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Ford’s 2024 Mustang Mach-E GT is making waves in the electric vehicle (EV) market—not just with its bold design or all-wheel-drive power, but with its newly enhanced motor architecture. At the heart of this refresh is an in-house electric motor upgrade that not only pushes performance boundaries but strategically sets the stage for future high-voltage EV systems.
With a keen focus on lean design, improved efficiency, and potential cost reductions, we break down the critical engineering decisions behind the Mach-E GT’s evolution. Whether you’re an automotive engineer, EV enthusiast, or industry investor, understanding this teardown-level insight from the Munro team of engineers will illuminate the future-forward logic Ford has employed.
Boosting Performance: 480 HP and 700 lb-ft of Torque
The latest Mach-E GT boasts a robust 480 horsepower and an impressive 700 lb-ft of torque—good for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.7 seconds. But these numbers are more than marketing metrics. They’re the result of strategic engineering, starting with Ford’s decision to replace the previous supplier-based motor from BorgWarner with an in-house design.
This shift signifies more than just vertical integration. It reflects Ford’s ambition to exert tighter control over cost, design flexibility, and future-proofing.
From BorgWarner to Ford: A Shift in Winding and Design Philosophy
The BorgWarner motor, known for its bar-wound technology, served the earlier Mach-E well. However, by transitioning to a new in-house design, Ford made subtle yet significant changes. Chief among them: reengineering the winding architecture and lamination bonding approach.
In the new configuration, the stator winding now connects from the weld side (instead of the crown), enabling four parallel electrical paths—double the two-path system used in the BorgWarner setup. This not only enhances current flow capacity but also increases torque retention under load.
To support this higher current and torque, the stator stack length was increased, improving the motor’s thermal capacity. This enhancement is crucial during performance-intensive moments like quarter-mile sprints or aggressive acceleration—keeping torque delivery consistent without overheating.
Lamination Bonding: Lower Losses, Higher Efficiency
A particularly noteworthy upgrade is the bonding technique used for the stator laminations. Whereas the BorgWarner motor relied on welds to hold the laminations together—a practice that creates unwanted eddy current paths and electrical losses—Ford’s new motor uses bonded laminations.
By gluing the lamination layers instead of welding, Ford eliminates these paths for parasitic electrical loss. The result? Increased motor efficiency, especially noticeable during light-load city driving. This seemingly minor tweak can yield measurable gains in electric driving range and overall powertrain efficiency—key selling points for EV buyers concerned with real-world performance.
A Strategic Step Toward 800-Volt Systems
Ford’s new winding configuration doesn’t just enhance current performance; it’s a clever nod to future scalability. The layout bears a striking resemblance to Hyundai’s 800V winding strategy, albeit with different turn counts and fewer parallel paths.
Ford could theoretically adapt this same motor design for 800V systems—simply by increasing the number of turns and switching to two parallel paths instead of four. That opens the door for higher voltage operation, faster charging, and reduced conductor losses—without overhauling the core design. This modularity makes the in-house motor not just a performance enhancer, but a platform for future vehicle generations.
Shared Architecture with F-150 Lightning: Economies of Scale
One of the most pragmatic benefits of bringing the motor in-house is cross-platform compatibility. The same upgraded motor is now shared between the Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning. This kind of platform commonality allows Ford to:
- Reduce manufacturing complexity
- Increase production volume
- Lower per-unit cost
- Streamline maintenance and parts distribution
These benefits speak directly to lean manufacturing principles—something Munro & Associates has long championed. Ford’s decision aligns with industry trends where OEMs are standardizing EV platforms across vehicle classes to achieve profitability faster.
Software and Control Upgrades: Enhancing the Whole System
It’s not just the hardware that got smarter. The 2024 Mach-E GT also benefits from refined software to drive the motor more precisely. These updates likely include improved torque vectoring logic, more accurate thermal modeling, and potentially machine-learning-driven optimizations based on driver behavior and performance profiles.
Though less visible than hardware upgrades, software plays an increasingly critical role in EV performance. As systems become more tightly integrated and digital twins more prevalent, control algorithms will become a defining performance differentiator in next-gen vehicles.
Real-World Benefits for Drivers
For the average Mach-E driver, these technical upgrades translate into:
- Faster acceleration without sacrificing thermal reliability
- Better efficiency during city driving, with improved range
- Reduced noise and vibration, thanks to improved stator bonding
- Future readiness, with an architecture that can evolve toward 800V systems
- Lower long-term cost, thanks to shared components and simplified supply chains
These aren’t just wins for Ford engineers—they’re tangible upgrades that enhance the daily driving experience, especially in a segment where electric SUVs must balance power, range, and price.
Why This Matters for Investors and EV Engineers
For investors, Ford’s move signals a deeper commitment to EV manufacturing autonomy and platform scalability. For EV engineers, it’s a textbook example of how incremental design changes—winding configuration, lamination bonding, and shared architecture—can collectively drive significant system-level gains.
It also reflects a shift from reliance on third-party tier 1 suppliers to internal innovation pipelines, giving OEMs like Ford more leverage in cost control, intellectual property, and adaptability across product lines.
Conclusion: Munro’s Take on Lean EV Design Evolution
From a teardown perspective, this Mach-E motor upgrade is more than a parts swap. It’s a studied evolution toward better thermal management, efficiency, and manufacturing simplicity. Ford has smartly aligned motor design with performance demands today—and future requirements tomorrow.
As always, Munro Live will continue to dissect these engineering decisions so automotive professionals and enthusiasts alike can understand not just what works, but why it works.
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