Managing Editor at YouTube Channel Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk, Jill Ciminillo, got hold of the brand new Ford Mustang Mach-E electric crossover. She enjoyed the opportunity to record it on a winter trip through Chicago and Wisconsin.
During the long drive, Jill discusses the Mustang Mach-E in its entirety, with the primary focus on its range and how it performs, plus a bit of snow testing. She also shares the positive and negative things of the trip. She says if you live in the northern states, and you are planning to buy an electric car, this is a must-watch video. Hmm, what went wrong?
We always try to guess what’s in store when it comes to these videos. We suggest that you also place your bet. Maybe the Ford had far less reach than Jill expected, charging infrastructure was limited and some charging stations did not work? Any other guesses before we dive? Keep in mind that the people at this YouTube channel are not EV owners, and that most of their content is related to trucks and sport utility vehicles.
Right off the bat, Jill notes that the Mach-E only displays about 180 miles at full charge. She resets the crossover’s computer, as the calculation of the range is based in part on the driving management of the previous driver. After being repaired, it shows 223 miles, which is still less than the EPA-estimated 250-mile range, but that’s thanks to the cold weather in Chicago.
As expected, the cold weather limits the Mach-E range, but not significantly. Instead, it is the highway and the constant high speed that is the biggest culprit. Jill still feels pretty good about the Mustang series. In fact, her husband – who says he will never drive a vehicle that is not a manual, and that he is not interested in an electric car – would be fine with the Mach-E. Even in winter he has no distance anxiety from any direction for his work.
The real problem Jill encounters is related to loading. She takes the time to take the Mach-E to a public charging station and adds just about 1% within 45 minutes. She realizes that she actually used more energy to just drive to the station, but she does not have a level 2 charger at home.
Jill reminds people considering an EV that it is important to have a level 2 home charging system. To fully charge her Mach-E it will take 96 hours to connect her standard socket. With a level 2 system, the time drops to about 11 to 14 hours. This is of course something that many of our readers are aware of, but you have to remember that there are brand new readers every day, and that many people who watch these videos have no idea about EVs. We’re glad Jill’s clear about the loading situation.
Watch the video for all the details. Then scroll down and let us know your takeaways in the comments below.