It seems like the WLTP standards might be a bit generous.
American carmaker Ford is working slowly but steadily towards the reveal of its new EV crossover, dubbed internally as the ‘Mach 1,’ but confirmed not to carry the revered name. It was first teased at the Detroit auto show last year, but preceded by Ford executives saying that they hope to offer an EV with a range in excess of 480km. However, announcements made yesterday on the subject suggest a range closer to 600km on a full charge, which is highly impressive indeed.
It’s worth noting that the 370mi range (just a whisker under 600km) was quoted based on the requirements of the European World Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure, or WLTP. As The Verge points out, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ratings are usually a bit more realistic, and there’s often a bit of a discrepancy between WLTP and EPA figures. 600km is pretty ambitious by any length, but even if it does about 500km thereabouts, that’s still more than enough for most buyers.
Presently, the only cars that offer more than 480km on a single charge are Teslas of all forms, with the majority of first-generation electric vehicles from major manufacturers like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Jaguar offering somewhere around 500km per charge. That means that Ford’s ‘Mach 1’ will sit proudly among the mainstream competitors, and price-wise, it’ll give Tesla’s new Model Y quite a headache.
Additionally, with Ford engaged with Volkswagen to co-develop cars and enjoy greater economies of scale, it’s possible that the company could benefit from some of the advancements that are being poured into the VW I.D. family of vehicles.
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