Tesla Model 3 vs Ford Mustang Mach-E

When it comes to effortless, all-electric motoring, there’s little to choose between the Tesla Model 3 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

So which one gets your leasing fee?

Right now at Select Car Leasing we’ve got tantalising special offers for both premium vehicles.

You can lease the rear-wheel drive version of the Tesla Model 3 from just £452 per month*, while the equivalent RWD version of the Ford Mustang Mach-E in 'Select' trim can be leased from £534* per month.

Both of these battery-powered icons are brimming with tech and have style to spare.

And while one is a super-sleek coupe - the Model 3 - and the other adopts a more high-riding SUV stance, they both make a tempting lease proposition.

If you’re torn about which one you need parked outside your house, read our head-to-head run-down to learn everything you need to know about these battery-powered rivals.

Style

The look of the Tesla Model 3 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E are quite different - but equally easy on the eye in their own right.

The Mustang Mach-E (below) adopts an SUV-coupe stance, accentuated by clever use of colour which blacks-out and disguises the highest point of the rear end to give it an even more swooping appearance.

The Mach-E, while not a muscle car, carries 60 years of ‘Mustang’ cachet and that pony on the front still elevates it above competitors.

The Tesla Model 3 (below), which first arrived in the UK in 2019, is shaped like a coupe but is, in fact, a practical four-door saloon. Like the Mustang Mach-E, there’s a grille-less font end and bulging sides skirts that scream ‘performance’.

Either one is sure to turn heads on the school run.

Range and charging

We’re going to focus here on the entry-level, standard range models of both cars - as these are the most affordable iterations to lease right now.

The Mustang Mach-E single motor, rear-wheel drive makes use of a 70 kWh battery that gives it a range of up to 273 miles between charges.

The rear-wheel drive single motor Tesla Model 3, on the other hand, features a smaller 53 kWh battery but has an increased range of 305 miles between charges - helped by the fact the Model 3 weighs considerably less than the Mach-E.

The Mustang can be charged at speed of up to 115 kW, replenishing the battery to 80% optimum in around 38 mins.

The Model 3 supports 120 kW charging, bringing the 80% charge time down to 27 mins.

It’s also worth remembering that every Tesla lease gives you access to the company’s ‘Supercharger’ network of public rapid chargers - the vast majority of which are reserved exclusively for Tesla drivers.

Performance

The entry-level versions of the Model 3 and the Mach-E have similar amounts of power. The Tesla weighs-in at 248 PS, the Mach-E with slightly more oomph at 273 PS.

Yet it’s the Tesla that’s quicker off the line, covering 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds, a shade faster than the Mach-E’s sprint time of 6.9 seconds.

Both cars also have sophisticated drive systems to improve every journey.

The Mustang Mach-E comes with intelligent adaptive cruise control with stop and go and lane centring, while the most affordable Model 3 comes with Tesla’s ‘base autopilot’ tech, which again includes adaptive cruise control and software that makes sure you stay in your lane.

Interior

You’ve probably seen the interior of a Tesla (below) - and you’ll either love it or to be indifferent about it. It’s minimal - and purposefully so - and the cabin is dominated by the big central 15 inch touchscreen.

There are, though, lots of creature comforts with a Model 3 lease. Those goodies include heated seats front and rear, a heated steering wheel, a tinted glass roof and an immersive sound system. You can manually pre-heat the cabin via the Tesla app, too.

Ford’s Mustang Mach-E RWD (below) comes loaded with a larger 15.5 inch central touchscreen, a rear view camera, rear parking sensors, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and nice-looking artificial leather upholstery.

Unlike the Mach-E, however, the Tesla Model 3 comes with a heat pump as standard - which can warm either the cabin or the battery itself in cold weather - to help protect your car’s range and to improve efficiency.

Practicality

Both cars have both a boot and a ‘frunk’ - ie, a front trunk - so you can split the luggage between the two areas.

The Mustang Mach-E (above) has a combined 482 litres of luggage space while the Model 3 (below) makes do with a combined 425 litres of room for your essential stuff.

Both also have similar amounts of legroom in the rear, the Model 3 just shading it by an inch or so - but either car will happily accommodate fully-grown adults in the back.

Efficiency

Let’s put a myth to bed right now - despite what you might have read, and even with the high price of petrol and diesel, it’s still much cheaper to run an electric vehicle (EV) than a traditionally-fuelled car if you’re able to charge it at home.

The Mustang Mach-E has a claimed efficiency of 3.6 miles/kWh - ie, it’ll travel 3.6 miles for every single unit of electricity.

The Model 3 has a claimed efficiency of 4.4 miles/kWh - ie, it’s more efficient than the Mach-E.

While those efficiency figures will vary depending on real world conditions, such as how cold it is or how ‘spirited’ your driving, it’s a decent rule of thumb.

And this is what it all means in terms of cost (if you cover 10,000 miles a year, and you charge at home at the peak ‘energy price guarantee rate’ of 34p per kWh):

Mustang Mach-E RWD = £944 per year
Tesla Model 3 RWD = £773 per year.

For a petrol or diesel car, you’re looking at around £1,850 (for a car with an average efficiency of 39.5 mpg).

No brainer, innit?

And that’s before we even talk about charging your EV at home on an off-peak rate. The Mach-E, for example, could cost you as little as £208 quid for the entire year.

A reviewer’s view

Our Select Car Leasing expert car reviewers have recently put both the latest Tesla Model 3 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E through their paces.

Our resident petrolheadfound the Mustang Mach-E to be an ‘excellent all-rounder that’s roomy, modern, practical, safe and very decent to drive’.

The Tesla Model 3, on the other hand, continues to impress long after its launch. Our reviewer summed up saying, ‘The RWD offers everything you need’.

*Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 28/03/23.

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