If you’re looking at a Ford Mustang Mach-E for sale, you’re probably looking at all kinds of numbers, from price to horsepower to range. But what might not be apparent at first glance is that these numbers can vary wildly depending on how your Mach-E is configured. That’s because this electric SUV can be had with either a single- or dual-motor setup, and each one can be paired with either a standard- or extended-range battery. If you’re thinking of buying a Mustang Mach-E, getting all of these options straight can feel daunting.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or starting to succumb to decision fatigue, don’t panic. The options are pretty simple as long as they’re laid out in a straightforward way. So today, we’re going to break down all of the powertrain options available on the 2024 Mustang Mach-E, which trims offer which options, and the pros and cons of each one.
Standard Battery
We’ll start by looking at the standard battery, which comes standard on the Select and Premium trims. This 72-kWh battery is the most affordable way to power your Mach-E, making it a good choice for drivers on a budget. It can be paired with either rear- or all-wheel drive. While RWD uses a single motor, AWD uses a pair of motors—one for each axle. On the Select and Premium trims, you can pair the standard battery with either a single- or dual-motor setup.
The standard battery paired with RWD is the most affordable powertrain you can get on a Mach-E. Get this configuration on the entry-level Select trim, and you’ll be looking at a starting MSRP of $39,995, which is the cheapest this EV gets. As you might expect, this setup is also the least powerful option—but since the Mach-E falls under the Mustang umbrella, it’s still going to give you pretty solid performance. You’ll be looking at up to 264 hp and 387 lb-ft of torque, providing quick acceleration and dynamic driving. You’ll also get 250 miles of range, which is the most you can get with the standard battery.
Upgrading to the dual-motor AWD setup will add a few thousand dollars to the price of the Mach-E, but you will get some solid upgrades for that cash. The powertrain will deliver 325 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, allowing the SUV to go from zero to sixty in just 5.6 seconds. You’ll also have more traction, making it easier to drive on wet roads, gravel driveways, and other tricky surfaces. However, because AWD uses more power and the system is drawing on the same battery, this setup does take away 20 miles of range, giving you about 230 miles on a full battery.
Extended Range Battery
If you want to be able to go further on a charge, then you should consider upgrading to the extended-range battery. Offering 91 kWh of power, this battery is an available upgrade for the Select and Premium trims, adding a few thousand dollars to the price tag. On the Select trim, this battery can only be paired with the dual-motor AWD system, but on the Premium trim, you can pair it with either RWD or AWD.
A Mach-E Premium with RWD and the extended-range battery delivers up to 290 hp and 387 lb-ft of torque. That’s slightly peppier than what you get with the standard battery, but not by much. The main advantage of this setup is that it offers the most range of any 2024 Mach-E, allowing you to go up to 320 miles on a full charge. Switching RWD out for AWD brings that range down a bit but still gives you 300 miles to play with. Pairing AWD with the extended-range battery on a Mach-E Select or Premium gives you 365 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, letting you accelerate from zero to sixty in 5.2 seconds.
GT Extended Range Battery
So far, we’ve only been looking at the two most affordable Mach-E trims: the Select and Premium. Now, we’re going to turn to the top-tier trims: the GT and Rally. These trims don’t give you as many configuration choices as the lower trims because they both come standard with all-wheel drive and the extended-range battery. Because they’re more performance-oriented, these trims have unique specs, getting slightly less range in exchange for more power.
The GT trim’s powertrain produces up to 480 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque and provides up to 280 miles of range. It can zoom from zero to sixty in as little as 3.8 seconds. New for the 2024 model year is a package that lets you make the GT trim more powerful. Spend about a thousand dollars to add on the “performance upgrade,” and you’ll get 700 lb-ft of torque, bringing the zero-to-sixty time down to 3.3 seconds, which is the quickest of any production Mustang Mach-E ever, according to Ford. The catch is that it brings the range down to 265 miles.
The top-tier Rally trim is also new for the 2024 model year. It comes standard with the performance upgrade, so you’ll get that 700 lb-ft of torque no matter what, letting you go from zero to sixty in as little as 3.4 seconds and giving you a range of 265 miles. The Rally trim also looks the part of a performance vehicle, coming standard with racing stripes on the hood and decklid (though you have the option to remove the stripes if you want to be a little more subtle).
How to Decide
Which of these powertrain options is the best? That depends on your priorities. If you’re looking for the most affordable Mach-E, you’ll want to get the Select trim paired with RWD and the standard range battery to get the lowest possible starting MSRP of $39,995. If you want the most range, get the Premium trim paired with RWD and the extended range battery to unlock up to 320 miles of range. If you’re more interested in performance than practicality, you can get the GT trim with the performance upgrade to get the best zero-to-sixty time of 3.3 seconds.
Of course, most drivers won’t find it as simple as that. If you want a lot of range but live in a place that gets a lot of rain and snow, it might be worth sacrificing a few miles to get the extra traction of AWD, for example. And the powertrain options aren’t the only things that differ from trim to trim. Upgrading to the Premium over the Select gets you heated front seats, a premium audio system, and a power liftgate, among other creature comforts. The sporty GT adds Brembo front brakes with red-painted calipers, performance front seats, and a unique front fascia design, while the top-tier Rally comes standard with a rear spoiler, a specially-tuned damping system, and an exclusive RallySport drive mode (not to mention those racing stripes).
But when you’re deciding on a vehicle, you have to start somewhere. Deciding which powertrain setup you prefer can narrow down the trims you have to choose from and help you sort out your priorities. Once that’s out of the way, it will be easier to choose the rest of the details. Take things one step at a time and focus on having fun!
