Extended Range EV or Battery EV

[DWIL]

Good morning, Mach-E family

I wanted to spark a discussion around the changes we’re seeing (and hearing about) with the F-150 Lightning, specifically the move toward a battery + gas-fed generator setup (often described as an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle, or EREV concept).

This seems like a big strategic shift, blending EV driving with onboard generation to reduce range anxiety and improve real-world usability, especially for trucks.

That got me thinking about us

Questions for the group:

Do you think Ford would ever extend EREV-style technology to the Mach-E, or should it remain a full BEV only?

Would a small onboard generator (range extender only, not drivetrain-driven) be a deal-breaker or a deal-maker for you?

Is this a smart bridge technology for the next 5–10 years, or a step backward from full electrification?

From a Mach-E owner’s perspective, what problem would this actually solve, if any?

I’m genuinely curious how others feel about this direction and whether it fits the Mach-E’s identity, or if it belongs strictly in trucks and larger platforms.

Looking forward to hearing different takes, pushback, and ideas. Let’s keep it constructive and forward-looking.

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[devmach-e]

This was already discussed a lot when the announcement of the Lightning cancellation came out last year. There were some very “spirited” exchanges.

 

[StevenC56]

We have our 25 Mach E GT and a 24 Lightning. We are OK with the range on both, and we have zero interest in a fuel burning vehicle ever again. Even if it's just a smaller engine to charge the batteries. You still have the noise, pollution and maintenance that we don't miss one little bit.

 

[AliRafiee]

There are different opinions based on what people use the truck for. The range of a BEV truck is extremely poor when towing big things. That’s the reason Ford is not able to sell enough and made the switch.

 

[RickMachE]

Dead horse already beaten enough here.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Do you think Ford would ever extend EREV-style technology to the Mach-E, or should it remain a full BEV only?

What I think is irrelevant, it’s what the executives at Ford think that matters. The mme in its present form is unlikely to ever be a EREV. There’s little room for the gas engine in the frunk for starters. Secondly, the mme uses a unique platform, it’s not based on the universal platform they’re supposedly building.

The most likely future I see for the mme is Ford allowing it to wither on the vine and die. There’s no longer any talk of a generation 2 mme, nor even a hint of a model refresh. The fact that it escaped the axe is only a stay of execution imo. You’re free to believe something else.

 

[StevenC56]

We don't tow except on a few occasions so our vehicles are strictly passenger vehicles. Occasional towing or small trailer towing should be all that any 1/2 ton pickup get used for anyway. (Although people have been abusing 1/2 ton pickups by towing in excess for years) Maybe a truck lineup with an F150 BEV like the Lightning plus F250 and F350 EREV's?

 

[ddeluce]

I think for vehicles whose range is heavily impacted by things like towing, an EREV might make sense. I think this applies mostly to the full size pick up market where towing capability is important. There maybe other use cases out there besides towing. Scout is targeting the off-road market with their EREV SUV. The price will have to be competitive with combustion models offering similar towing capability and dealers will have to convince buyers that EREVs are cheaper to operate (not something I'm not confident most will be able or willing to do).

The EREV is mostly about the economics of trading batteries for a combustion engine/generator system. In a full size truck, with their large batteries, reducing the battery by 50% does save a lot of money. Combined with a much improved towing range might make an EREV a winner. I'm not sure the economics work as well with a smaller crossover that has a smaller battery and isn't towing.

 

[DWIL]

Dead horse already beaten enough here.

Well, I'm sure that a lot of the topics discussed in this this forum have probably repeated its topic once or twice.

 

[RickMachE]

Seems like you're either using AI to write, or you can't complete a thought...

" So, how about this question; what are your thoughts on AI integrated technology into the "

My thoughts are AI shouldn't be allowed on forums or social media at all, and any AI content should be flagged as such. I don't want AI in my things without my permission. No AI phone, car, PC, tablet, ...

 

[DWIL]

Dead horse already beaten enough here.

One thing that often gets overlooked in EV discussions is design. The Ford Mustang Mach-E doesn’t try to look like a rolling appliance or a “space egg.” It looks like a car, and more importantly, it looks like a performance-inspired car.
The long hood, aggressive stance, muscular lines, and coupe-like profile immediately catch the eye. It appeals to people who appreciate proportions, presence, and emotion in a vehicle, not just efficiency numbers or software updates.

That matters.

For many buyers, the Mach-E is their first EV because it doesn’t feel like an EV. It feels familiar, sporty, and intentional. It bridges the gap between traditional car culture and electrification in a way most EVs simply don’t.

Love it or hate it, Ford understood something critical here: If you want people to adopt new technology, it helps when it looks and feels like something they already love.

And that’s where the Mach-E shines.

 

[DWIL]

What I think is irrelevant, it’s what the executives at Ford think that matters. The mme in its present form is unlikely to ever be a EREV. There’s little room for the gas engine in the frunk for starters. Secondly, the mme uses a unique platform, it’s not based on the universal platform they’re supposedly building.

The most likely future I see for the mme is Ford allowing it to wither on the vine and die. There’s no longer any talk of a generation 2 mme, nor even a hint of a model refresh. The fact that it escaped the axe is only a stay of execution imo. You’re free to believe something else.

I don’t disagree that Ford executives ultimately decide the product roadmap, but I think the conclusion here jumps a few steps ahead of the evidence.

You’re right on a few points:

The Mach-E in its current form is not realistically convertible to an EREV. Packaging alone makes that unlikely.

It’s on a dedicated platform, not a shared “universal” architecture.
Where I disagree is the assumption that those facts equal an inevitable death spiral.

Lack of public talk about a Gen-2 or refresh doesn’t automatically mean a product is being sunset. Ford, like most OEMs right now, has pulled back on long-range EV messaging while it reassesses demand, cost structure, and regulatory pressure. Silence is not the same thing as a decision.

Also, “withering on the vine” usually comes with stronger signals: canceled incentives, shrinking trims, dealer disengagement, or explicit internal leaks. What we’re seeing instead looks more like strategic pause, not execution.
Could Ford eventually retire the Mach-E? Absolutely. Every vehicle has a lifecycle.

But based on what’s publicly observable today, I’d say it’s too early to frame survival as a stay of execution rather than a recalibration.

Reasonable people can disagree, but I don’t think the evidence is as definitive as that conclusion suggests

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Pls stop trolling. This is a copy / paste from a recent thread where this same topic got discussed at length. You are a new member with zero history on this forum. You also can’t complete a sentence. So delete your account and find another forum to troll.

 

[RickMachE]

Reported

 

[DWIL]

Pls stop trolling. This is a copy / paste from a recent thread where this same topic got discussed at length. You are a new member with zero history on this forum. You also can’t complete a sentence. So delete your account and find another forum to troll.

Pardon me if my post came across as trolling, that was not the intent. I’m new here and, at the time, I had not gone back through prior threads on this topic. I had just become aware of the discussion around the F-150 moving toward an EREV-type approach and wanted to get a sense of where people currently stood.

I wasn’t trying to rehash old arguments or stir anything up, just asking a straightforward question and thinking it through in real time. Appreciate the feedback and the perspectives shared.

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