Electric Ford Mustang Mach-E Recreates Historic Ocean-to-Ocean Drive

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Early on the morning of June 1st, 1909, Henry Ford entered two of his Model Ts in the first coast-to-coast, transcontinental American road race. And, while it wasn’t quite the Cannonball Run, that race tested the endurance and capability of an emerging technology that was still being referred to as a “horseless carriage” in may parts of the country. Twenty-three days and 4,106 miles after it had set off from New York, Henry’s number 2 Model T crossed the finish line at the Seattle World’s Fair, winning the race. Last week, another emergent technology set off from New York to recreate that historic drive in the form of the all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E … and it didn’t take the Mustang twenty-three days to make it!

We’ve Come a Long Way, Babies

Image courtesy of Ford Motor Company.

The drive, called “Ocean to Ocean, Reimagined,” showcased some of the Mustang Mach-E’s capabilities, and gave Ford a chance to share the new vehicle at a number of events along the planned route that, it must be said, is quite a bit longer than the original, direct Ocean-to-Ocean route. That, however, is intentional.

“More than a century after the Model T brought mobility to the masses, Mustang Mach-E is injecting thrill and passion to fully electric vehicles,” explains Jason Castriota, Ford’s global brand director, Battery Electric Vehicles. “Ocean to Ocean Reimagined is helping to amplify awareness around Mustang Mach-E and what it can do. We hope this coast-to-coast journey — much like the original Ocean to Ocean race commissioned by Henry Ford in 1909 — becomes a truly unique, exhilarating, and entertaining chapter in the Ford and Mustang story.”

So, this isn’t exactly like the original cross-country drive — and that’s okay, because Ford has done enough already to make the Mach-E a sales success.  As it stands, demand for the electric Mustang Mach-E has been skyrocketing, and fully 70 percent of the customers who’ve signed up for the vehicle are new to Ford. For the uninitiated, that is an absolutely huge win for Ford … but, like, that’s not why you decided to read this article, is it?

Me, neither! Like you, I wanted to know how a Mustang Mach-E would actually handle a coast-to-coast drive. Luckily, I was able to find out — that’s because an intrepid guy named Sergio Rodriguez decided to go for it back in March, and the Detroit Free Press covered it!

“The military contractor flew from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Diego to pick up his new 2021 all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV at the Ford dealership on Feb. 19,” writes the Freep. “During that whole trip, he spent 586 minutes charging at a cost of $159.85. He charged exclusively at DC fast chargers en route, with no overnight charging (at hotels).”

“I’m just impressed with what Ford did with the Mach-E because they took notes from other manufacturers of what works and what doesn’t,” the Freep quotes Rodriguez as saying at the end of his 5 day trip, which included a series of stops to see friends and family along the way. Oh, and one more thing — the trip cost him just $160 in electric fuel. I did the some math, and that’s about the equivalent of a 55 MPG Prius … and the Prius won’t go from 0–60 MPH in under 4 seconds!

We really have come a long way.

Images courtesy of Ford


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