No cheaper Ford Mustang Mach-E coming

The Ford Mustang Mach-E range opens at $79,990 before on-road costs, and there are no plans to bring a more affordable version from either Mexico or China.

The three-model range, consisting of Select, Premium and GT variants, is due in showrooms in December.

“We’re really happy with where we’re sitting in terms of our pre-orders, so we’re not looking at that right now,” said Ford Australia product communications manager Ben Nightingale when asked if there was room to move downwards with the Mustang Mach-E range.

He also confirmed there’s no lower-content model available from the Mach-E’s Mexican factory. Our base model and the one sold in markets like the US is essentially the same, with a standard 15.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Sensico leatherette upholstery, and a 71kWh battery.

The key difference between the Australian-market base model Mach-E and the one sold in the US is the standard fitment of heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, which in the US come as part of a US$1500 (A$2374) option package.

The Mach-E’s base price is quite a bit higher than the segment’s best-seller (and, currently, Australia’s third best-selling vehicle), the Tesla Model Y.

But while Ford says it has a “really good supply chain”, it isn’t aiming to topple Tesla’s electric juggernaut.

“[Outselling the Tesla Model Y] isn’t necessarily our target. This vehicle is our first customer full electric vehicle, sales numbers aren’t our only metric,” said Mr Nightingale.

Model Ys for our market come out of China, where Mustang Mach-Es are also produced by the Changan Ford joint venture.

However, the Mach-E is only produced in left-hand drive in China, ruling out the possibility of a more affordable version coming out of that market.

Ford wouldn’t be drawn on specific supply levels or sales targets, but said around 40 per cent of early interest is in the GT.

The company expects each of the three variants to eventually each account for a third of total sales.

It’ll be sold through 62 of Ford Australia’s 180 dealers, though the company expects more of its dealers to sell EVs in the future.

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