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Ford Mustang Mach-E Was Norway’s Best-Seller in May – Report

105 points by KoftaBob 5y ago

nso 5y ago
The number of fossil fuel driven Mustangs (except for classics) may be in the ~single digits (hyperbole) in Norway due to the taxes based on total weight of the vehicle, and emissions of CO2 and NOx. It would be an indulgence for the very affluent. The Mach-E gives the common Norwegians access to the famed American Comfort Car (c/tm) without having to break the bank, as power prices are relatively low in Norway and gas prices are very high.
- martinmunk 5y ago
  I seems the Mach-E is the most sold model across the board, not just among Mustangs based on this article. Fun fact: I just got back from Norway, and saw a Mach-E a week ago. Seen as it was apparently just released there "weeks ago", it must have been one of the first in the country.
  - nso 5y ago
    My step-dad in Norway got his the 3rd of June, so they are out there. I just checked the price of a MUSTANG 5.0 V8 GT, and the price is almost exactly double in Norway from what it is where I live in Mexico.
    - dharmab 5y ago
      The five-oh is targeted towards enthusiasts and racetracks. Most Americans buy the 2.3L straight-4 EcoBoost.
      - hef19898 5y ago
        Putting a four cylinder in a Mustang is sacrilege. High performance electric would be cool.
        BoorishBears 5y ago
        The four cylinder and chassis make it a more competent sports car than most of the Mustangs that came before it, V8 or otherwise.
        hef19898 5y ago
        That for sure. I have a 40 year old V8, no muscle car, with an excessive 125 hp. Any modern 4 cylinder beats that in tes of torque, power and mpg. But some parts deserve certain engines.
        zip1234 5y ago
        The 2.3l Ecoboost now has about 350 hp. Modern cars have insane power.
        dharmab 5y ago
        The EcoBoost sales are what keep the 5.0 alive. You'd never justify the (honestly really great) chassis engineering with V8 sales alone.
        hef19898 5y ago
        Sure, also V8s are basically obsolete tech by now. Even more so than ICEs in general. It just feels right to have one in certain cars. And yes, I know it doesn't make any sense. Electric, supplemented by bio fuels, is the way to go.
      - mywittyname 5y ago
        Not anymore. In 2018, the V8 surpassed the Ecoboost in marketshare, 52% to 48%. If fleet sales were removed, then the V8 market share would probably climb a bit further. The small engine Mustangs have always been derided as non-Mustangs. It shouldn't be surprising that, as coupes become less mainstream, the share of the smaller engine declines. The bulk of Mustang buyers anymore are old men. Plus, there's the issue that, speccing a ecoboost Mustang with some performance goodies puts it within spitting distance of a 5.0. The Ecoboost HPP is like $32k and the "performance" upgrades for systems like the brakes are essentially base GT take-offs. This makes the $37k GT a really good deal in comparison. Factoring in depreciation, the GT is a better deal. Fuel costs are marginal since you can run the GT on 87 with almost no power loss while the Eco is a dog without 93 octane. And, for me at least, the GT is cheaper to insure (by like $3) than an Eco. Add in low-interest, long-term loans and the monthly cost difference is minimal as well.
- Milner08 5y ago
  This is bizarre but, I at least, in the UK wouldn't consider 'Ford' an American brand as we often get quite different Ford's to the ones sold in the US (Even when the name is the same, they often look totally different like the Focus). I know that's wrong, but its just the way it is. (Although Mustang is the exception to that). I feel like when most people think of American Cars they think of big GM's, etc and at least in the UK they are not really are really famed for comfort, instead they were always famed for handling badly and having terrible MPG. Now don't get me wrong, I know the US has some great cars, but I think the markets are very different and the ones that have been available to us have been awful, expensive, or both. My point is, I don't think people are buying the Mach-E cause its an opportunity to try the 'famed American Comfort Car' but more because its a good option for an electric car, and that's what a lot of people in Europe want when buying brand new cars now.
  - jorvi 5y ago
    When I think modern American cars I think either trucks like a Ford F-150 / Dodge Ram, or a gas-guzzling gigantic SUV like a GMC Yukon.
    - jorvi 5y ago
      Since I can't edit anymore: normally I prefer not to talk about downvotes, but wow, -3 for stating an opinion, what the hell. I guess Americans are extremely sensitive about how they are perceived..
  - fhood 5y ago
    Oof, GM sucks and Ford isn't really even American. Talk about a one two punch. Not that I disagree with the main point, but jeez leave us with something wouldya?
    - dragontamer 5y ago
      As an American, I recognize that the Ford cars popular across the pond are a very, very different set of vehicles than the Ford trucks popular around here. The Ford Focus (including the RS version) is popular in Europe. However, as an owner of such a car, I only get raised eyebrows around here. In contrast, F150 / Trucks / etc. etc. are "real Ford Cars". No one trusts Ford Sedans over here for some reason, despite their popularity in Europe (which is why Ford stopped selling Sedans in the USA, and are instead opting for a $20k truck: the Maverick, over continuing their efficient line of sedans)
- dexterdog 5y ago
  But the Mach-E resembles what a mustang is in name only. I never understood why they called it that.
  - gwbas1c 5y ago
    Because of the performance and handling. Have you driven a Tesla lately? My Model 3 dual motor drives and handles like a sports car, not like a modest family sedan that handles well in the snow. The Mustang badge communicates that the Mach E has serious performance characteristics. When I test drove the electric Focus, it also had quite zippy acceleration, but everyone just assumed it was a dog-slow compliance car.
    - dogma1138 5y ago
      Have you even driven a sports car? Tesla has a fast acceleration it doesn’t drive or handles anything like a sports car or even a high performance sedan/saloon. The closest thing to a “sporty” driving experience is probably the Taycan but whilst you can feel some Porsche in it, it doesn’t drive like a traditional Porsche either, it doesn’t even drive like the Panamera which is the closest ICE Porsche to the Taycan in terms of size and weight. Tesla has still quite a bit to go with suspension, handling, steering and other driving characteristics before it can deliver a sports car driving experience, yet alone a Porchse or an BMW M series/Alpina. The Mach-E also delivers nothing in terms of driving experience that is even remotely comparable to a Mustang, even given how wimpy many of the Mustang models have been lately.
- Hamuko 5y ago
  >The Mach-E gives the common Norwegians access to the famed American Comfort Car (c/tm) without having to break the bank People who are interested in owning a muscle car in Europe are a very select group of people and they're probably highly uninterested in the Mach-E.
- gwbas1c 5y ago
  > American Comfort Car The one time I sat in Mustang it definitely wasn't an "American Comfort Car." It was so snug I felt like I was wearing the car.
  - nso 5y ago
    In 2014 i rented one for a month-long road trip. While it was lacking in cargo space, I found it to be a very comfortable ride.
dharmab 5y ago
The Mach-E really seems like a pretty good car. As an enthusiast I can't get over the Mustang name, though. It's irrational and emotional.
- toomuchtodo 5y ago
  > It's irrational and emotional. That’s marketing for you.
- potatolicious 5y ago
  As someone who has no interest in owning a muscle car (or a sports car really of any variety) I'm into the Mach-E. I get why they called it a Mustang, but it's really not - and that's actually a plus for me.
- strikhedonia 5y ago
  Yes. I would have been a lot happier with the Mustang moniker if they made it sedan shaped instead what we got.
  - DetroitThrow 5y ago
    Exactly. Everyone who loves cars wanted an electric pony car or Corvette, despite the niche. Ford tries to play to a more general audience, luckily pulls it off, but still pisses off us car guys. Honestly, they've done worse, but I grit my teeth a little when people say the name. And yes, I get that I'm irrational about a brand with the rest of the minority I know who is also pissed. It's history, though, ya know?
- notJim 5y ago
  I feel like everyone calls it the Mach-E anyway, rather than the Mustang.
- useful 5y ago
  I'd wait until the simplify the thermal system in a future generation.
- rootusrootus 5y ago
itsoktocry 5y ago
It took a while, but the legacy automakers are finally putting out some decent EVs. From a quality and performance perspective, they seem to be pretty good, but still have a ways to go to match Tesla in the "wow" factor. But, perhaps the similarity with everyday ICE vehicles will be a boon to adoption; older people are reluctant to take on seemingly overwhelming tech...
- jclardy 5y ago
  With the Mustang and the F-150 Lightning I think Ford is in a pretty good position to become the leader in the EV space. I'm personally waiting for the F-150 as I could use a truck for hauling things to a retail store my wife and I own, but I also don't like ICE truck's just because there is no trunk to keep things like my laptop or simply transporting groceries. The frunk on the lightning is a huge selling point for me, other than not having to go to a gas station since 99% of my trips are in town < 20 miles so I can just charge at home.
  - ajross 5y ago
    > With the Mustang and the F-150 Lightning I think Ford is in a pretty good position to become the leader in the EV space. I think a lot of this is the result of some marketing and memery. In fact I went through that process, and decided on a BEV crossover, and the Model Y beats the Mach-E handily on basically every non-subjective metric but price. And it's really not that close. Ford has done a good job of digging themselves out of a huge hole, and have a decently competetive car in the market. And it's selling well enough. But Tesla is moving like an order of magnitude more vehicles into that space, has their factories running at capacity and is in the process of tripling their production bandwidth (Gigafactory Shanghai is still ramping, and Berlin and Austin seem to be on track to go online this year). It's pretty clear who the leader is.
- atty 5y ago
  Yeah I think a lot of the familiarity is a good thing. I don’t think my dad would ever buy a Tesla, he would be put off by the minimalism and all the controls on the screen (and he wouldn’t even consider a car with a yoke instead of a steering wheel… although to be fair, neither would I). On the other hand, if I get a charger installed in his garage, I think he would be very happy to use a car that works (in terms of user interaction) just like his old one, but where he doesn’t have to go to the gas station and get oil changes.
HWR_14 5y ago
My neighbor has been trying to buy a Mach-E since they were announced. They're so backed up his current plan is to buy a new gas car to tide him over until they become available and then he'll upgrade.
- wazokazi 5y ago
  I finally got mine last week, took over 6 months after placing the order! It is very well built, unlike any ford I have ever driven. Drove it for about a 100 mile trip in the Columbia gorge last weekend, it was a blast. That said, even with 250+ mile highway range, my wife had a bit of range anxiety once the battery gauge dropped below 50%. Something that will hopefully go away with time.
  - andrewmunsell 5y ago
    Range anxiety goes away over time, for sure. I used to have an i3 with a hair over 100 miles of range and got used to low percentages even on that small battery, and now don't even blink when my Tesla is <10%.
  - NotSammyHagar 5y ago
    What's charging like these days on the US CCS network? I've made many long-range trips in my Tesla which has about 250 miles range but there's so many superchargers it's pretty easy unless you head up into the mountains.
    - rootusrootus 5y ago
      In my experience it's fine. My Bolt doesn't have high-end DC fast charging speeds, but when we go on our road trips up north we pretty much do exactly the same trip as when we had our Tesla P3D. We stop at a different location, of course, but aside from having to wait 40 minutes instead of 20, it's been a non-issue.
  - rootusrootus 5y ago
    Range anxiety should recede with experience, provided the estimates from the car are accurate. My wife has become very comfortable with our Bolt, because she trusts that when it says it has 90 miles left, it really does have that (usually it slightly underestimates remaining range, if anything, though it's pretty close). Can't really get around the bit of anxiety about knowing that there aren't as many recharging options out in the wild as there are gas stations, but it's comforting to know that you'll be fine making it home.
jeffbee 5y ago
Isn't this just the same effect that causes Tesla to be the best-selling car in Norway and other small countries from time to time? They build up a big book of pre-orders and then after a year they land a whole ship full of cars and fulfill all the orders, become the instantaneous "best-selling car" but in a way that's practically meaningless.
- ajross 5y ago
  Largely. There's a lot of noise in car sales month-to-month. Different manufacturers prioritizes different markets in blocks. And in the case of cross-continent shipping to small nations, frankly the arrival date of specific freighters can jiggle the numbers. But Ford seems to be doing well with this car regardless. It's not beating Tesla in sales numbers, but it's selling and competing.
- kwhitefoot 5y ago
  Yes. Earlier in the year the Audi e-tron electric was the best seller in Norway. The long term winner seems to be VW at the moment.
- tyfon 5y ago
  Tesla only delivers at the end of each quarter here in Norway due to logistics, however the Model 3 is the best selling car so far this year[1] it's not just some months when you aggregate. The statistics here are only for electric cars but BEVs outsell fossils by quite a lot now so the M3 top the list of all cars too including fossils But I see a lot of mach-es on the road lately :) [1] https://elbilstatistikk.no/ https://elbilstatistikk.no/ Sort by 2021
acomjean 5y ago
Thats kinda remarkable. Mustangs are Rear Wheel Drive, which is why We hardly see them in the US in the Northern Climates. (I've helped one push them out of snow..) Snow tires help a bit, but still. Edit: I see there is an "all wheel drive" variant
- dharmab 5y ago
  The Mach E has AWD available.
- derekp7 5y ago
  A lot of it depends on the balance of the car too. I used to drive a 92 Cougar that was rear wheel drive, and a number of times I had to help get a front-wheel drive car out of the snow where mine didn't have any issues.
- KoftaBob 5y ago
  The Mach E is a crossover SUV with AWD option
  - acomjean 5y ago
    I just looked at the articles front photo. A little digging deeper and it really is an SUV and not like the Muscle cars I remember with the mustang name.
- Hamuko 5y ago
  Rear wheel drive is completely passable in snowy climates. Just put on studded tyres and drive sensibly.
- zip1234 5y ago
  The car is well balanced regarding weight and the reports I have read are that even RWD model handles fine in snow because of the weight and tires.
- SevenSigs 5y ago
  FWD or RWD doesn't matter much if the weight of the car is distributed evenly...
JoshTko 5y ago
The implication of this headline is wrong. In June '21 Model E sold 1,277 and Model 3 sold 3,196. Tesla just has lumpy distribution volumes. https://cleantechnica.com/2021/07/03/norways-plugin-ev-share-hits-85-in-june-combustion-vehicles-falling-rapidly/ https://cleantechnica.com/2021/07/03/norways-plugin-ev-share...
- NotSammyHagar 5y ago
  Yeah thanks, saved me from posting the same thing. Tesla batches up their orders for many smaller countries like in Europe, this has been true for years, and it's also the source of probably hundreds of articles about how Tesla is getting beaten by some recently introduced car. It's great that other companies are having some success with selling EVs, remember that's actually Tesla's corporate goal. Tesla still has a widely appealing set of vehicles.
  - dragontamer 5y ago
    Except Tesla bunches their orders so that they can claim improving numbers every 3 months (with 2-months having crap numbers), rather than averaging out their deliveries like everyone else. Having 2-crap months per quarter + 1-good month is 100% Tesla's decision. They could just smooth out the numbers like everyone else instead and be comparable on apples-to-apples terms. But Tesla prefers to be funky with numbers. It probably would be a lot less stressful for Tesla's employees if Tesla stopped doing this "Quarter-end push" all the time. Its unnecessary. Its like watching a Marathon runner sprint every few hundred meters rather than pacing himself from beginning to end so that he can gather the excitement of the crowds.
    - _ph_ 5y ago
      No, the reason is different. Wheter it makes sense or not, Tesla tries to optimize the deliveries per quarter. That means, it tries to deliver all vehicles built within the same quarter. With most vehicles sold in Europe being built in the US, this means that they are build in the first half of the quarter, then shipped to and delivered in Europe towards the end of the quarter. The consequence is, they barely sell cars in the first month of the quarter and most in the last month.
mixmastamyk 5y ago
What are Ford’s data collection policies? Calling a ‘soccer mom’ vehicle a mustang is rather off-putting as well.
- SevenSigs 5y ago
  "Ford Exec: 'We Know Everyone Who Breaks The Law' Thanks To Our GPS In Your Car" https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-exec-gps-2014-1 https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-exec-gps-2014-1 Probably a lot worst today, that was 7 years ago.
duncans 5y ago
For long trips and fast charging it has a quite disappointing charging curve though. It only manages 150 kW for about 5 minutes before dropping off quickly down to ~100 kW: https://support.fastned.nl/hc/en-gb/articles/360019984758-Charging-with-a-Ford-Mustang-Mach-E https://support.fastned.nl/hc/en-gb/articles/360019984758-Ch...
- rootusrootus 5y ago
  That's fairly typical, in my experience. My Tesla P3D spent a lot more time at about 90 kW than it ever did at 130+.
notJim 5y ago
Have folks in the US seen many of these around? I haven't seen one yet.
- ganoushoreilly 5y ago
  I've seen at least 4, all different colors. Not crazy numbers but it's clear they're showing up.
- tshaddox 5y ago
  I've seen a few in the Bay Area. It always takes me a moment to figure out what I'm looking at.
- spike021 5y ago
  I'm in the SF Bay Area and as to be expected around here, I've seen quite a few. Maybe 8-10 so far in all the different colors.

105 points by KoftaBob 5y ago

nso 5y ago

The number of fossil fuel driven Mustangs (except for classics) may be in the ~single digits (hyperbole) in Norway due to the taxes based on total weight of the vehicle, and emissions of CO2 and NOx. It would be an indulgence for the very affluent. The Mach-E gives the common Norwegians access to the famed American Comfort Car (c/tm) without having to break the bank, as power prices are relatively low in Norway and gas prices are very high.

martinmunk 5y ago
I seems the Mach-E is the most sold model across the board, not just among Mustangs based on this article. Fun fact: I just got back from Norway, and saw a Mach-E a week ago. Seen as it was apparently just released there "weeks ago", it must have been one of the first in the country.
- nso 5y ago
  My step-dad in Norway got his the 3rd of June, so they are out there. I just checked the price of a MUSTANG 5.0 V8 GT, and the price is almost exactly double in Norway from what it is where I live in Mexico.
  - dharmab 5y ago
    The five-oh is targeted towards enthusiasts and racetracks. Most Americans buy the 2.3L straight-4 EcoBoost.
    - hef19898 5y ago
      Putting a four cylinder in a Mustang is sacrilege. High performance electric would be cool.
      - BoorishBears 5y ago
        The four cylinder and chassis make it a more competent sports car than most of the Mustangs that came before it, V8 or otherwise.
        hef19898 5y ago
        That for sure. I have a 40 year old V8, no muscle car, with an excessive 125 hp. Any modern 4 cylinder beats that in tes of torque, power and mpg. But some parts deserve certain engines.
        zip1234 5y ago
        The 2.3l Ecoboost now has about 350 hp. Modern cars have insane power.
      - dharmab 5y ago
        The EcoBoost sales are what keep the 5.0 alive. You'd never justify the (honestly really great) chassis engineering with V8 sales alone.
        hef19898 5y ago
        Sure, also V8s are basically obsolete tech by now. Even more so than ICEs in general. It just feels right to have one in certain cars. And yes, I know it doesn't make any sense. Electric, supplemented by bio fuels, is the way to go.
    - mywittyname 5y ago
      Not anymore. In 2018, the V8 surpassed the Ecoboost in marketshare, 52% to 48%. If fleet sales were removed, then the V8 market share would probably climb a bit further. The small engine Mustangs have always been derided as non-Mustangs. It shouldn't be surprising that, as coupes become less mainstream, the share of the smaller engine declines. The bulk of Mustang buyers anymore are old men. Plus, there's the issue that, speccing a ecoboost Mustang with some performance goodies puts it within spitting distance of a 5.0. The Ecoboost HPP is like $32k and the "performance" upgrades for systems like the brakes are essentially base GT take-offs. This makes the $37k GT a really good deal in comparison. Factoring in depreciation, the GT is a better deal. Fuel costs are marginal since you can run the GT on 87 with almost no power loss while the Eco is a dog without 93 octane. And, for me at least, the GT is cheaper to insure (by like $3) than an Eco. Add in low-interest, long-term loans and the monthly cost difference is minimal as well.
Milner08 5y ago
This is bizarre but, I at least, in the UK wouldn't consider 'Ford' an American brand as we often get quite different Ford's to the ones sold in the US (Even when the name is the same, they often look totally different like the Focus). I know that's wrong, but its just the way it is. (Although Mustang is the exception to that). I feel like when most people think of American Cars they think of big GM's, etc and at least in the UK they are not really are really famed for comfort, instead they were always famed for handling badly and having terrible MPG. Now don't get me wrong, I know the US has some great cars, but I think the markets are very different and the ones that have been available to us have been awful, expensive, or both. My point is, I don't think people are buying the Mach-E cause its an opportunity to try the 'famed American Comfort Car' but more because its a good option for an electric car, and that's what a lot of people in Europe want when buying brand new cars now.
- jorvi 5y ago
  When I think modern American cars I think either trucks like a Ford F-150 / Dodge Ram, or a gas-guzzling gigantic SUV like a GMC Yukon.
  - jorvi 5y ago
    Since I can't edit anymore: normally I prefer not to talk about downvotes, but wow, -3 for stating an opinion, what the hell. I guess Americans are extremely sensitive about how they are perceived..
- fhood 5y ago
  Oof, GM sucks and Ford isn't really even American. Talk about a one two punch. Not that I disagree with the main point, but jeez leave us with something wouldya?
  - dragontamer 5y ago
    As an American, I recognize that the Ford cars popular across the pond are a very, very different set of vehicles than the Ford trucks popular around here. The Ford Focus (including the RS version) is popular in Europe. However, as an owner of such a car, I only get raised eyebrows around here. In contrast, F150 / Trucks / etc. etc. are "real Ford Cars". No one trusts Ford Sedans over here for some reason, despite their popularity in Europe (which is why Ford stopped selling Sedans in the USA, and are instead opting for a $20k truck: the Maverick, over continuing their efficient line of sedans)
dexterdog 5y ago
But the Mach-E resembles what a mustang is in name only. I never understood why they called it that.
- gwbas1c 5y ago
  Because of the performance and handling. Have you driven a Tesla lately? My Model 3 dual motor drives and handles like a sports car, not like a modest family sedan that handles well in the snow. The Mustang badge communicates that the Mach E has serious performance characteristics. When I test drove the electric Focus, it also had quite zippy acceleration, but everyone just assumed it was a dog-slow compliance car.
  - dogma1138 5y ago
    Have you even driven a sports car? Tesla has a fast acceleration it doesn’t drive or handles anything like a sports car or even a high performance sedan/saloon. The closest thing to a “sporty” driving experience is probably the Taycan but whilst you can feel some Porsche in it, it doesn’t drive like a traditional Porsche either, it doesn’t even drive like the Panamera which is the closest ICE Porsche to the Taycan in terms of size and weight. Tesla has still quite a bit to go with suspension, handling, steering and other driving characteristics before it can deliver a sports car driving experience, yet alone a Porchse or an BMW M series/Alpina. The Mach-E also delivers nothing in terms of driving experience that is even remotely comparable to a Mustang, even given how wimpy many of the Mustang models have been lately.
Hamuko 5y ago
>The Mach-E gives the common Norwegians access to the famed American Comfort Car (c/tm) without having to break the bank People who are interested in owning a muscle car in Europe are a very select group of people and they're probably highly uninterested in the Mach-E.
gwbas1c 5y ago
> American Comfort Car The one time I sat in Mustang it definitely wasn't an "American Comfort Car." It was so snug I felt like I was wearing the car.
- nso 5y ago
  In 2014 i rented one for a month-long road trip. While it was lacking in cargo space, I found it to be a very comfortable ride.

dharmab 5y ago

The Mach-E really seems like a pretty good car. As an enthusiast I can't get over the Mustang name, though. It's irrational and emotional.

toomuchtodo 5y ago
> It's irrational and emotional. That’s marketing for you.
potatolicious 5y ago
As someone who has no interest in owning a muscle car (or a sports car really of any variety) I'm into the Mach-E. I get why they called it a Mustang, but it's really not - and that's actually a plus for me.
strikhedonia 5y ago
Yes. I would have been a lot happier with the Mustang moniker if they made it sedan shaped instead what we got.
- DetroitThrow 5y ago
  Exactly. Everyone who loves cars wanted an electric pony car or Corvette, despite the niche. Ford tries to play to a more general audience, luckily pulls it off, but still pisses off us car guys. Honestly, they've done worse, but I grit my teeth a little when people say the name. And yes, I get that I'm irrational about a brand with the rest of the minority I know who is also pissed. It's history, though, ya know?
notJim 5y ago
I feel like everyone calls it the Mach-E anyway, rather than the Mustang.
useful 5y ago
I'd wait until the simplify the thermal system in a future generation.
rootusrootus 5y ago

itsoktocry 5y ago

It took a while, but the legacy automakers are finally putting out some decent EVs. From a quality and performance perspective, they seem to be pretty good, but still have a ways to go to match Tesla in the "wow" factor. But, perhaps the similarity with everyday ICE vehicles will be a boon to adoption; older people are reluctant to take on seemingly overwhelming tech...

jclardy 5y ago
With the Mustang and the F-150 Lightning I think Ford is in a pretty good position to become the leader in the EV space. I'm personally waiting for the F-150 as I could use a truck for hauling things to a retail store my wife and I own, but I also don't like ICE truck's just because there is no trunk to keep things like my laptop or simply transporting groceries. The frunk on the lightning is a huge selling point for me, other than not having to go to a gas station since 99% of my trips are in town < 20 miles so I can just charge at home.
- ajross 5y ago
  > With the Mustang and the F-150 Lightning I think Ford is in a pretty good position to become the leader in the EV space. I think a lot of this is the result of some marketing and memery. In fact I went through that process, and decided on a BEV crossover, and the Model Y beats the Mach-E handily on basically every non-subjective metric but price. And it's really not that close. Ford has done a good job of digging themselves out of a huge hole, and have a decently competetive car in the market. And it's selling well enough. But Tesla is moving like an order of magnitude more vehicles into that space, has their factories running at capacity and is in the process of tripling their production bandwidth (Gigafactory Shanghai is still ramping, and Berlin and Austin seem to be on track to go online this year). It's pretty clear who the leader is.
atty 5y ago
Yeah I think a lot of the familiarity is a good thing. I don’t think my dad would ever buy a Tesla, he would be put off by the minimalism and all the controls on the screen (and he wouldn’t even consider a car with a yoke instead of a steering wheel… although to be fair, neither would I). On the other hand, if I get a charger installed in his garage, I think he would be very happy to use a car that works (in terms of user interaction) just like his old one, but where he doesn’t have to go to the gas station and get oil changes.

HWR_14 5y ago

My neighbor has been trying to buy a Mach-E since they were announced. They're so backed up his current plan is to buy a new gas car to tide him over until they become available and then he'll upgrade.

wazokazi 5y ago
I finally got mine last week, took over 6 months after placing the order! It is very well built, unlike any ford I have ever driven. Drove it for about a 100 mile trip in the Columbia gorge last weekend, it was a blast. That said, even with 250+ mile highway range, my wife had a bit of range anxiety once the battery gauge dropped below 50%. Something that will hopefully go away with time.
- andrewmunsell 5y ago
  Range anxiety goes away over time, for sure. I used to have an i3 with a hair over 100 miles of range and got used to low percentages even on that small battery, and now don't even blink when my Tesla is <10%.
- NotSammyHagar 5y ago
  What's charging like these days on the US CCS network? I've made many long-range trips in my Tesla which has about 250 miles range but there's so many superchargers it's pretty easy unless you head up into the mountains.
  - rootusrootus 5y ago
    In my experience it's fine. My Bolt doesn't have high-end DC fast charging speeds, but when we go on our road trips up north we pretty much do exactly the same trip as when we had our Tesla P3D. We stop at a different location, of course, but aside from having to wait 40 minutes instead of 20, it's been a non-issue.
- rootusrootus 5y ago
  Range anxiety should recede with experience, provided the estimates from the car are accurate. My wife has become very comfortable with our Bolt, because she trusts that when it says it has 90 miles left, it really does have that (usually it slightly underestimates remaining range, if anything, though it's pretty close). Can't really get around the bit of anxiety about knowing that there aren't as many recharging options out in the wild as there are gas stations, but it's comforting to know that you'll be fine making it home.

jeffbee 5y ago

Isn't this just the same effect that causes Tesla to be the best-selling car in Norway and other small countries from time to time? They build up a big book of pre-orders and then after a year they land a whole ship full of cars and fulfill all the orders, become the instantaneous "best-selling car" but in a way that's practically meaningless.

ajross 5y ago
Largely. There's a lot of noise in car sales month-to-month. Different manufacturers prioritizes different markets in blocks. And in the case of cross-continent shipping to small nations, frankly the arrival date of specific freighters can jiggle the numbers. But Ford seems to be doing well with this car regardless. It's not beating Tesla in sales numbers, but it's selling and competing.
kwhitefoot 5y ago
Yes. Earlier in the year the Audi e-tron electric was the best seller in Norway. The long term winner seems to be VW at the moment.
tyfon 5y ago
Tesla only delivers at the end of each quarter here in Norway due to logistics, however the Model 3 is the best selling car so far this year[1] it's not just some months when you aggregate. The statistics here are only for electric cars but BEVs outsell fossils by quite a lot now so the M3 top the list of all cars too including fossils But I see a lot of mach-es on the road lately :) [1] https://elbilstatistikk.no/ https://elbilstatistikk.no/ Sort by 2021

acomjean 5y ago

Thats kinda remarkable. Mustangs are Rear Wheel Drive, which is why We hardly see them in the US in the Northern Climates. (I've helped one push them out of snow..) Snow tires help a bit, but still. Edit: I see there is an "all wheel drive" variant

dharmab 5y ago
The Mach E has AWD available.
derekp7 5y ago
A lot of it depends on the balance of the car too. I used to drive a 92 Cougar that was rear wheel drive, and a number of times I had to help get a front-wheel drive car out of the snow where mine didn't have any issues.
KoftaBob 5y ago
The Mach E is a crossover SUV with AWD option
- acomjean 5y ago
  I just looked at the articles front photo. A little digging deeper and it really is an SUV and not like the Muscle cars I remember with the mustang name.
Hamuko 5y ago
Rear wheel drive is completely passable in snowy climates. Just put on studded tyres and drive sensibly.
zip1234 5y ago
The car is well balanced regarding weight and the reports I have read are that even RWD model handles fine in snow because of the weight and tires.
SevenSigs 5y ago
FWD or RWD doesn't matter much if the weight of the car is distributed evenly...

JoshTko 5y ago

The implication of this headline is wrong. In June '21 Model E sold 1,277 and Model 3 sold 3,196. Tesla just has lumpy distribution volumes. https://cleantechnica.com/2021/07/03/norways-plugin-ev-share-hits-85-in-june-combustion-vehicles-falling-rapidly/ https://cleantechnica.com/2021/07/03/norways-plugin-ev-share...

NotSammyHagar 5y ago
Yeah thanks, saved me from posting the same thing. Tesla batches up their orders for many smaller countries like in Europe, this has been true for years, and it's also the source of probably hundreds of articles about how Tesla is getting beaten by some recently introduced car. It's great that other companies are having some success with selling EVs, remember that's actually Tesla's corporate goal. Tesla still has a widely appealing set of vehicles.
- dragontamer 5y ago
  Except Tesla bunches their orders so that they can claim improving numbers every 3 months (with 2-months having crap numbers), rather than averaging out their deliveries like everyone else. Having 2-crap months per quarter + 1-good month is 100% Tesla's decision. They could just smooth out the numbers like everyone else instead and be comparable on apples-to-apples terms. But Tesla prefers to be funky with numbers. It probably would be a lot less stressful for Tesla's employees if Tesla stopped doing this "Quarter-end push" all the time. Its unnecessary. Its like watching a Marathon runner sprint every few hundred meters rather than pacing himself from beginning to end so that he can gather the excitement of the crowds.
  - _ph_ 5y ago
    No, the reason is different. Wheter it makes sense or not, Tesla tries to optimize the deliveries per quarter. That means, it tries to deliver all vehicles built within the same quarter. With most vehicles sold in Europe being built in the US, this means that they are build in the first half of the quarter, then shipped to and delivered in Europe towards the end of the quarter. The consequence is, they barely sell cars in the first month of the quarter and most in the last month.

mixmastamyk 5y ago

What are Ford’s data collection policies? Calling a ‘soccer mom’ vehicle a mustang is rather off-putting as well.

SevenSigs 5y ago
"Ford Exec: 'We Know Everyone Who Breaks The Law' Thanks To Our GPS In Your Car" https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-exec-gps-2014-1 https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-exec-gps-2014-1 Probably a lot worst today, that was 7 years ago.

duncans 5y ago

For long trips and fast charging it has a quite disappointing charging curve though. It only manages 150 kW for about 5 minutes before dropping off quickly down to ~100 kW: https://support.fastned.nl/hc/en-gb/articles/360019984758-Charging-with-a-Ford-Mustang-Mach-E https://support.fastned.nl/hc/en-gb/articles/360019984758-Ch...

rootusrootus 5y ago
That's fairly typical, in my experience. My Tesla P3D spent a lot more time at about 90 kW than it ever did at 130+.

notJim 5y ago

Have folks in the US seen many of these around? I haven't seen one yet.

ganoushoreilly 5y ago
I've seen at least 4, all different colors. Not crazy numbers but it's clear they're showing up.
tshaddox 5y ago
I've seen a few in the Bay Area. It always takes me a moment to figure out what I'm looking at.
spike021 5y ago
I'm in the SF Bay Area and as to be expected around here, I've seen quite a few. Maybe 8-10 so far in all the different colors.