The Mach-E is Fords first true electric car. Sure, Ford has produced some compliance EV’s for California etc such as the Focus EV previously. However, the Mach-E is Ford’s first car designed from the ground up as an EV, and its an SUV, with a Mustang badge on it…I’ll get to my thoughts on that branding choice at the end of this post. Let’s get to the important things though, what can it tow? Well, currently it appears there will be no official US tow rating. Though the Mach-E is rated to tow in Europe, but only 750kg (1,600 ish lbs).
Key Ford Mustang Mach-E Specs
- Official Towing Capacity – None currently for the US
- Availability – Now
- Price – Starting $43,895 (RWD Select) > $61,995 (AWD GT)
- EPA Range – 230 miles (RWD Select) > 305 miles (RWD California Route)
- Estimate Towing Range (50%) – 115 miles (RWD Select) > 152 miles (RWD California Route 1)
- Maximum Charge Rate – 150 kW (DC Fast Charger)
Ford Mustang Mach-E HP & Torque
- Select – RWD with 255 HP and 306 lb-ft of torque
- California Route 1 – RWD with 282 HP and 306 lb-ft of torque
- California Route 1 – AWD with 346 HP and 428 lb-ft of torque
- Premium – RWD with 290 HP and 317 lb-ft of torque
- Premium – AWD with 346 HP and 428 lb-ft of torque
- GT – AWD with 480 HP and 600 lb-ft of torque
Ford Mustang Mach-E Towing Capabilities
So officially, the Ford Mustang Mach-E will have no US tow rating/tow package. I’ve read the various US press releases for the Mustang Mach-E, and towing is not referenced at all, this has also been reported by Motortrend.
In Europe however, specifically on the Ford UK website, the Mach-E is stated to have a towing capacity of 750 kg (1,600 ish lbs), so what gives?
Well, this isn’t the first time an EV manufacturer has stated their car does and does not have towing capabilities depending on where you live.
Tesla did it with the Model 3, which has a UK tow rating of 2,000 lbs but no official US tow rating. Though that hasn’t stopped some US Model 3 owners retrofitting the car to tow. The Polestar 2 and the Nissan Ariya are two other examples of EV’s with different US and UK towing specifications.
Why does this US/UK towing disparity between some EV’s keep happening? Its still not completely clear. Some have suggested its due to different towing regulations/restrictions in different markets. That maybe be part of it.
However, I feel it likely has more to do with manufacturers concerns over the car’s range, with US customers more likely to take longer journies than those in the UK for example. With a heavier trailer decreasing range more rapidly.
Would A US Towing Capacity Of 1,600 lbs Even Be Competitive?
Let’s imagine for a second that Ford did a bit of U-turn on the Mustang Mach-E and also offered the same UK tow rating in the US of 1,600 lbs. How, would a 1,600 lbs tow rating match up to the competition in the EV SUV category?
Well, it would be a bit better than the 1,500 lbs Nissan has stated for the Ariya. Then again that’s not very impressive as the US Ariya’s tow rating of 1,500 lbs is very disappointing compared to the UK specification Ariya with a 1,500 kg (3,300 ish lbs) tow rating.
The Polestar 2 now has a US tow rating of 2,000 lbs (downgraded from 3,300 lbs), and the Volvo XC40 Recharge currently has a US tow rating of 3,500 lbs which I’m predicting will also be downgraded. The VW ID.4 has a US tow rating of 2,700 lbs, which on price is going to be the biggest competition for the Mustang Mach-E.
The Tesla Model Y currently has the largest US tow rating of compact EV SUVs at 3,500 lbs. However, the Model Y is currently quite a bit more expensive than the other cars/SUV’s mentioned above as Tesla no longer benefits from the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit.
Towing With A US Mustang Mach-E?!
While the Mach-E isn’t officially rated to tow I did come across an interview with a Mach-E who has decided to fit an aftermarket hitch to his Mach-E and tow a cargo trailer a significant distance. This gent has towed a trailer thousands of miles behind his Mach-E and he provides a lot of detailed feedback on the experience.
The important thing to remember here is the Mach-E is not officially rated to tow, the Mach-E manual has a specific warning about towing with the Mach-E. Therefore, its definitely not recommended to tow with a Mach-E in the US currently as there are legal and potential insurance risks in doing to.
My Thoughts On The Ford Mustang Mach-E….
As things currently stand, the Mustang Mach-E due to its zero official US tow rating is obviously disappointing to me.
Then again, even if the US version of the Mach-E came with the UK tow rating of 1,600 lbs I don’t think that would be competitive when stacked up against the VW ID.4 and especially the Tesla Model Y.
On the whole ‘Mustang’ branding controversy, I have no personal emotional attachment to the Mustang brand, but I’m aware many people do. I don’t believe their concerns are about an electric Mustang, its more about an SUV has a Mustang badge on it.
Ford as you can see from their video above are fully aware of the potential backlash from existing customers, and they feel they have designed a car that can reflect what a Mustang should be.
I think the car looks ok personally, but I do find the choice of using the Mustang branding risky. Ford has tried to leverage the Mustang brand to promote a Sports Utility Vehicle which is obviously lacking in the utility department if you are interested in towing.
Therefore what remains? A Mustang with a larger boot and better leg/headroom? Personally, I would have saved the Mustang branding for EV coupes and convertibles without risking a brand built off over half a century of previous vehicles.
