Ford has confirmed that it's going to match Tesla and offer over-the-air software updates for the electric Mustang Mach-E SUV.
The new SUV, built on a unique electric car platform, and styled to resemble (sorta, kinda) the Mustang coupe, will go on sale towards the end of this year, and will be a rival to the likes of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.
SYNC4 touchscreen
In order to catch up with Tesla's EV market lead, Ford is going to offer over-the-air software updates for the car's SYNC4 touchscreen, as well as the computer modules that control the car's performance.
"The beauty of the Mustang Mach-E is that what our customers experience on day one is just the beginning - it will evolve to add even more features and capabilities over time," said John Vangelov, connected services manager, Ford Motor Company. "Our clever over-the-air updates also minimise downtime through incredibly fast activation and ensure your Mustang Mach-E is always getting better, even when you're asleep."
Ford says that the updates can take place regardless of location, and in many cases will take as little a two minutes to download and install. Some installations will be virtually invisible to customers, who can select a regular time - such as the middle of the night - for updates while their Mach-E is parked. Many updates will be completed almost instantly after a customer starts their vehicle, while in-vehicle alerts will tell them what improvements have been installed.
First updates after six months
The plan is to deliver the first major software upgrades around six months after the first launch of customer cars. Some updates will be too big for the car's cellular connectivity system to handle, so it'll need to be connected to a wifi system to do those.
As well as the software updates, Ford has discovered that the extended-range, rear-wheel drive Mach-E is pretty quick at charging, too. Prototype testing has shown that the car's batteries can add as much as 120km of extra range in just ten minutes, when connected to an ultra-fast 150kW IONITY public charger (Ford is part of the group of car makers backing the IONITY project).
Mustang customers love the open road, and less time recharging means more time enjoying the drive," said Mark Kaufman, Global Director, Electric Vehicles. "We've made it a priority to make it faster to recharge their Mustang Mach-E, and we're continuing to work with providers to make even more charge points available through FordPass to make it easier to recharge."
Faster charging times
The four-wheel drive version can add as much as 106km of range in ten minutes on the same charger. For standard-range models, the figure is 90km in ten minutes. Ford is claiming a 595km WLTP one-charge range for the Mach-E when fitted with the biggest battery.
The team working on the Mach-E has also had to adapt to working separately and remotely during the pandemic. They're getting quick at it too, with Ford saying that what took five hours of work initially under remote circumstances now takes just ten minutes. "By quickly implementing remote access to our vehicle components, we're ensuring our Mustang Mach-E customers can enjoy the great capabilities they've been looking forward to from the start, while providing the accommodations our engineers need to continue innovating from the safety of their homes," said Vangelov.