Good news if you missed out on nabbing a Mustang Mach-E. On Wednesday, Ford announced you can finally place an order once again for one of these all-electric SUVs. The automaker is preparing to ramp up production in the second half of 2023 as manufacturing upgrades are completed. This is part of a broader push Ford is making to increase the availability of electric vehicles including the F-150 Lightning and E-Transit models.
Aside from renewed availability, which is arguably the biggest news, there’s more to share about the Mach-E, which is receiving some welcome enhancements for the latest model year. Examples fitted with the standard-size battery pack will offer more range, an EPA-estimated 250 miles on a charge for rear-drive versions and 226 for all-wheel-drive models. Expect slightly (emphasis on slightly) quicker DC fast charging times, too. This Mustang should top out at 150 kilowatts, but the automaker says it can now go from 10 to 80% in 33 minutes, which is a 5-minute improvement, though still nowhere near as quick as Hyundai’s E-GMP-based cars, which can achieve the same feat in just 18 minutes.
Delivering that enhanced range and charging performance, Mach-E’s fitted with the smaller pack will feature a new lithium iron phosphate battery chemistry. This technical change also increases the horsepower of all-wheel-drive models by 45 and, according to the automaker, allows the SUVs to “charge to 100% more frequently via AC home charging.” Typically, for optimal life expectancy, you want to avoid fully charging your EV if you can help it.
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Aside from those technical enhancements, BlueCruise 1.2, the latest-and-greatest version of Ford’s hands-free highway driving aid, will be available with a free 90-day trial. Going forward, all versions of the Mach-E are shipping with the hardware required to enable this amazing, stress-reducing amenity. Allowing drivers to try BlueCruise before they buy it is a great strategy that should further broaden the appeal of this feature, which has already been installed on some 199,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, which have racked up more than 70 million miles of hands-free driving. Of course, if they like it, owners can activate this feature whenever they want, or pay for a full, three-year subscription at the time of purchase.
Stepping up its game, BlueCruise 1.2 offers numerous advantages over the first version that launched. Aside from performance and reliability improvements, the latest iteration of this tech offers hands-free lane change capability when the driver taps the turn signal, and it comes with in-lane repositioning for a more natural feel. This scoots the vehicle over to one side of its lane when passing larger vehicles, like tractor trailers.
Improving comfort, the base Mach-E Select model will be available with the new Comfort Package Lite. This includes heated front seats with a driver memory feature, a heated steering wheel and power-folding side-view mirrors. Premium and GT Performance Edition models also gain a couple enhancements for 2023. When equipped with the standard-range battery, the former now features 19-inch wheels with gloss-black aerodynamic covers, while the latter is now available with all-season tires.
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Aside from offering more features, range and (slightly) faster charging, the 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E is also a better value. Prices have been cut by up to $4,000 for the top-shelf GT model, though lower-end versions are substantially more affordable, too. Additionally, the updated Mach-E qualifies for a $3,750 tax credit as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, making this SUV even more appealing.
2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E Pricing
Select RWD Standard Range — $42,995 (-$3,000)
Select AWD Standard Range — $45,995 (-$3,000)
California Route 1 AWD Extended Range — $56,995 (-$1,000)
Premium RWD Standard Range — $46,995 (-$4,000)
Premium AWD Standard Range — $49,995 (-$4,000)
GT AWD Extended Range — $59,995 (-$4,000)
Option Pricing
Extended Range Battery for Premium — $7,000 (no price change)
Mustang Nite Pony Package — $800 (no price change)
GT Performance Edition Package — $5,000 (-$1,000)
BlueCruise 1.2 (3 years included) — $2,100 (+$200)
Comfort Package Lite $1,500 (not offered before)
