Considering buying a Mach E - questions for owners

[Auto Motive]

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!

Never rush to buy a ev you may hate in a couple of weeks. We have GTPE which is wild in every box but cost 69500 minus 7500 credit in 2021. We bought a new model y with steep discounts for 53000 MSRP 72380. Its AWD long range custom paint and wheels. Its been 2 months and We highly recommend it over the MME. Price, features, tech, range and the supercharger network. Its a true luxury ev and worth all the pros possible. Good luck.

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[TheVirtualTim]

The charging speed of Kia/Hyundai is based on the best-possible scenario. But it isn't typical based on what I see in reviews.

With Tesla, the manufacturer of the car and the manufacturer of the charging network are one and the same. Everything is matched. When you open up to all kinds of 3rd party charging networks and lots of different car makers ... things change.

The "Transport Evolved" YouTube channel did a tour and extended interview with EVgo and it was _really_insightful as to how DC Fast Charging _actually_ works.

You can watch the video here:

But a key point in the video (and this also pertains to Kia/Hyundai) had to do with the notion that "my car can fast-charge at XX-kW rate and the charger I was using was rated for XX+ but my car was actually charging at XX-. (e.g. my car can charge at 150kW rate but the charge was only happening at 130 kW rate).

It turns out the station talks to the car to determine the voltage requirement of the car. It then provides DC power AT THAT SPECIFIC voltage. The station can provide amps up to the limits of the charge station ... but watts = volts x amps. Once the station adapts to the voltage needs of the car, this creates a cap on the max kW rate that can be supplied to THAT SPECIFIC MODEL car ... and it can be noticeably less than the max rate listed for the charge station.

This means when Kia/Hyundai 800v EV's roll into charging stations that aren't designed for 800 volts, they have to de-rate to something like 400 volts and they are capped at the max amperage of the station and the car actually charges much slower than that blazingly fast rate you read about.

So they *can* charge really fast if they are at a station that is a good match for the battery voltage. But only _some_ stations will offer that. Most of the time they wont really charge noticeably faster than any other EV.

BTW, the DC Fast Charging rate for a Mach-E is different depending on if you get a standard range vs. extended range version of the car. Extended range battery packs can accept power at a faster rate (because they divide the incoming power across a more individual cells in the pack)



You asked about Phone-as-a-Key. The Mach-E has it. It isn't as smooth and polished as Tesla's but yes... Ford does have it and it does work. Using a physical key-fob is snappier ... but if you're ok with the notion that it can take a few seconds for the FordPass app to establish a Bluetooth connection to the car before you can unlock ... it does work.



The doors have been tested at Ford's winter prooving grounds with a 1/4" encasing the door. The door still works and is able to break out through that much ice. I have had no issues with the doors ... nor do I recall reading any forum posts of anyone having issues with the doors.


Ford is planning to roll out software updates (they predict sometime next spring) that will allow charging at any of the Tesla SuperCharger sites --nationwide (not just the special sites (mostly in New York state) that have the Tesla "Magic Dock" station that has a built-in CCS1 charging port adapter. You would likely have to buy a Tesla to CCS1 adapter whenever that is finally made available (for DC Fast Charging).

For Level 2 AC charging, you can get an adapter from either TeslaTap or Lectron to let you charge the Mach-E using your existing Tesla home charger (that works today -- no software update necessary).

 

[ARK]

Never rush to buy a ev you may hate in a couple of weeks. We have GTPE which is wild in every box but cost 69500 minus 7500 credit in 2021. We bought a new model y with steep discounts for 53000 MSRP 72380. Its AWD long range custom paint and wheels. Its been 2 months and We highly recommend it over the MME. Price, features, tech, range and the supercharger network. Its a true luxury ev and worth all the pros possible. Good luck.

Model Y has a lot going for it, and a lot of people do prefer it over a MME or in general, but it's not a luxury vehicle like a BMW X5, Lincoln Aviator, or Lexus RX, for example.

 

[shelnian]

I tested the Tesla Y, ID.4, Ionic 5. I couldn't get used to the MY braking every time you lifted your foot up a bit and there's no setting to change this. The ID.4 and MY both felt very cheap inside and where noisier on the road. The I5 was very nice and I almost bought one. I like the two displays in the Mach-E better than the one display in the MY and smaller middle display in the I5. I also didn't like leaning forward to touch the I5 middle display. The ID.4 display GUI definitely isn't up to par with MY, I5, or Mach-E.
I have had my Mach-E for close to a year now and have had no mechanical problems (knock on wood). Only issue I have is when my wife drives the car and then I go to drive it, I have to manual press the 1 setting to get the seat, mirrors, and other settings to switch back to me, and she has to do the same. I hear there is an update to the Driver door module that will fix this.
PAAK has worked fairly well except when I'm doing stuff in the garage and then go to open the car. I think it's because when I first enter the garage it light's up and unlocks, but when I don't open a door within a few minutes, it relocks the doors and turns off PAAK. I have to open the app and hit the unlock or use the keypad on the door when this happens. I have also noted that if my wife and I both approach the car at the same time, it defaults to her Galaxy S21 over my Iphone 14 everytime.

 

[ThatGuyLando]

Yeah if software is important I'd look elsewhere. It's Ford's BIGGEST weakness by far. App is super slow and doesn't work reliably.

 

[Motomax]

As long as you can push the button the door will work just like any other car door in the cold. I’ve seen a few posts of people who said the actuators pushed through the ice no problem but if for whatever reason it doesn’t there’s a handle for you to give it a helping hand.

 

[flapjake314]

i'll say the opposite -- i have a SR and it frequently takes 1 hour to get from 20% to 80%. the most common avg speed i get is around 50kwh at EA. this was indeed in colder weather, but even then like i'm talking 40F. this was a long road trip so i used many different chargers and it was always this.

that said OP said the car isn't meant to be for road trips so i feel like it's a pointless criteria in reality. don't buy features you don't need, because no car is strong in every dimension...

 

[MellowJohnny]

No issues with the doors this winter in southern Ontario. In fact I like the design better when things like freezing rain hit as the door pushing itself open via the actuator, vs. yanking on a door handle.

Love the car.

 

[Bayviews88]

i'll say the opposite -- i have a SR and it frequently takes 1 hour to get from 20% to 80%. the most common avg speed i get is around 50kwh at EA. this was indeed in colder weather, but even then like i'm talking 40F. this was a long road trip so i used many different chargers and it was always this.

that said OP said the car isn't meant to be for road trips so i feel like it's a pointless criteria in reality. don't buy features you don't need, because no car is strong in every dimension...

I had similar slow charging issues with charging speed in colder temps (40s F) with my 2021 SR Select AWD. Now that I have a 2022 ER CA RT1, this is not an issue - the ER battery can go up to 150 kWH charging speed and when using 150+ kWH chargers I’ve been able to go 20-80% (~55 kWH) in 35-40 minutes.

I can drive my CA RT1 between the SF Bay area and Los Angeles with a 40-minute DCFC stop. One can road trip with the SR if you can tolerate multiple stops for charging. With the extended range models, long road trips are very feasible as long as fast, available DCFCs are available on your travel path.

 

[stealthytolkien]

As a former Tesla Model 3 owner, I’ll ask you to ask yourself this question: are you in the market mainly for a highly sophisticated software experience that also happens to be integrated into an electrified vehicle and helps its operation OR you’re looking for just a car that is simply powered by electricity?

If former, get a Tesla Y. Please don’t base your decision solely on two drives. Mach E is quite different than a Y or a 3, and I can tell you that while the “car” part of Ford is is a bit better than Tesla, the tech part can frustrate you. A lot is missing and it buggy in that department in Ford. I’m happy to go into details. I don’t know which trim you’re looking at in Ford

 

[Reign of Ravens]

Background: I currently share a 2019 Model 3 that I am losing in a separation

Sorry to hear about the break-up.

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?

Don't worry about the resale value based on this metric. I say that partly because we really don't know what's ahead and how this may affect resale values, and partly because any car you buy today will technically be obsolete already: Ford has announced that starting next year, its electric vehicles will have the North American Charging Standard (formerly known as "Tesla port") instead of CCS, which we currently have. You'll be able to use an adapter for NACS but if someone doesn't want the hassle of an adapter, it may be a point that knocks off some resale value. The unknown is whether NACS will really replace CCS, and if so, how quickly it will do so.

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.

I have to carry keys with me for work anyway, but the few times I've tried to use PAAK and left my keys at home, it worked fine. There was one time when the car seemingly took a few seconds before unlocking for me, presumably as the connection was re-established. I also use the frunk once a week, and one time out of 20-some and counting it gave me a connection error... I'd generally rather not risk it but it does seem perfectly workable.

For what it's worth on the software side, when I first bought the car a little under a year ago, there were a lot of software glitches. I read and memorized the work-arounds, and there were no show-stoppers. It seems like there's at least one software update every two months, and there have been times I was running updates once a week... and you know, I can't remember the last time I needed to use a work-around, or even to reboot the Sync system. It's not perfect but they seem to be improving at a rapid rate.

and the fact that it just feels like a “fun” car for my new single life.

EVs are exploding in popularity where I live and Teslas are all over the place, in every color (and some with very interesting wraps to get unique colors). I still have days - sometimes even weeks - where I don't see another Mach-E on the road (although I can't go a day without seeing ICE Mustangs). It's still a more unique vehicle that is offered in colors that are more eye-catching than what Tesla offers. Plus, even though I don't think of it as a "sports car," that is the remark that I've heard from others who admired it. The Mustang logo makes it a cool car, I guess. Can't say that a Mustang is more likely to get you a new partner compared with a Tesla, but it may draw in certain kinds of people.

Good luck and have fun, no matter what you choose.

 

[lindseybp]

Just putting my two cents in here. Had my MME for 14 months. No problems with winter in Ohio. Have done a few long road trips with no problems. Charge rate is HIGHLY dependent on the actual charger itself. I would say 20% to 80% in 25-30 min if it's a really good charger, i.e. I'm getting 150+kwh. Have had zero issues (knock on wood!). I have never had a Tesla so I can't compare but I can say I have been happy with the tech and feel Ford does a good job with updates. Have used PAAK since getting the car and has worked amazing (iPhone 14 pro). I never carry an actual key fob. My wife and I looked at pretty much every single ev before deciding on the Ford. Personal decision but it just felt the best for us. It has been a solid and reliable car for our family and I have been pleased with the efficiency. It's also just plain fun to drive and love the wireless CarPlay. Again I have not had a Tesla to compare but I am happy with the tech and I am a pretty advanced techie. Yes I think Tesla has Netflix and farting noises, and they are great cars, but the MME had the right mix of things for us that we would really use.

 

[Ev Blau]

Thanks! Yes, I have been doing the same. My ex and I drove our Tesla from Chicago to LA and had a blast with zero issues. I doubt I'll do a trip like that again anytime soon but knowing it worked so well with the Tesla and may not with other EVs is a bit hard to get away from, but again, I can't imagine I'll be doing that anytime soon.

If you are looking, the Mach E has very good deals for the 4th which is the biggest reason I may be buying this week. $3K rebate, 2.99% financing, plus my dealer was willing to add an extra 2K discount to cover the difference in the 0.99 (unbeatable...) financing Hyundai is offering right now. Plus the $3750 federal tax credit. It's a lot of discounts and lack of huge interest rates that make it appealing and also make the future resale seem like I won't lose tons of money sunk into interest if I resell in a couple years

Don’t know if this makes a difference to you but the IRA rebate for a used EV means you have to fulfill all 3 conditions: the car must be 2 years old, meaning a 2021 model, selling under $25,000, and your family income must be under $125,000. We bought our ‘22 Mach-e in 2/23 so we don’t qualify for the rebate this FY. That’s a big dang but wasn’t a deal breaker for us.

 

[Mirak]

If I were in the market now, as opposed to when I purchased a little over 2 years ago, I’d give a serious look at the Kia. Hyundai has very similar specs but I can’t get past those fugly side panels.

The Kia and Hyundai having 800v architecture is a game changer for DCFC. If you don’t road trip often, then it doesn’t matter nearly as much. But will being stuck at 400v hurt resale? Maybe. But to be honest, the tech is changing so rapidly that the resale is going to stink for a while regardless. I would say yes, this limitation and many other things will hurt resale. You just gotta jump into the pool at some point, unless you want to wait another 5-10 years for the next big leap in battery tech. Make sense?

PAAK works pretty well, just not as good as the fob. You won’t be stranded, but it could take a little while sometimes for the car to recognize the PAAK and wake up to open your doors.

All things considered, I’d let price be your deciding factor if the difference is thousands of dollars.

Let me know if you have other questions. I’ll give you honest answers.

 

[Eagertrader]

I've always wanted to own a Mustang, but also needed the space and the four doors. Thus, when the Mach-E came around I jumped on it. Waited 1 1/2 year to take delivery of my MME-GT on 12/21. No regrets thus far.
I am more interested in the driving experience than the gadgets, and the GT has delivered in spades in that sense. Have not experienced problems w/PAAK but I always carry my fob and keys anyway. Have not experienced being locked out in Winter on 10 degrees temperature..
I have two homes, one with a dedicated 220V (second home) and can get a full charge overnight. The other w/just a 110V outlet: Since I've gotten into the habit of automatically plugin the car upon arrival, charging is not an issue for me. On roadtrips, 30 minutes to get to 80% while I eat hasn't been an issue either.
I bought this car because foremost I love the styling and the performance. All the rest is secondary.

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