New Guy Here

[Terp94]

Just starting to do research and brand new to EV’s. I had a BMW Coupe (manual), and now have an Audi S4. So I’m thinking about a ‘23 GTPE.
I thought about Porsche Taycan or BMW i4 but as I get older, I’m leaning towards a sporty SUV. As I look into other electric SUV’s (Audi, KIA, etc) they all have reliability issues which keeps bringing me back to MME. I like the Chevy Equinox EV RS looks but the interior looks cheap and it lack performance.
I have an old house (1937) so I’ll have to figure out the whole charging thing. Will level 1 suffice? Sorry for rambling on. I’m just dipping my toes in the EV waters.

Don

Sponsored

 

[Mark813]

If you're buying used I think you'll get plenty of depreciation out of a 2024 GT which has still has the big frunk whereas the 2025 has the smaller frunk.

2025 models have the latest version of Ford Blue cruise and are still selling for 0% at 72 months which makes an interesting calculation versus a used vehicle at 5-7% interest. If you don't do many miles leasing maybe the better way to go since these depreciate and the tech may improve in 3 years compared to what we have today.

To your question about home charging, I charge on 120 volts at home and supplement with DC fast charging locally.

When I had a remote job most days it just stayed plugged in and if I go out and use the vehicle plug it in when I come home. But you will always be charging and that may or may not bother you.

The second half of this year I've been more outside sales so I'll use a lot more juice. I use the DC fast Chargers locally while still plugging in when I come home every night. As much as 120 volt charging is slow you still get 30 to 40 mi of range added it every night.

My area of Central Florida near Tampa has plenty of Tesla Electrify America EVgo EVConnect Chargers. I think this would be key for you to check your area and see how many DC fast Chargers by you.

Download all the apps for the brands above and see if they have chargers near you. Also download an app called plug share. This will show you what DC fast Chargers are near you and what speeds they're charging at. You want to look for 100 KW speeds and higher.

But saying 1937 electrical system is not the same as saying 50 amp panel 100 amp panel. Definitely check what you have with the local electrician

Houses in Florida have to be certified electrically at certain points. We can't run a 1937 electrical system and get homeowners insurance.

At some point these things get updated and your house may have been updated to current standards of 100 amp panels versus the new construction 200 amp panels in most of the builders around here.

Or you might be running a 50 amp panel but an electrician can tell you if they can put in a subpanel or that you need to update the whole electrical system

You'll want to see about a 240 volt install which would refill your vehicle over 8 hours of sleep give or take. This is really what you should be doing if you're going to buy an EV.

If you charge at night may not stress your panel since you're sleeping and not using the lights and dishwashers dryers etc.

 

[Mark813]

Oh there's some complaints about the suspension on the premium and select models. The GT and rally models have a magneride suspension which gets better reviews. Read the threads about the suspension updates with Rally Springs

 

[AliRafiee]

iX3?

 

[Terp94]

If you're buying used I think you'll get plenty of depreciation out of a 2024 GT which has still has the big frunk whereas the 2025 has the smaller frunk.

2025 models have the latest version of Ford Blue cruise and are still selling for 0% at 72 months which makes an interesting calculation versus a used vehicle at 5-7% interest. If you don't do many miles leasing maybe the better way to go since these depreciate and the tech may improve in 3 years compared to what we have today.

To your question about home charging, I charge on 120 volts at home and supplement with DC fast charging locally.

When I had a remote job most days it just stayed plugged in and if I go out and use the vehicle plug it in when I come home. But you will always be charging and that may or may not bother you.

The second half of this year I've been more outside sales so I'll use a lot more juice. I use the DC fast Chargers locally while still plugging in when I come home every night. As much as 120 volt charging is slow you still get 30 to 40 mi of range added it every night.

My area of Central Florida near Tampa has plenty of Tesla Electrify America EVgo EVConnect Chargers. I think this would be key for you to check your area and see how many DC fast Chargers by you.

Download all the apps for the brands above and see if they have chargers near you. Also download an app called plug share. This will show you what DC fast Chargers are near you and what speeds they're charging at. You want to look for 100 KW speeds and higher.

But saying 1937 electrical system is not the same as saying 50 amp panel 100 amp panel. Definitely check what you have with the local electrician

Houses in Florida have to be certified electrically at certain points. We can't run a 1937 electrical system and get homeowners insurance.

At some point these things get updated and your house may have been updated to current standards of 100 amp panels versus the new construction 200 amp panels in most of the builders around here.

Or you might be running a 50 amp panel but an electrician can tell you if they can put in a subpanel or that you need to update the whole electrical system

You'll want to see about a 240 volt install which would refill your vehicle over 8 hours of sleep give or take. This is really what you should be doing if you're going to buy an EV.

If you charge at night may not stress your panel since you're sleeping and not using the lights and dishwashers dryers etc.

Thank you so much. It is greatly appreciated!

iX3?

oh I’m very intrigued with the new iX3 but I’m looking at buying used. I let someone else take the initial depreciation hit.

 

[MacherAWD]

I tell friends call an electrician and get a quote on adding a charger, if it's $500 or $10k know before you start shopping. As for L1, depends on usage, less than 80 miles a day driven and being able to plug in every night is key. The L2 is much easier, charge every few days, leave the car in the driveway without concern.

 

[J5hort]

Level 1 would be OK if you are using as a daily driver and have a short commute. You'll only get about 4-5 miles of range per hour charging like that. I have a friend who uses Level 1 at home and I use at my family visits when I stay a weekend away about 100 miles from my house. I know there were recommendations on charging, but I have been charging to 100% every night for 5 years and have not had any problems.

So far as your vehicle selection, even my Select smokes my 420HP supercharged Jag, so do not underestimate the performance of this platform.

 

[PFISH1986]

I have a 22 premium and a 24 Rally, if you are looking for speed and fun, highly recommend the Rally. The premium is great and no slouch with comfort or speed, until you climb in the rally and it feels like a premium in steroids. The seats are more comfy, the ride is more smooth, and it’s just a world of difference.

I daily drive my premium around 50 miles round trip and plug it into the L1 every day when I get home and haven’t had any issues. We also have a L2 charger that’s a lot faster and more convenient, but it really depends on your commute. I would say that mileage does take a hit when it comes to commuting during the winter time, especially if you are using your heater so take that into consideration as well when looking for one for sure.

Good luck with your search and you won’t be disappointed at all with any Mach E you decide to go with. Cheers

 

[AEGinMD]

If OP "Terp" is a fellow Marylander, we may be neighbors! My house was also built in 1937-- but the electric panel was installed in the mid-80's & he L2 charger for my 22 Premium was the last thing my electrician could squeeze in. It required drilling through the block & brick basement wall but I considered the $900 a sound investment for ease of charging in my driveway. P.S. the original Ford-supplied charger is still working.

 

[dan_meh]

I’ve been very happy with the 2024 Premium. I bought new for a good deal and 0% financing. The MME has been a great first EV for me because it doesn’t ask me to make a bunch of decisions. There aren’t 5 levels of regenerative 1 pedal driving, for example. It’s on or off. The center screen has an opinion about how it works: you don’t have to “set up your infotainment.”

It’s been very reliable for me. I had a blown fuse in the high voltage junction box, but the nice folks here simply explained that it’s like any fuse, but it opens 50 amps of current, so that’s not something that I should be doing (and it’s a “battery out” job). But it’s had the new fuse for a year and it’s fine.

For a non-Tesla and non-Lucid, it’s been incredibly efficient for its size. And I don’t ev have the heat pump.

I can do EV routing with Apple Maps/Carplay (or Google Maps/Android Auto) and often do. As a testament to how good the integration is, my partner in life, but not in cars, took it to see friends in Long Island from DC, and I didn’t have to teach her some new nav system. She just used Apple, like share always does.

The Blue Oval Network is a great idea. I use it and it’s plug and charge. I know I could save a few bucks, but it’s a convenience charge.

You’re probably aware of the trade offs. None of these bother me, but you decide for yourself….

Yes, the tech is slow and behind the pack. The voice assistant isn’t useful. It doesn’t bother me and it’s been very reliable. I rented a Tesla for a while and had to reboot the car often. The software was super snappy but it sometimes went on strike. But if laggy software is going to bother you, maybe look elsewhere.

The suspension on the Select and Premium is benchmarked against shopping carts. at low speeds, it’s bad but not unbearable. At 35 MPH it’s ok. You feel the big hits, but it’s not as bad as you might think just reading the internet opinions. If you’re going for a GT, maybe it doesn’t matter anyway, but don’t discount a Select or Premium out of hand. Take one for a drive.

The DC Fast Charging isn’t awesome. It’s aggressively fine. And if you’re going to charge on 12 amps and supplement with DC fast charging, this might be the hardest downside. If you can 50kw charge while shopping, maybe it doesn’t matter, but think about it.

 

[Garbone]

My place was built in 27 but it had the electrical service upgraded in the late 90s. Plenty of space in the panel for a dual throw breaker, just put in a few feet of conduit and got a charger that lives outside with a 24 foot cord.

 

[dan_meh]

I have an old house (1937) so I’ll have to figure out the whole charging thing. Will level 1 suffice?

Forgot to say… we paid an electrician for his time to come up with a strategy for our 1973 panel. It was reasonable for what we got: a menu of options not just for an EV charger but also for other future proofing: an upgraded HVAC system, for example. He was here for about 30 minutes, wrote up his report in about an hour, and then spent 30 minutes with is explaining how he got to his options and what he recommended.

If you do this, get someone who knows your local codes and old houses.

 

[robi]

My 2 cents… Buying used is certainly going to save some dollars assuming you can find one with a well documented history and it wasn’t abused. I once considered myself an expert on finding good used cars because of my automotive knowledge. My last few attempts though have been disasters with the previous owners not revealing serious defects like a leaking sunroof that would dampen wiring caising multiple electrical issues. Incomplete or inaccurate CarFax reports and the way cars now get auctioned further muddy the waters. I have since vowed to only buy new cars at this point in my life and the 0% 72 month offer Ford still has going on the 2025 Mach E made that possible for me. I also see that they are now adding $3,000 cash off to that deal.. Still expensive but if you are committed to this vehicle long term as I am you get the latest version of an incredible car with the stalk shifter and heat pump. I also do not find the suspension overly harsh on my Premium so either they improved that on the 2025 or my ride standards are not the same as others. The would suggest taking one for a test drive to determine yourself.

 

[celestial_knight]

2024+ GTs have much better thermal endurance

2025s are the only car in the current Ford lineup with Blue Cruise 1.5. Not only its hands free, but its hands-on lane centering in the non Blue Cruise mapped zones is excellent

Really a great pleasure to drive / have it drive for me, and relieves a lot of burden. I also greatly prefer the shift stalk

There are some great deals on low mileage early GTPE’s, but they will not have nearly the same endurance.

Furthermore, with EVs there is the consideration of how they’ve treated the battery as well - even storing at high soc and/or in hot weather will fry it. See if you can get a vetted test of the battery capacity; I looked earlier this winter and some of the used car sites purportedly report it

The 2024s and before will have the original drive mode graphics (whisper - unbridled) which are excellent, but again only 2024+ GTs have upgraded motors and endurance, and only 2025+ can run the newest Blue Cruise. The original drive mode graphics also only play when all ADAS is off

Speaking of ADAS, previous years including I believe 2024 can run the third party comma open.pilot, but 2025s are encrypted apparently

2024s may be the sweet spot for performance + battery state + graphics + ADAS, if you’re ok with running third party ADAS.

Finally, 2023s and before have some discontinued colors, such as my profile pic

 

[Mark813]

Speaking of ADAS, previous years including I believe 2024 can run the third party comma open.pilot, but 2025s are encrypted apparently

2024s may be the sweet spot for performance + battery state + graphics + ADAS, if you’re ok with running third party ADAS.

I didn't realize they were locking it down from the comma open pilot software. I like the idea of paying $1,000 for comma instead of $500 for blue cruise.

Finally, 2023s and before have some discontinued colors, such as my profile pic

I have to assume cyber orange caused some back and forth discussions on the forum - it's yellow it's orange. The dress is gold the dress is green LOL

Sponsored