Photo: Ford
Ford revealed on October 18 that it has started manufacturing the Mustang Mach-E in China. Produced at Changan Ford’s manufacturing plant in Chongqing, the electric crossover brings a major difference compared to the one made in Mexico: it uses BYD batteries.
The Mach-E manufactured at Ford’s Cuautitlán plant uses cells from LGES (LG Energy Solution), the same supplier with significant issues with Hyundai and GM, respectively, with the Kona Electric and the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Apart from these companies, Volkswagen and Lucid also use LGES ternary cells.
The fact that BYD is a supplier to the Mach-E shows the scale at which the Chinese company is operating. A while ago, there was a rumor that Tesla would buy LFP cells from the competitor to test the structural battery pack it is yet to deliver with its 4680 batteries. However, BYD’s famous LFP cells, called Blade Batteries, are not in Ford’s electric SUV.
The Mach-E uses NMC 811 cells. According to the Chinese website ZHEV, they are of a “specially customized square hard-shell” kind, which gives us the impression that they are prismatic. Depending on the production scale, Ford may start to export the Mach-E for Europe from China, just like Tesla does with the Model 3 and Model Y made in Shanghai. We’d solve those doubts if Ford’s Chinese PR department contacts were available on the company’s website.
Ford would also help us a lot if it could clarify the sales model for the Mach-E in China. The company said it will be sold “through Ford’s direct sales network of electric vehicle city stores.” Ford wants to have 25 of these stores in China by the end of the year and 100 by 2026. However, the description gives us a weird impression of how they work.
If we got that right, it does not seem to be appropriately a direct sales model, one you can reach through any website. The goal of these stores would be to allow you to order your EV when you pay them a visit. We’d love to confirm if that is really the case.
The Chinese Mach-E RWD Long Range has a range of 619 kilometers (385 miles) under CLTC (China light-duty vehicle test cycle). Ford did not disclose what that represents in WLTP or NEDC cycles.
According to comparative studies about them, CLTC focuses on urban and suburban use, which makes them reflect low average speeds, high idle ratio, and frequent acceleration and deceleration. In other words, it is very different from the other testing cycles and especially beneficial for EVs.
Unfortunately, Ford did not disclose the range for the Mach-E RWD Premium Long Range, RWD Standard Range, or GT First Edition it is producing in Chongqing. ZHEV came to the rescue only in the GT’s case: it would offer 492 km (305.7 mi) of range.
The fact that BYD is a supplier to the Mach-E shows the scale at which the Chinese company is operating. A while ago, there was a rumor that Tesla would buy LFP cells from the competitor to test the structural battery pack it is yet to deliver with its 4680 batteries. However, BYD’s famous LFP cells, called Blade Batteries, are not in Ford’s electric SUV.
The Mach-E uses NMC 811 cells. According to the Chinese website ZHEV, they are of a “specially customized square hard-shell” kind, which gives us the impression that they are prismatic. Depending on the production scale, Ford may start to export the Mach-E for Europe from China, just like Tesla does with the Model 3 and Model Y made in Shanghai. We’d solve those doubts if Ford’s Chinese PR department contacts were available on the company’s website.
Ford would also help us a lot if it could clarify the sales model for the Mach-E in China. The company said it will be sold “through Ford’s direct sales network of electric vehicle city stores.” Ford wants to have 25 of these stores in China by the end of the year and 100 by 2026. However, the description gives us a weird impression of how they work.
If we got that right, it does not seem to be appropriately a direct sales model, one you can reach through any website. The goal of these stores would be to allow you to order your EV when you pay them a visit. We’d love to confirm if that is really the case.
The Chinese Mach-E RWD Long Range has a range of 619 kilometers (385 miles) under CLTC (China light-duty vehicle test cycle). Ford did not disclose what that represents in WLTP or NEDC cycles.
According to comparative studies about them, CLTC focuses on urban and suburban use, which makes them reflect low average speeds, high idle ratio, and frequent acceleration and deceleration. In other words, it is very different from the other testing cycles and especially beneficial for EVs.
Unfortunately, Ford did not disclose the range for the Mach-E RWD Premium Long Range, RWD Standard Range, or GT First Edition it is producing in Chongqing. ZHEV came to the rescue only in the GT’s case: it would offer 492 km (305.7 mi) of range.
Google News