Watch! Interview: MME Chief Engineer Donna Dickson

[AllenXS]

Where’s BC 1.4? While I couldn’t possibly care less as there are zero BC roads here, others do.

On Hawaiian roads you wouldn’t even get into second gear.

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[AKgrampy]

Where’s BC 1.4? While I couldn’t possibly care less as there are zero BC roads here, others do.

I just drove on Oahu for a week visiting my grandson. Not sure I would want to use it if I had it! Drivers were fine but roads were busy and had many odd on and off ramps!

 

[JoeDimwit]

1. The Lightning added a heat pump rather quickly, when will the Mach-E get one?

2. Is the power limiting on the GT due to cooling, wiring, or lack of data on how hard the system can be safely pushed? Follow up question: is there a timeframe in which we will see a Mach-E that can make a full 1/4 mile pull without being throttled?

 

[Mach-Lee]

@OutofSpecKyle Please ask them about the status of BlueCruise software updates and long-desired fixes like the missing kW display and if the faster DC charge curve is coming for existing vehicles (since they are still using the same LG pack). Route planning and BMS accuracy need improvements as you found out as well. I’m sure you’ll ask her about the thermals with the new motor and if you can actually get multiple hot laps out of it without horribly derating.

 

[Mirak]

Is opening the trunk a setting? If not, why is it buried under settings?

Does Ford keep tabs on @Mirak’s Super Poll? Why is Ford so slow to roll out these requested software enhancements?

 

[rcechinel]

So, I’m going to be a contrarian here: if I were to walk up to a random Mustang Mach-E owner in the parking lot and ask them about software updates, do you think they’d respond that those are a pain point?
Is it possible that software updates are more of a pain point to “enthusiasts” than to the wider group of Mustang Mach-E owners?

Yes.
Enthusiasts make the car better for "regular people". If she didn't care about the enthusiasts' opinions, do you think she would expose herself to the likes of Kyle Conner? If he is in a bad day, he will grill her about the poor thermal management, charging performance, 5-second limiter, handling, etc. She would welcome a BC 1.4 rollout and overall OTA questions. At least she can bullshit her way out of those with empty promises, like her boss does.
Kyle is the biggest MME "hater with a voice" out there.
I remember on an episode of battery bargains when Tom suggested a Mach-E CA RT 1 to a viewer and he interrupted Tom and went on a 2 minute ramp about how that was a terrible idea.

 

[hack-e]

(since they are still using the same LG pack)

Was that mentioned somewhere?

I certainly saw that 2024 MME SR and ER have exactly the same kWh usable sizes, but wasn't sure there is confirmation that they're the exact same LG packs.

 

[redgrandam]

Please please… we need a way to precondition for charging other than the subscription based navigation. It should not require a subscription just to precondition the battery to charge.
Either give us a manual backup way to do it, or let it work with Apple Maps or something.

 

[rcechinel]

Please please… we need a way to precondition for charging other than the subscription based navigation. It should not require a subscription just to precondition the battery to charge.
Either give us a manual backup way to do it, or let it work with Apple Maps or something.

1000%

 

[HuntingPudel]

<SNIP>
2. Is the power limiting on the GT due to cooling, wiring, or lack of data on how hard the system can be safely pushed? Follow up question: is there a timeframe in which we will see a Mach-E that can make a full 1/4 mile pull without being throttled?

I want the car to be able to pull a couple of 2.5 mile laps without pulling power. ??

I also want more, drive mode independent suspension adjustability (it’s way too soft), more mechanical adjustability in the suspension, real limited slip differentials, and some sort of crate motor package to put the new in-house rear motor into the ‘21-‘23 cars. Oh, and steering that is faster and not so numb. ??

 

[Mirak]

Yes.
Enthusiasts make the car better for "regular people". If she didn't care about the enthusiasts' opinions, do you think she would expose herself to the likes of Kyle Conner? If he is in a bad day, he will grill her about the poor thermal management, charging performance, 5-second limiter, handling, etc. She would welcome a BC 1.4 rollout and overall OTA questions. At least she can bullshit her way out of those with empty promises, like her boss does.
Kyle is the biggest MME "hater with a voice" out there.
I remember on an episode of battery bargains when Tom suggested a Mach-E CA RT 1 to a viewer and he interrupted Tom and went on a 2 minute ramp about how that was a terrible idea.

The hardware-related issues you raise might be more serious, but questions about such things are easier to answer - "just wait for the new model" etc.

The software-related issues I raise might be relatively less serious, but questions about such things might be harder to answer because a lot of our requests are relatively easy to fix now, and yet Ford... hasn't fixed them.

"Owners have been clamoring for a 'precondition now' option for years. Why hasn't Ford implemented this?"

"Owners have been clamoring for trunk access on the home screen for years. Instead, it is still hidden under 'settings.' Why hasn't Ford fixed this?"

"Owners have been waiting for nearly a year since Ford promised the upgrade to BC1.3 was coming 'Soon.' Many of those owners actually subscribed to BC based on that promise. Where is it?"

Those are harder questions to answer than hardware limitations, because Ford's ineptitude re software is basically indefensible at this point.

Will Kyle actually grill this lady? LOL no. We all know that isn't going to happen.

 

[BigMach-E]

I’m hoping Donna gets asked if there will also be meaningful charging and performance updates made available to 2021-2023 Mach-E GTs.

This, and the answer is an acceptable one. At this point, it seems like Ford is going to turn their back on us current owners, and they don’t have to.

 

[Jimrpa]

Yes.
Enthusiasts make the car better for "regular people". If she didn't care about the enthusiasts' opinions, do you think she would expose herself to the likes of Kyle Conner? If he is in a bad day, he will grill her about the poor thermal management, charging performance, 5-second limiter, handling, etc. She would welcome a BC 1.4 rollout and overall OTA questions. At least she can bullshit her way out of those with empty promises, like her boss does.
Kyle is the biggest MME "hater with a voice" out there.
I remember on an episode of battery bargains when Tom suggested a Mach-E CA RT 1 to a viewer and he interrupted Tom and went on a 2 minute ramp about how that was a terrible idea.

One of the many reasons I don’t bother with his stupid podcasts/youtube videos. If I want to listen to a Tesla fanboi hate on anything non-Tesla, I’ll call my best friend from college. His wife is convinced he is cheating on her with Elon, that’s how much he loves Elon ?

 

[leehinde]

One of the many reasons I don’t bother with his stupid podcasts/youtube videos. If I want to listen to a Tesla fanboi hate on anything non-Tesla, I’ll call my best friend from college. His wife is convinced hems cheating on her with Elon, that’s how much he loves Elon ?

Wait, I thought he was an ID4 fan boy. Wait, I thought he was an Audi fan boy, wait, I thought ...

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Either give us a manual backup way to do it, or let it work with Apple Maps or something.

Both Apple and Google have had the ability to provide for battery preconditioning for quite some time. It was given along with the ability to provide turn by turn instructions on the IPC. Both have declined to take advantage of that particular feature. The hold up isn’t with Ford.

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