Mustang Mach E GT

Watch out Tesla.  The Big three and every other car manufacturer in the world is gunning for you.

I think this electric Mustang is going to appeal to a young crowd.  As far as I'm concerned it is still a very expensive, unpractical toy for city driving only.  

@kocour, the range on the newer EVs has been steadily growing. It's not unusual for a current EV to be able to travel well over 300 miles. Kelly and I just got back from several road trips. Along the major highways, there were recharging stations everywhere we stopped for gas. They seem to be easy to overlook because most of us have no need for them. Traveling through the midwest and down South, I was amazed at the number of EVs, particularly Teslas, we saw on the interstates along the way. According to what I've read, a range of 250-300 miles covers nearly 85% of all the highway travel most people need. Some of the coming EVs, Tesla's Cyber Truck, Lucid's Air, and Mercedes line of EQ models, will have ranges over 400 miles. Here's a handy chart.

One benefit we don't often consider with EVs is the exceptionally low center of gravity inherent in their design. Couple this to incredibly powerful electric motors that produce 100% of their torque immediately and you get a formidable performance vehicle, even in one that appears to be an SUV like the Mach E. I believe we have Elon Musk to thank for dragging EVs out of the "thrifty but boring" category and into the "fast and exciting" realm. 

We're watching the same thing happen to EVs that happened to SUVs. Once they got popular, the high-end manufacturers got into the game. Then we saw performance iterations begin to appear. With the levels of current technology and advanced design we now have, there are a lot of SUVs that will outperform and outhandle most of the muscle cars from the golden age we're all so familiar with. 

It's difficult for some to accept, but EVs are coming and they're going to be a lot of fun!

Posted by: @jkuvakas

@kocour, the range on the newer EVs has been steadily growing. It's not unusual for a current EV to be able to travel well over 300 miles. Kelly and I just got back from several road trips. Along the major highways, there were recharging stations everywhere we stopped for gas. They seem to be easy to overlook because most of us have no need for them. Traveling through the midwest and down South, I was amazed at the number of EVs, particularly Teslas, we saw on the interstates along the way. According to what I've read, a range of 250-300 miles covers nearly 85% of all the highway travel most people need. Some of the coming EVs, Tesla's Cyber Truck, Lucid's Air, and Mercedes line of EQ models, will have ranges over 400 miles. Here's a handy chart.

One benefit we don't often consider with EVs is the exceptionally low center of gravity inherent in their design. Couple this to incredibly powerful electric motors that produce 100% of their torque immediately and you get a formidable performance vehicle, even in one that appears to be an SUV like the Mach E. I believe we have Elon Musk to thank for dragging EVs out of the "thrifty but boring" category and into the "fast and exciting" realm. 

We're watching the same thing happen to EVs that happened to SUVs. Once they got popular, the high-end manufacturers got into the game. Then we saw performance iterations begin to appear. With the levels of current technology and advanced design we now have, there are a lot of SUVs that will outperform and outhandle most of the muscle cars from the golden age we're all so familiar with. 

It's difficult for some to accept, but EVs are coming and they're going to be a lot of fun!

Thanks for your interesting comment John; I do tend to agree with what you say.  It is obviously the way of the future and given the rate of product improvement and development even those of us who are resistant to change will come aboard so to speak; especially as the purchase cost comes down in time.  As a gearhead though I will sure miss the traditional sound of the engine and going through the gears!

In early September I encountered a couple who were charging their new Mustang EV (not a GT) and they said they loved it.  I have to be honest and say I didn't like the look of it as to my eye it looked kind of plain and unexciting.  The "grille" really added to my impression, so I'm glad to see that with the GT they have done at least a little bit to make that space more visually appealing; although improvement there is still required IMO.  I do like the faux improved roof line black trim touch and upgraded wheels as well.

@jkuvakas Yes, I can see the trend is to electric vehicles.  Not sure if my attitude is because I don't accept change readily or that I just don't have faith yet in electric EVs etal.  I also admit that electricity scares the hell out of me.  That being said I'm itching to get behind the wheel of an EV just to have the driving experience, which I no doubt will love.

The home we recently bought came with a recharging receptacle in the garage (the former owner had a Nisson Leaf) so recharging overnight would not be a problem for us.  And we also have solar panels on the roof that cut our utility bill.  

However, I live in Arizona where temps in the summer will hit 115+ degrees.  Distance here is not normally measured by miles.  It's measured by time.  That changes with battery power.  So, a 150 mile day trip through the mountains to the cool country from Phoenix would probably entail a recharge stop.  I doubt the advertised mileage (for any EV) is attainable here and the heavy usage will also degrade a battery much faster than one used in a cooler climate. With a 5 - 8 year warranty on a battery the average car owner is looking at a $7,000 bill to replace one of those electical thingies. Ouch!

The main source of raw material (lithium) used to make one of those heavy powerhouses comes from Chile and places other than the US (we have less of a reserve of lithium than China), making us potentially dependent upon someone else for our travel needs - a pretty scary situation in these times.

There is another source of power that has yet been exploited past the experimental stage - Hydrogen, which is cheap, unlimited in supply, weighs less than gasoline and produces (somewhat) similar power as gasoline and can be used to power a modified internal combustion engine (which will soon no longer be produced).

I'm afraid that we will have so much money invested in battery power/recharging stations/equipment/engineering/EV production that Hydrogen will never be recognized as a fuel source.

@kocour - The EV batteries pack a lot of energy.  However, almost all of the energy is used for motive power and not accessories.  That should satisfy your concern about traveling in time as opposed to miles.  

I've visited Tesla dealers on a few occasions and have test-driven their quickest vehicles.  Once you do that, I guarantee that at the very least, you'll be thoroughly impressed with the acceleration forces.  It's hard to describe but once you feel your brain moving to the back of your cranium due to the G forces, it will have a visceral effect on you!  Tesla's are, BY FAR, WITHOUT ANY QUESTION, the quickest vehicles I've EVER piloted or experienced!  That includes every car and the mighty Yahama V-Max motorcycle. 

But it isn't just about the stoplight acceleration.  On the road, when you press the throttle, the torque comes on "right now" and the vehicle just launches with seamless power or effort.  It does all of this without any drama of twitching or feeling like you're on the verge of losing control.   

@marty-johnson I just learned something.  The efficiency of an EV  - even with A/C on - gets better as the temperature goes up unless one keeps the A/C running while parked (say to go shopping).  Turns out batteries love heat.  The range is actually increased during high temps.  That's contrary to what I have believed most of my life because when I was a kid we kept batteries in the fridge so they wouldn't power down as fast. 

It's the heater that takes up the most power and that's a double edged sword because batteries perform better in the cold weather.  So I guess if one wanted to set a quarter mile EV record it should be done in the east/midwest during the winter time.  If one wants to establish a range record, better to do it in the desert in Arizona during August.

@kocour - Really?  Well add me to the "learn something new" club too because I wasn't clear on either of those two dynamics either.  Thanks for that new information that broadened my knowledge.