the EVs I am considering all have AM radio and it works great. The notion that AM does not work in an EV is nonsense. Test drive them and you see yourself.

 

[ChuckA]

I had previously given up on PaaK and have been using keyfob only for 9 months. With the recent OTA I decided to give PaaK a 2nd chance.

I was pleasantly surprised that PaaK worked flawlessly. I guess the dropping of Bluetooth that was causing issues has been resolved.

I’m still hesitant to go on long trips because the charging infrastructure near where I go doesn’t exist. At Mount Airey Casino they “never heard of EV chargers”. L2 chargers for a road trip isn’t practical.

 

[dmastro]

How long does it take to get to 80% in your experience?

Depends on the battery size, but if conditions are good and battery is pre-conditioned (and assuming the DCFC is working properly) you can estimate 20%-80% about 30 min on the standard battery and 40 min on the larger battery.

I wouldn't worry about resale. Buy what you like and enjoy it, new tech is always coming out and there will absolutely be lots of advancements in the next few years that render our cars "obsolete".

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