Ford to Offer Lower-Cost Lower-Range Batteries for Mustang Mach-E

What's to maintain?

Maintenance I've done on my EV in 4 years and 53k miles:

• Wiper blades & fluid
• Cabin air filter
• Tires
• Brakes
• Reduction gear oil change (1 qt)

Nothing exotic in these parts. If a Mach-E needs some special "EV" repair, the police departments have contracts with the dealers for that.

To my mind, City Police is about the perfect use case for these. Only 50-100miles a day, but lots of always on electric load which means high idle time (enough idle time that oil changes are per hour instead of mile).

If Ford techs are being challenged with repairs, then who else can do the job? You know it won't be maintenance at police hq.

EVs require almost zero drivetrain maintenance. It's as if some people keep inventing issues that don't exist.

So there's actually something interesting to unpack there. Police vehicles have to be certified as such, I think its called "pursuit rated". So unless if in other capacity this cert is not required (i.e. the "community relations" does-no-work cop) this implies Mach-E has gone through the cost and process to become pursuit rated. Now automakers never make the retail prices in fleet sales, and we know Dearborn still exports about half of Mach-E production, so why would they sell their expensive Mach-E to fleet where they will be lucky to profit per unit? Serious question.

I'm reading this as further evidence of my original argument that Mach-E was never hot so half of production was exported to artificially constrain supply in USDM and create the illusion they couldn't keep it in stock. Now I see nearly 200 in fleet service after spending whatever the cost was to certify them for pursuit. Dearborn if you can't build these fast enough to fulfill orders, then how did you come up with 184 to sell at or near cost? Not 10 for some good PR, not 50; 184.

Dumping to fleet is never a good sign...

28, you could ask the same question about why Ford bothered to create the Professional trim of the Lightning at all. My theory is that they planned (or maybe failed to plan adequately) for much, much greater battery supply than they actually managed to realize. And, if you make that assumption, the plan should have included marketing to fleets, because heavily utilized fleets are some of the users that will see the greatest benefit from moving to EV and therefore some of the users who will have an incentive to pay the highest premium.

The only drivetrain maintenance is to change the transmission fluid every 150K miles and the battery coolant every 200K miles. So..... I think they have a little time before this is an issue.

Why is kwik-shift trying to invent problems that don't exist?

Strawman alert. Why is VoGhost such a tool?

“this implies Mach-E has gone through the cost and process to become pursuit rated. Now automakers never make the retail prices in fleet sales, and we know Dearborn stillexports about half of Mach-E production, so why would they sell their expensive Mach-E to fleet where they will be lucky to profit per unit? Serious question.”

Couple things 28:

There is no standard for becoming “pursuit rated”. It’s completely up to the manufacturer to figure out what they are comfortable with certifying as pursuit ready. If the Tahoe and Explorer can go it, this lowly fake Mustang can meet that standard too. Or they neutered the standard.

Second, Ford no longer gives fleet/government discounts. The basic 3.3L Explorer (no hybrid or egobust) rose in price anywhere between $8k and $10k for the 2023 model year. Other models have risen as well. So at this point, Ford doesn’t care who is buying this garbage as long as someone is. They get paid regardless.

I wonder what a battery pack costs and how long it takes to order one in? Will the rims hold up for curb bashing? Etc.

Kwik_shift is laser focused on the condition of the rims of police vehicles.

The EV owners actually, and this part is important boys and girl, own and drive EVs. And will swear by them regardless. We know. Cognitive dissonance is a cruel master, and will not be denied.

I don't hate EVs but I do hate the Mach-E.

What's dissonant? I have owned an EV for four years (and a PHEV for three years before that), It's better for what I use it for than any ICE vehicle I've ever owned. I don't use it for things it can't do, because I'm not everyone, I'm just me. I wouldn't switch back, because I'd end up with a worse ownership experience.

(And maintenance over those four years has consisted of two tire rotations and a cabin air filter. I will have to drain and fill the battery coolant next year.)

They don’t want tax dollars going to EVs as they are scared they won’t get their “earned” income credit or whatever.