As electric vehicle technology evolves, range anxiety is becoming less and less of an issue. Take for example Ford and its Mustang Mach-E, which can cover up to 305 miles in its most efficient version. Ok, but what about reducing the charging times? The Blue Oval is working on that as well with an upcoming software update for its all-electric crossover.
Speaking with InsideEVs, Ford General Manager Electric Vehicles Darren Palmer shared some interesting tidbits about how the company plans to improve the Mustang Mach-E. A future software update will bump the fast charging cap from the current 80% state of charge to about 90%. As a refresher, the cap limits the charging power to around 12 kW as a way to preserve the battery and make sure it still has its 70% capacity available after eight years – an interval covered by the warranty.
The software revision Ford is working on for the Mustang Mach-E is set to bring additional tweaks, including an increase in the peak power delivered by the electric motors. Not only that, but the zero-emissions crossover is set to receive a better charging curve and changes to the temperature at which the battery operates.
Darren Palmer did not exclude the possibility of increasing the charging speed at some point in the future, but only if the vehicle’s battery is healthy and the owner hasn’t been using a DC fast-charger frequently.
As previously announced by Ford Mustang Mach-E chief engineer Donna Dickson , some of the changes are expected to arrive as early as the 2022 model year. The software updates could result in a longer maximum range as part of the firm’s agenda to upgrade the electric crossover with each new model year.
To achieve better efficiency, some weight loss measures will be taken, including getting rid of the automatic transmission parking pawl and one of the motor cooling pumps.
Source: InsideEVs
