Back in 2008, Top Gear aired an episode of presenter Jeremy Clarkson getting the opportunity to test the first Tesla Roadster. Clarkson started by demonstrating how quick it was compared to the Lotus Elise it was based off of, and proceeded to rip the entire car apart, thereby basically concluding that electric cars are dumb and will never catch on. Fast forward to now, and you have companies such as Ford making insane electric sports cars like the Mach-E 1400, and showcasing just how awesome electric cars can be. A little over a week ago, Ford and Vaughn Gittin Jr. took the Mach-E to Goodwood Festival of Speed to showcase its performance. And now, we're getting a closer look at this amazing ride, including details surrounding American rapper T-Pain’s involvement with the car’s sound.
Batteries Included
In the video above, Jonny Smith from The Late Brake Show YouTube Channel got an exclusive look at the Mach-E 1400, and even got the privilege of getting a ride with Vaughn Gittin Jr. As much as we all enjoy seeing the footage of Gittin drifting the Mach-E as if he was auditioning for the next gymkhana video, that's not what we are here for today – we're here because we finally get a deeper look into the makings of this amazing car, and the real ideas surrounding the project.
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Gittin Jr. gets to talking about what the vehicle is like to drive and how it compares to his Formula Drift Mustang. Gittin Jr. mentions that when he first felt the immense acceleration, he thought that something was actually wrong because it felt so unnatural to him.
Creating Both A Unique Sound And Driving Experience
They get to talking about how unlike most production EV cars, the Mach-E actually has seven motors – three stacked in the front and four in the back. Concering the motors, while Gittin Jr. claims that “when they go, they’re whining like crazy,” they still wanted to create a sound that would help the Mach-E stand out from the pack. The pro drifter confirms two ways they did this: first, teaming up with Harman for the speakers; second, working personally with American rapper T-Pain to develop the sound itself.
Gittin Jr. and Jonny also discuss how although the body is an actual production Mach-E, the aero is a fully functional system capable of generating 2,300 lbs of downforce that was designed to be effective on both a road course and drifting, featuring a lightweight hood made from flax.
Changing The Game
With all this talk about EVs being the future, it's easy to get caught up in what a lot of companies are really trying to do. Gittin Jr. mentions that he and Ford aren't necessarily trying to replace internal combustion cars with this vehicle, but simply using it to educate people about there being other options.
The point Gittin Jr. and many EV enthusiasts are trying to get across is that you can have the best of both worlds, and in a hobby like motorsport, if there is fun to be had in a new way, you should enjoy it instead of rejecting it. Nobody is saying to get rid of your 3,000hp twin turbo Viper, they're simply saying to think about also owning an EV.
Source: YouTube