The all-electric SUV derived from Ford’s All-American pony car will hit the market in Europe before it makes it to North American dealerships. Website Mach-E Club interviewed Jason Mase, head of Electrification Marketing Strategy at Ford, at the Chicago Auto Show last week, and this was one of the bits of news that came out of that conversation.
The reasons for putting European markets at the front of the line are two-fold, and simple: regulations and demand. The stringent new rules put in place by governments on the Old Continent oblige automakers to offer zero-emission variants if they want to sell in those markets. At the same time, demand for electrified vehicles is significantly stronger there than here, so logic dictates that Ford will send the first units produced of the Mach-E overseas.
European consumers will thus start to see the Mach-E at dealerships before the end of 2020, more specifically the First Edition as well as some Premium, Select and California Route 1 editions. The GT edition also slated for production is scheduled to appear in 2021.
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Ford believes that in America, 30% of buyers of the Mustang Mach-E will opt for that GT version and its 459 hp.
Except for that edition, which is expected to be ready by late spring 2021, U.S. deliveries will also start in 2020 - though after Europe gets its first models.
As well…
Jason Mase also confirmed to Mach-E Club that the vehicle will not get fog lights. As well, while the EV has a large panoramic sunroof, there will not be a blind to slide out beneath it – which could possibly deter buyers in some hotter climates. The executive iterated that the special UV-protected glass of the model will be sufficient to keep the cabin from overheating too easily.
One relevant – and sought-after – piece of information not forthcoming from Mase or anyone else at Ford involves the number of Mach-Es that make up the initial round of reservations being accepted. We do know that Ford has sold out all of the First Editions, but beyond that all we have to go on is a rumour of 30,000 reservations.
