Sam Krahn 
The upcoming Ford Mustang Mach-E will continue to stay fresh for long after the customer receives their EV, thanks to innovative over-the-air updates. Tesla first pioneered the idea that cars, especially EVs, can have simple software updates to add new features during the life of the car. This means new features added years after you bought your car are just an update away, extending the lifespan of the car. Unlike Tesla, however, Ford has found a way to make them quicker and easier.
Ford’s OTA updates will run in the background, so owners won’t have to wait around for their car to update. If your Mustang Mach-E is connected to wifi at your home, owners are notified on their connected Ford app an update is available, and can schedule it for overnight. Then, the updates will install quickly when the owner starts their car- many times in less than two minutes. Then, the infotainment will display what improvements were made to their vehicle.
Ford expects to have the first Mach-E updates six months after launch, which is supposedly still on track for this fall. Ford will also roll out these type of OTA updates to every new model, meaning the upcoming Bronco and Bronco Sport could get these type of updates. Software based off-road driving modes have become almost as important as the hardware itself. It would be interesting to see Ford improve the off-road capabilities of these new models with a simple OTA update.
The Mustang Mach-E, though, will be the first to get this style of update, no doubt in thanks to it’s electric architecture. The SUV will be Ford’s first dedicated model, and mark the expansion of the Mustang brand. At launch, the top of the range Mach-E will run 0-60 in the mid-three second range, and higher performance variations may follow.
It’s hardly an affordable commuter EV, but its controversial nature has definitely caught the attention of people. Enough buyers support an electric Mustang SUV for it to be effectively sold out for its first production year.
