Lightning v. Mach-E: Same Miles/kWH??

[ridgebackpilot]

Friends: Having both a 2022 Lightning Lariat ER and a 2022 Mustang Mach-E GTPE, I've noticed they get roughly the same miles per kWH on long freeway trips, around 2.2 M/kWH. How could that be?

If M/kWH is the equivalent of MPG in ICE cars, then the truck should get far lower M/kWH than the smaller and lighter SUV, right?

Sure, the battery pack in the Lightning is larger (131 kWH) than the Mustang Mach-E (91 kWH). But isn't that just the equivalent of a bigger gas tank on an ICE truck than an SUV?

Since the electric motors in the Lightning are bigger (350 kW) than the Mach-E (200 kW), I'd expect them to use more electrical energy, just like the ICE F-150 has a bigger engine and uses more gas than my son's Ford Edge SUV.

So why am I getting the same M/kWH in both vehicles?? What am I missing here? Perhaps M/kWH isn't the equivalent of MPG in ICE vehicles?

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[RickLightning]

You are missing nothing. The Lighting is approximately 40% less efficient.

What you state is not possible unless:

- You're driving much, much faster in the Mach-E.
- You're comparing Mach-E in dead of winter to Lightning in summer.
- You're relying on the Mach-E's "this trip" data...
- Your Mach-E has a problem and needs work done.

 

[Blainestang]

You're right about mpg vs mi/kWh. The Mach E *should* get better efficiency in general, but the GTPE does have higher performance tires and such that hurt efficiency. Still should be better, though, according to EPA:

Mach E GTPE: 41 kWh/100 miles = 2.43 mi/kWh
Lightning ER: 48 kWh/100 miles = 2.08 mi/kWh

On top of that, the gap should get bigger on the highway (and EPA's city/highway mpge numbers agree).

These numbers include charging losses, so in-car results should be better, but yeah, looks like the Mach E is underperforming for some reason to only match the Lightning on the highway.

 

[ridgebackpilot]

Thanks! Indeed, the efficiency of the two vehicles is supposed to be slightly different:

Fueleconomy.gov claims the Ford Lightning is rated to 49 kWh / 100 miles on average: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/45318.shtml

Fueleconomy.gov claims the Ford Mustang GT is rated to 41 kWh / 100 miles on average: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/45143.shtml making it more efficient.

But isn't that far less difference than an ICE F-150 v. an ICE SUV like my son's Ford Edge?

 

[Blainestang]

But isn't that far less difference than an ICE F-150 v. an ICE SUV like my son's Ford Edge?

2.43mi/kWh is only ~16% better than 2.08mi/kWh, but surprisingly, a "normal" F-150 is 19-20mpg combined vs an Edge at ~23mpg, which is a similar ~15%.

I would have expected a bigger gap, for sure. That probably comes down to the Edge being pretty inefficient for it's size. 23mpg combined for a midsize gas crossover seems pretty bad.

 

[voxel]

So why am I getting the same M/kWH in both vehicles?? What am I missing here? Perhaps M/kWH isn't the equivalent of MPG in ICE vehicles?

The Mach-E GTPE is insanely inefficient. One of the worst of the EVs I've owned and I've owned too many lol. I barely achieved 2.5 mi/kWh in daily commuting (80% going 60-65mph) in the GTPE whereas with the Mach-E Premium AWD ER I'd achieve 3.3 mi/kWh easily.

It's the performance tires and overpowered permanent magnet motors.

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