TheBluf

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From Reddit today (link removed at authors request).


IamA Electric Vehicle Engineer on the Ford Mustang Mach-E, AMA about electric cars, and changes in the auto industry!

My short bio: I am one of the engineers on the upcoming Mustang Mach-E, and an electric car aficionado. I’ve spent most of my career in the EV space, and have an auto passion going back to when my grandfather ran a garage. Currently polishing up the vehicle for release in a few months, but have worked across all the vehicles of the past generation and the modules therein. While I’d love to answer anything, until the vehicle releases I will have to be a bit conservative with my responses for confidentiality. Bring it on!

My Proof:

View attachment 1335

Q: Where did you go to school?
How long have you been in the project?
Also, was this vehicle intended to be branded a a mustang from the inception? Or did marketing come in later and give it the name?

Answer:
So I went to school for Mechanical Engineering, and joined the project 3yrs back.​
It was actually originally a compliance car, then a Ford branded sporty EV, then a Mustang! There’s a great making-of video with the evolution and story over at the Mach-E subreddit!​


Q: Does this mean the Mustang is going to be a crossover from now on?

Answer:
Nope, the new generation Mustang coupe is in development, actually! Going to be a special one, too.​
One thing I like people to appreciate is that the Mach-E is actually helping to keep the Mustang coupe safe. With fuel regulations, pony cars are actually in a terrible place from a governmental perspective. It’s surprising how few people know about it, but GM actually has cancelled all future Camaros and they have been discontinued.​
The Mach-E is one of the main reasons we are able to commit to keeping Mustang ICE around for a long, long time!​


Q: Just wish they had picked a different model name and not slathered Mustang looking bits on an otherwise good looking vehicle.

Answer:
I think that once people see it in person they’ll appreciate just how well the Mustang elements have been translated into the car. It’s a VERY difficult vehicle to photograph well because of some of the optical illusions the design team worked in.​
I think it’s really faithful to the Mustang heritage and was calibrated by the real mustang engineers at Ford Performance. The GT particularly is amazing, and the low center of gravity and pickup from the torque of the electric motor really make it sporty. I think you’ll be impressed. Check out the Making the Mach-E video they’ve published on YouTube!​


Q: What kind of motors do you use? Asyncronos or syncronos? And are the driver electronics custon made or a off-the-shelf part?

Answer:
All our parts are custom designed, using automotive suppliers. There are some modules that are getting closer to standardized as time goes on, but it’s extraordinarily infrequent you can even use the same part in the same platform on a different vehicle without tweaks (different cooking because of different packaging location, etc.)​
Our motors are permanent magnet AC, though I don’t think giving out too much info is a good way to keep the good people at Ford happy. What I can say is that our HP and KW specs are published on our site and that we have two versions for the Mach-E, one large and one small. GT gets the large ones, of course ;)


Q: How much more difficult would it be to develop commercial electric buses than cars? Does the larger mass make it easier or harder? Are there any vehicles or form factors (e.g. skateboards, bikes) that are substantially easier to develop e-versions of?

Answer:
Well one of our next products is the electric transit van, so not that hard! Energy density is a thing, and one of the benefits of buses is that they have a large amount of battery packaging space per amount of energy they consume, and most of their energy consumption is low-speed (where EVs thrive) and stop-and-go where EV regenerative braking is perfect.​
Ideally, you want the most aerodynamic form possible, with as little rolling resistance as possible. Wheel size is a huge deal for EVs, which is why you see those strange 18" aero wheels on Tesla. Regenerative braking doesn't work once you're going a certain slow-enough speed because the coils in the brakes don't generate enough voltage. So under 5mph you reaaallllyy need to be efficient.​
I think that the crossover and sedan form factors are best for EVs. Trucks are hard, full SUVs are hard, but Buses are good because they operate in the right circumstances and allow for much greater battery capacity because of the floorspace. You want to avoid that middle ground where aerodynamic losses and small between-frame space means you're in the uncanny valley of inefficiency and battery storage space.​


Q: Can't wait for the performance model to hit the market. Is it going to handle my -42 centigrade winters?

Answer:
OEM spec! We’ve got a great hearing/cooling system in here, but for any EV you’re going to want to make sure you condition that battery whenever you park. Being that cold, lithium batteries actually can’t output as much charge, so the vehicle will typically heat itself up (including the cabin) right before you leave. So plug in whenever you park and the vehicle will keep you ready to go!​
Though I suppose more in keeping with your question- yes, the vehicle meets the same temp ratings as any of our other vehicles, whereas I know a lot of other OEMs will chop off the hot/cold ends of the typical -50C to 60C that is typically OEM grade.​


Q: Extremely excited to see the mach-e in person. Will you be getting one as your everyday driver?

Answer:
I'm strongly considering it! I've got my reservation right now and am trying to figure out if I want it not or if I want to save up for the GT. The benefit for working here is you get to see what's coming next too, so sometimes it can get really tempting!​


Q: What’s your impression of the response to the Mach-E by the Ford corporation at large? In terms of tooling for the auto plant, how modular is the Mach-E? Is the build easy to replicate across auto building facilities.

Answer:
  1. I think that the whole company is really impressed with the vehicle. People REALLY tried on this car, and it shows. Everyone put in more effort than the typical workweek just because they wanted to, and I know I personally was driven to do the same. This one got us all excited. There’s always going to be a bit of condescension from the diehard and legacy ICE crowd but for the most part the reception is one of pride. A lot of people are pre-ordering.
  2. So like any vehicle we try to keep the platform common for multiple cars. As far as powertrain goes, we mentioned that this is our GE1 platform, which will be common with several other upcoming vehicles. As far as tooling the top hat and things, you never want to move that around too much. Building the same vehicle at a different plant might as well be building a brand new car. People are people at the end of the day, and you have to retrain operators and move specialized tools and equipment. Big cost and not typically done.

Q: What’s the coolest thing about the new Ford Mustang Mach-E? Any cool features?

Answer:
Oh jeesh, personally I’m really taken with the design but I’d have to say the new Sync system is a standout, which is the infotainment system. The tactile knob and 15.5” screen is really wonderful, and the system itself is I think going to be the best in the industry. The processor and memory for it allows it to run so fluidly and be futureproofed, and the GUI is just top notch, allowing you so both use the in-car system and Andoid/Apple CarPlay. This is nice because I know most people usually have to choose between systems whereas now you can split the screen in half and have the best of both worlds.​
Another one that hasn’t gotten talked about much yet and is really going to set the vehicle apart is just behind the steering wheel. If you look closely, you’ll see the facial monitoring camera (not in a creepy way, stays in the vehicle) which allows future ‘autopilot’ features to be enabled without holding the wheel like in a Tesla. It’s actually really nice because it allows a much more natural experience and you can rest your arms.​

Q: Will those hand free features be released for free over the air? I've sen that they're being released OTA, but haven't seen a confirmation that it will be free.

Answer:
This one Still forthcoming, sorry. Suffice to say it will be an analogous situation to the Tesla ownership experience.​

Q: Hopefully we'll get that information soon. As someone who has a Mach E on pre-order. This is very important information to me (and I'm sure others in my situation).

Answer:
There’s going to be a ton more information closer to launch, but suffice to say I wouldn’t worry. The dealers are actually going to be getting a wealth of information too, so feel free to reach out to them as it gets closer to the release date!​
Q: Is there currently any plans or information (that you can talk about without violating nda's haha) on the OTA updates? Also what are you thoughts in general on OTA updates?

Answer:
OTA was a massive push for this vehicle. It's going to be amazing. Every single piece and module of this car is connected and talking, both to each other and to your infotainment.​
What this allows is for a dramatic improvement to the ownership experience because we can diagnose problems before things break, tell you about them, or maybe even fix them with a patch without you having to go to the dealer.​
We also of course have loads of features that will come down the pipes. Self driving capabilities etc are big ones.​


Q: Two more battery-related questions:

What battery capacity is reserved on the Mach-E? Is it 80% usable? 90% usable? Or, is that still being determined?

Is the DCFC rate ever going to be increased or is the 150kW max based on wiring sizes?


Answer:
Oh man if there wasn't a question that I was less allowed to answer. Suffice to say that Tesla is famous for and even previously sued for advertising too much usable capacity. We are MUCH more conservative than that. We're still calibrating and figuring it our for a few more months.​
And, to answer the second without answering the second, do you really think that anyone would put that much extra copper wire in a car to support 350kW and not use it? DCFC rates destroy batteries, and Tesla is pretty much the only vehicle OEM that has as much parallel cell structure to avoid catastrophic damage from DCFC rates like that.​
Q: What are your thoughts on the direction Tesla took EV cars? One of the things I've seen online that I agree with, as a Telsa owner myself, is that Tesla shouldn't be making cars. They should instead be making drive trains and frames, then let companies that are actually GOOD at building cars build them.

Answer:
Hm. Insert classic my opinions don't represent that of the company statement here.​
TBH I love what Tesla has done for EVs. Simultaneously, their engineering is some of the worst shit I have ever seen in any industry. It's often horrifying. Their tech and engineering in battery and HV electronics and harnessing outpaces the industry by 5yrs easy, but their logistics and quality is so poor I'm astonished that the things have as few problems as they do.​
I've torn down dozens of vehicles. When we opened our Model 3 when it first came out, it had loose screws dropped randomly in the chassis near sensitive components. The fit and finish of the alignment of panels is ridiculous. Their electronics frequently flaunt safety guidelines and do not meet UL regulations.​
So that being said, yes their engineering is top notch. They create custom solutions for vehicle programs that other OEMs could only dream due to the fact that they contract manufacture all of their parts rather than hire auto supplier companies to design it for them. A custom vehicle part for an OEM is 3x the cost of what it would be for Tesla, and the quality of the electronics when you build it in-house is far better than what you can get by adapting an industry design.​
I think what you'll see going forward, and what we are doing, is more work on commonized platforms. The VW MEB platform, the Rivian Skateboard platform, the LG chem battery platform, our GE1/2 platform. The auto industry knows that these are the ways of the future, rather than shopping together a bunch of parts into whatever random model year marketing wanted to serve up. These platforms are major advancements and take billions of dollars, and frankly they raise the barrier to entry to compete to such a level that even established OEMs are getting squeezed out. Partnerships are becoming more and more common, because if you spend 6yrs developing a platform that is noncompetitive for long enough to recoup your losses or isn't as technologically advanced as your competitors even once, then you're done.​
Anyways. I think that's why you see Ford's recent investments in Rivian and the Lincoln BEV coming out by them in the next few years. Platforms are the new gold. Tesla builds amazing custom electronics and motors. We're doing the same thing but everyone has some catching up to do, but I think we pulled off something pretty amazing and the powertrain isn't the only reason people buy a car- they want souls.​
In my personal opinion, I don't think Tesla is as good at building cars, both from a design/user experience perspective and from a manufacturing/logistics/process perspective, as almost all other OEMs. Does that mean they shouldn't make cars? Hell no. That platform is something that you can ride to the bank, but at the same time I think you can see in how the Mach-E stacks up the to Model Y that it's not that hard to make a car that has a soulful identity that resonates with customers that has a great powertrain as well. Cars are emotional creatures and that's something that Tesla could do better IMO.​
Q: Since you have started your job what has been the biggest change that has impacted your job?

Answer:
Really the industry is moving so quickly. This vehicle was one of the fastest times we ever made a car. There’s a great making-of video that Ford published for the car, but originally it was supposed to be like the Bolt! A little compliance car vehicle, very unexciting and made for efficiency, essentially something we make because our average vehicle mpg has to be below a certain value and this drags it up. We tore the whole vehicle up from scratch just as it was almost done!! What came out of it is so much better, and we’re much more proud of it this way, but it was a heck of a whiplash for the engineers to readapt everything to the new requirements.​
Q: From an engineering perspective, what separates the Mach-E from the other current EV competition?

Answer:
I think that as far as powertrain goes, ours wasn’t designed to be compliance but really performance. Besides Tesla, no other Major OEM is out there offerings an affordable sporty vehicle.​
What that translates to is that the powertrain is really responsive and high performing with some nonstandard components you won’t find outside of Tesla. Features-wise, the autonomy and infotainment systems are really going to be class-leading. Tesla has a great head start but I think we’ve made a significant competitor with not much time. And if hazard to say that our infotainment and cluster outclass them.​
Q: Speaking of performance, there are other vehicles being announced with faster 0-60 times at the same or lower price points - any chance that Ford is trying to beat the specs that were originally announced?

Same question on range, given the recent increases in the Model Y's supposed range.


Answer:
So range and 0-60 are really something that auto makers design for and then fine tune with vehicle settings and testing over the course of month. Then there’s a whole nother later to it in how you choose to certify via the EPA. You could certify the same vehicle via the EPA with different paperwork and turn out with a 30mi difference in range, but effectively the same real world range.​
Anyways, in regards to the Mach-E it’s still in testing. We have announced our targets but of course are working to meet/exceed them.​
As for the lower price points, I think one major advantage we have over something like the Model Y Performance is that our vehicle is more targeted at meeting federal and state rebates. In EV rebate states, we have at times a close to $10k price advantage over a model y once you run the numbers.​
Q: Does the Mach-E come pre equipped with level 2-3 driver assistance hardware as standard? Also with potential ota updates, can the Mach-E have granular ability to updates of firmware of car subsystems ( like power/braking curves)without a dealer visit?

Answer:
This one I’m not as qualified to answer, but to my understanding all DAT (driver assistance tech) hardware is completely standard. Cameras, radars, ultrasonics, etc. On our website our Ford Copilot 360 2.0 is completely standard, with some additional features like auto park available as optional upgrades on our lowest trim.​
As for OTA, we will be upgrading the vehicle constantly, with a lot of capabilities being added to from launch. All modules and infotainment are upgradable in the same way that Tesla owners have come to expect.​
You're getting a lot for your money with a Mach-E is all I'll say. It's an astounding value, incredibly feature-complete, and the incentives/rebates available for it make it astonishing in EV states. It's something to seriously consider if you're going to be buying in a few months.​
Q: Is your opinion on the name the same as literally every Mustang owner on the planet? Did marketing tell you guys up front it was going to be an SUV with the Mustang name?

I gotta be honest: if you called it anything else I'd be a fan but marketing took the wrong name. It baffles me that they didn't call it the Lightning.

I own a 67 and a 14 GT. Buying a new one in 12 months.


Answer:
As strange as it may sound, even within the company everything is need-to-know, so while I was aware of the name change many of my coworkers were not.​
The name decision is a polarizing one, but there's two big reasons for it. 1) It's most aligned with what the vehicle is designed to do - which is attract our younger buyers with a sense of freedom and sport, in order to compete with the positive name recognition of Tesla, and 2) This vehicle is actually one of the primary reasons we're able to keep the Mustang nameplate alive whereas GM has discontinued the Camaro. New fuel regulations really put Pony cars in a pit of despair and unless you have something like an EV to counterbalance the fuel economy losses it's not financially sustainable to keep the Pony nameplate alive.​
At any rate, are we thrilled? Depends on who you ask. Is it a Mustang? Dave Pericek was really hard to convince, but he's a Mach-E supporter now, particularly on the GT. It brings an entirely new experience to the brand and the special qualities of the EV, such as the low center of gravity and electric low-end torque makes this thing an amazing contribution to the brand. It's fun, and it is really beautiful in person. The interior is nicer than any Mustang we've ever produced, and the best part about it is that because of the Mach-E we get to keep the S750 program.​
I think people are in for a surprise once they test drive it. It scares our test vehicle engineers, and they drive GT350's on the regular.​
Q: Technician here. When you design cars, do you guys factor in how difficult it is to replace certain parts?

Answer:
Yes. Not as much as you would like, we're mostly focused on getting the dern thing to work. Sometimes we've gotta cram it in somewhere to get it to work/fit right. My family used to run a garage, I feel your pain. Modern cars are much more difficult to design cheaply, and computers mean that the packaging teams can get stupidly creative with the ridiculous places they put our modules.​
That being said the Mach-E is ridiculously easy to service. Huge priority for us.​
Q: Do you think it's safe for drivers to look at their phones while driving? If your answer is no then why should a car come with a screen with no ability to change climate or other controls without looking at said screen.

Answer:
No. Our vehicle is the first to offer a driver-console screen in front of the wheel so that they do not have to avert their gaze, and also has complete voice controls and a full-featured steering wheel compared to our competitors. When you place your phone on the charging pad, we actually lock out its controls.​
Moreover, we're also the first to have a tactile control built into our screen so you don't have to look off the road to adjust things. Shift dial, and other physical essential controls are also still present.​
You can change any parameter in the Mach-E, including climate, either via steering wheel, tactile wheel, or preferably voice.​
Q: Besides the mustang line, what's the next platform that is going EV from Ford? What else is cooking? Is Ford doing their own "Autopilot"?

Answer:
Oh yes, our Driver Assistance Tech department is amazing, and we own Argo AI for autonomy development. We actually just bought an old train station in downtown Detroit designed by the architect behind Grand Central Station in NY and are turning it into our new Autonomy campus! We're introducing handsfree driving tech with the Mach-E.​
Right now, our system is called Ford Co-Pilot 360 2.0.​
Q: Why is the mustang interior so cheesy with the low quality plastic? Been that way for years, awesome body, barbie jeep interior.

Answer:
Oh man, the Mach-E interior is probably the nicest interior we offer outside of Lincoln, it's jaw-dropping..​
Definitely the nicest interior ever offered in a mustang. The quality is insane in this vehicle, people really went the extra mile to design it and the buyers are going to feel the value. Which I understand sounds like marketing but I assure you I'm saying this as someone with very high standards and no relationship to the interiors department.​
Q: 1.) I know that ground clearance is closer to that of a sedan, but how is the ride height? Are you sitting any higher because it’s a crossover?

2.) Will reservation holders be able to drive a Mach E before finalizing an order?

3.) This is probably more of a sales question, but any idea of what the option packages and associated pricing will look like on the GT trim? I would love to know what differentiates a regular GT from a GT Performance Edition!


Answer:
  1. EVs tend to have lower ride height because the battery contribution to the curb weight and the fact that the aerodynamics are such a high requirement and lower ride heights help that. Our ride heights are published, it's around 6" if I recall. Slightly lower on GT.
  2. Yes! Every dealership that carries EVs (~2000) will have a Mach-E dedicated to test drives! Please drive it, it's so much fun.
  3. GT options are going to be interesting, I sadly don't know that much about them, but you can get a good idea about them on the website trim comparison matrix which calls out which features are optional. Key among them are the glass roof. Adding certain things decreases range/speed so we want people to be able to pick the options they want balanced with performance!

Q: People are used to a car having certain features, an aesthetic, a form; and too many changes drives (ha) people away.

What are some design feature of the Mac E which reflect old expectations or petrol based design features? What are some new design characteristics which were only possible with a new drive technology?


Answer:
That's an awesome question.​
I think that the lower center of gravity and acceleration curve for the electric powertrain, applied to the tuning of a mustang suspension, is just the most amazing feeling. It allows us to make a vehicle that just feels surreal, with smooth acceleration and slalom that feels effortless.​
For this vehicle particularly, the interpretation of the design cues and tuning of the performance to Mustang expectations was a real challenge. They're difficult to capture, and even more difficult to make ring true.​
I think my personal favorite thing that we were able to bring to this car, is that in a Mustang, it's about the experience of power, freedom, exhilaration and individuality. The Mustang is a 'Me' car, while this vehicle is a 'We' car. You can enjoy it with others, and it wants to join you along the activities of your life even more than a Mustang does, it is going to be there for all the places and daytrips that a Mustang coupe might feel a bit out of place.​
Additionally, the drive modes that we have built in are a fascinating application of how tunable performance is possible in an electric vehicle. It drives completely different and can be changed based on your moods, called 'Whisper', 'Engage', and 'Unbridled'.​
That being said, I think that the biggest thing we've accomplished with the Mach-E is bringing a soul and a love of cars and driving to EVs. Forgive the liberty, but car culture is fundamentally dying. Electrification is a stop on the journey towards autonomy. This car is a lovesong to driving and car culture, interpreted in an entirely new way. This car has such a spirit and a soul, just as a Mustang does, and it brings that soul to a new generation of vehicles that so far have been so, well, sterile. They don't embody the American spirit or the freedom and passion of an automobile. A famous industrial designer who made the original Mustang once said that the true mark of whether he had made a lasting and iconic design was whether or not he would want to clean and polish it, to wipe a towel over it in his driveway and appreciate it as he washed it. This is the sort of vehicle that you'll be able to do that in, and that is the biggest thing to bring with us into EVs.​
Q: What's the ratio of SW engineers to mechanical engineers on the team and do you feel you have the right mix.?

Answer:
That's hard for me to answer because the software team is actually in a different building. We have about 1000 engineers just on the powertrain, and about 6x that in the suppliers. The software team is in Sync, and they tend to be able to be tighter on headcount because programmers are much more productive than hardware engineers, just by virtue of the fact that their work is self-contained and doesn't require physical prototyping.​
In answer to the heart of your question, I definitely feel like the software is going to be incredibly rich and polished, and equally so with the hardware. There definitely isn't any lack of attention paid to either side.​
Q: How is it that Tesla got so far ahead of everyone in developing EV technology? How much of an advantage is Tesla’s Supercharger network?

Answer:
Honestly they design everything in-house and had a startup atmosphere with no ICE vehicles to distract them. Plus they acquire and hire some of the best experts out there.​
The network is a great advantage for owners, but the CCS network is expanding rapidly, and you can take any major highway in the country now with DCFC alone today. I think the benefits will sharply decline, and turn into a negative eventually - there will eventually be far more CCS cars than Tesla, unless they think they're going to be the size of +12 historic OEMs combined.​
Q: Would you choose the the Mach e over Tesla's current lineup?

Answer:
I would, they're a lot more economical for most models especially with incentives, and I think that the design is much more human and engaging. I've ridden in Tesla's and while the battery tech is great, I really think that most people don't use the superchargers that often and that the vehicle itself is rather unappealing and unpleasant to spend time in. Feels impersonal. I don't feel that way about the Mach-E, and not just because I designed it. Run some numbers, just from a price standpoint alone the fact that we qualify for more state/federal incentives puts us thousands below.​
Q: Will electric cars make a lot of mechanics skills obsolete? Or do they translate to electric cars?

Answer:
The traditional parts of the car like shocks and such are still there, so you'll still need to replace the tie rods, etc. However no oil changes, transmission flushes, brake replacements infrequently, etc.​
Yes. The skills will be largely obsolete, but the new skills are great. Once we get past this initial part where no one can fix modules, so they're just swapped out and plugged in, then there will be a lot of work. But it will be soldering, and opening packs, and resealing them, and swapping high voltage modules, and things that are completely foreign. We're going through that process of training dealers now.​
Q: How is Ford investing into charging infrastructure for those who don't have chargers at home?

Answer:
So J1772 is an open source standard, unlike Tesla's superchargers. One thing I like to highlight is how Tesla needed to build their network because their connector is proprietary and no one else was going to do it for them.​
With the CCS connector, every other OEM uses it, so companies like Electrify America are creating networks themselves. We as an OEM simply unify the experience so that you can pay just by plugging in, instead of having to swipe cards or make accounts. Makes the experience fairly comparable.​
That being said, one of the main points of ownership of an EV is the requirement of charging at home. You don't necessarily need to but you miss one of the key benefits of ownership which is waking up with a full tank every morning.​
I like to say the example of the marketing study where they asked everyone if they would like it if a small trickle of gasoline was run by pipe into your garage, and you put a nozzle into your tank every night so that you woke up with a full tank every morning. Everyone responded that would be amazing! And that they would never go to a gas station unless they went on a car trip. When you ask the same question about EVs, they just don't make the connection. It's a huge benefit to ownership.​
Q: What do you think of EV designs that use a separate motor on each wheel? There seem to be a lot of advantages especially where mechanical parts can be minimized, there can be more software control, and the same basic system used in many models.

Answer:
I think it's ridiculously expensive and inefficient, though fun. Rivian can do 360deg turns on a dime, but really you just pay a huge premium for the extra equipment and extra batteries to power them. One thing that people forget is that motors consume power even while they're spinning, since they're both motors and generators. so adding more has more losses.​
Realistically single motor vehicles are ideal, but dual motors are a close second for AWD advantages and additional weight ability.​
Q: Why did you choose to put the charge port on the driver's front quarter panel? So you can have a larger frunk? Some other reason that I'm missing? I have a Nissan Leaf and I think the port on the front of the car makes the most sense as far as ease of charging goes (second choice would be in the rear). My home charger is on the passenger side of my garage wall, so to charge the Mach-E I would have to drag my cord around the car to plug in, or rig up some sort of suspended cord set up. I charged up my buddy's Model 3 once in my garage and had a similar issue with its inconvenient port placement. Plus, at public charging stations you will have plugs sticking out the side of the car, which seems like it would be more vulnerable to people bumping into it.
Answer:
Eh it usually just comes down to how all the parts come together for efficiency and convenience. All our current EVs have them there I believe, Aviator, Escape, Corsair, Fusion, Mach-E.​
But you might want a new charger anyways as the Mach-E likely draws more power than your Leaf!​
Q: Is there anything unannounced for the Mach-E that you think will surprise customers?

Answer:
The OTA is really going to bring some special things. Stay tuned!​
Q: Tesla is crazy expensive to do collision repair on, even for small damage, what are they doing wrong here, and what are you doing to keep repair costs affordable?

Answer:
The same service model for our ICE vehicles will be used for the Mach-E, so a ton of service centers are available and we have an entire division of the company dedicated to this. Our warranty also is a ton more comprehensive than Tesla's, with all powertrain components covered by 8yrs, instead of just the battery in Tesla.​
Q: Why would I want to trade in my performance model 3 for one of these? All the stuff I’m hearing about being so innovative is stuff tesla has already pioneered.

Answer:
I think if the vehicle registers personally with you, then the powertrain is comparable enough and the incentives are stellar. I'd get inside one and see how it feels.​
Really, the vehicle has such a soul and some standout features over Tesla, just some nice quality of life improvements. The vehicle is really emotional too, you just feel good inside the car and it feels like it's yours.​
Some examples of features are the interior quality, driver-centered console screen, facial recognition for 'autopilot' instead of hands on the wheel, heated steering wheel, rear braking assist, etc.​
Q: Thanks for doing this! I know that the Mustang Mach E has three different drive modes. I've been curious if there is an individual mode where I can have the benefits of Unbridled but have the acceleration sound turned off?

Also if you've driven a Model 3, how would you compare the B&O system in the Mach E to the Tesla Premium Sound System?


Answer:
The acceleration sound can be turned off individually!​
The B&O system is really awesome, I would say the positioning of the speakers was done really well. The one in the dash just blows you away, it's a big sub. Ford was one of the pioneers with high quality sound systems so we've got a lot of experience with it, this one is amazing. Mustangs have always had a special team dedicated to making high end sound packages and the same one worked on this, except it's on all trims above the base!​
Edit: Didn't really answer your question, I think that this one has a bit more color to it than the Tesla one, the Tesla one has a really flat response (like a monitor), whereas ours has some bright sound and a strong bass. The locations of the speakers also makes it feel really immersive and all around you compared to the 3, I felt like I could tell right what speakers were pointing at me.​
 
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Billyk24

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Thanks for the interesting inside information.
 

silverelan

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What do you guys make of his answer to this question about high powered charging?

do you really think that anyone would put that much extra copper wire in a car to support 350kW and not use it? DCFC rates destroy batteries, and Tesla is pretty much the only vehicle OEM that has as much parallel cell structure to avoid catastrophic damage from DCFC rates like that.

I read it two ways. Either they aren't going to go more than 150kW because it'll kill the batteries or they've wired it to handle 350kW but may be conservative in winding up the wattage.

Which way do you read it?
 

4pac

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That was pretty amazing. Things like keeping the Mustang name alive with EVs and the example of GM and the camero was something I hadnt thought or heard about. This really builds excitement for the vehicle and gives a good perspective on it rather than people guessing on a message board without actually trying it out.
 

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That’s really cool, what does everyone think?
 
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I read it two ways. Either they aren't going to go more than 150kW because it'll kill the batteries or they've wired it to handle 350kW but may be conservative in winding up the wattage.

Which way do you read it?
This is how I understood it: MME's wiring is sized such that it has suitably low resistance to support 150 kW charging, but isn't suitable (i.e. the wires are not thick enough) for 350 kW. Also, DCFC is bad for battery longevity. 350 kW charging has a larger impact to the long term battery life than 150 kW, but neither one is great for the battery.
 
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I can only take so much credit. I pointed to the AMA, but the mods copied everything over to the site. This was definitely an interesting Q & A... Hope the employee doesn't end up in trouble for doing it (given the deletion).
 

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What do you guys make of his answer to this question about high powered charging?

do you really think that anyone would put that much extra copper wire in a car to support 350kW and not use it? DCFC rates destroy batteries, and Tesla is pretty much the only vehicle OEM that has as much parallel cell structure to avoid catastrophic damage from DCFC rates like that.

I read it two ways. Either they aren't going to go more than 150kW because it'll kill the batteries or they've wired it to handle 350kW but may be conservative in winding up the wattage.

Which way do you read it?
I read it as they wired it for 150kw because they didn't follow tesla's design AND they don't want to kill the battery. His other allusion to Tesla's harmful approach to small battery buffer leads me to believe they intentionally did things differently to conserve the battery's lifetime.
 

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That was pretty amazing. Things like keeping the Mustang name alive with EVs and the example of GM and the camero was something I hadnt thought or heard about. This really builds excitement for the vehicle and gives a good perspective on it rather than people guessing on a message board without actually trying it out.
This is precisely the kind of thing Ford should have done officially. It's been over 2 months since the announcement with nothing new and very little information other than the marketing speak at the release. Nothing kills buzz/excitement like silence, and the recent "update" emails with the same information from launch just feels like they're bored with the car already themselves.
 

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I can only take so much credit. I pointed to the AMA, but the mods copied everything over to the site. This was definitely an interesting Q & A... Hope the employee doesn't end up in trouble for doing it (given the deletion).
me too. He/She should be commended for doing what should have been done through official channels by Ford.
 

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I read it as they wired it for 150kw because they didn't follow tesla's design AND they don't want to kill the battery. His other allusion to Tesla's harmful approach to small battery buffer leads me to believe they intentionally did things differently to conserve the battery's lifetime.
I read it as the mach e is wired to handle 350 but will ramp up conservatively. High charging rates will create heat and the software will kick in to ramp down the excess. Ea stations have 150 to 350 kWh capacity and why not have the ability to use all even if it is for short durations. 5 minutes for 75 miles? As for the poster, I bet this is an official release done without a true advertising cost such as Elon does with tweets to drive stock prices.
 

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As for the poster, I bet this is an official release done without a true advertising cost such as Elon does with tweets to drive stock prices.
That was my thinking also. The ‘rogue engineer’ generating a bit of a buzz. I’ve no problem with it though, it’s still good to learn more about it.
 

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Q: Extremely excited to see the mach-e in person. Will you be getting one as your everyday driver?

Answer:

I'm strongly considering it! I've got my reservation right now and am trying to figure out if I want it not or if I want to save up for the GT. The benefit for working here is you get to see what's coming next too, so sometimes it can get really tempting!

That last sentence makes me wonder!
 

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What do you guys make of his answer to this question about high powered charging?

do you really think that anyone would put that much extra copper wire in a car to support 350kW and not use it? DCFC rates destroy batteries, and Tesla is pretty much the only vehicle OEM that has as much parallel cell structure to avoid catastrophic damage from DCFC rates like that.

I read it two ways. Either they aren't going to go more than 150kW because it'll kill the batteries or they've wired it to handle 350kW but may be conservative in winding up the wattage.

Which way do you read it?
Completely reading between the lines, but combing that non answer (how much copper wire is in the Mach-E and how parallel is it in it's charging?) along with comment about possibly waiting for GT and what's coming next.... my guess is the GT will as it will also need more copper to support a stronger draw on the batters for the faster acceleration.
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