FORD vs TESLA
Tesla electric vehicles have been in development for over 18 years and have dominated the EV landscape in the United States for the past 8 years. More and more automakers are shifting production into the luxury Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) space offering some fierce competition to the long-standing market leader. The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s answer to the Tesla model Y. Below is a quick look at how the Tesla Model Y and the Ford Mach-E compare.
Stats:
The Drive
According to Motor Trend, the 2021 Ford Mach-E is smoother on most terrains compared to the Tesla Model Y. The Model Y is comfortable and sleek on a well-maintained street but leaves much to be desired on uneven pavement. Both vehicles handle nicely as the bottom floor placement of the battery help keep the body rolling well – but the Mach-E takes another win for control due to its lower overall height and Michigan bred manufacturing.
More details on the drive here
Interior
The Mach-E’s interior is considered more pleasant than the Model Y and brings a premium feel with grey cloth on the dashboard. Both vehicles have similar features like hidden air vents and central smart dash screens, but only the Mach-E has a secondary smart screen portion that serves as a tool cluster.
The Tesla Model Y has a more spacious interior, offering rear passengers more leg room with lifted driver and passenger seats. The Mach-E falls short in terms of space overall as it also has less front trunk storage compared to the Model Y.
More details on the interior here
Technology
The Tesla Model Y displays its technological roots with its horizontal, quick response touch, screen display designed to control everything from the trunk to the audio functions. While the Model Y’s interface feels truly advanced, the Mach-E goes with a similar yet conventional approach. The vertical touch screen on the Mach-E has a knob allowing you to control volume, is large and high-res, but was said to function a bit slower than the Model Y.
Charging
As we will all learn in the coming years, the second most important factor of an electric vehicle is the speed at which you can recharge it. Three factors that determine charging speed are the type of charger, the EV’s onboard charger, and the EV’s battery size. Motor Trend used a 250kW Tesla Supercharger as the Tesla has the vehicle was capable of accepting the rate, and a brand name 150kW DC fast charger for the Mach-E when comparing charging times. In a 35-minute timeframe, the Model Y was able to generate 230 miles of range while the Mach-E gained an estimated 175 miles. This does not include the time the testers needed to figure out the logistics of the Mach-E’s FordPass app, a step not necessary for Tesla-on-Tesla charging.
Who Wins?
While the Ford Mustang Mach-E impressed many critics as Ford’s first all-electric vehicle, the Tesla Model Y is still considered superior on all fronts that matter (price, tech, space etc.). As the EV landscape evolves, how long will Tesla wear the crown?