Fathom vs. Mach-E

[WXman]

An interesting thought....

So it looks like a Fathom with AWD, ER battery, and one or two options is probably going to land somewhere between $35k and $40k MSRP. We've already seen a dealer post here that they will sell at MSRP. Perhaps in the coming months we'll find dealers willing to sell at invoice. So, figure a nice Fathom somewhere in the $30k's.

Another option is to pick up a lightly used Mach-E. Since the Fathom likely won't have much towing capacity or cargo bed capacity (we do not know yet, Ford hasn't released these details, we're assuming based upon what we do know about the platform) it's not going to really be useful as a full blown pickup truck. Most people are going to use this as a commuter vehicle. So, a guy could just as well pick up a lightly used Mach-E. I'm seeing examples for sale locally with 25k to 50k miles on them for $25k to $35k. Some are even Ford EV Certified with warranties.

The advantage to the Mach-E is that it's a more powerful vehicle, with driveline components that likely are higher quality (hence their price), and a more traditional build that will cost less to insure. When Ford built those first two EVs in their lineup they made sure to build them robust because they knew EV adoption was going to be a tough row to hoe anyhow, and they didn't want reliability issues to be a thorn.

The advantage to the Fathom is it'll have a fresh factory warranty and the newest Ford tech built in.

As I sit here and wait for Fathom info to arrive, this comparison is becoming more and more intriguing. I had a Lightning and those were pretty reliable. Owners of Mach-E cars over the last 5 years have reported stellar reliability. Hmmm.....

 

[commadorebob]

The Fathom will win on seating capacity and cargo storage. While I have joked that the Mach-E is just an electric Escape, it is smaller than its twin. For Home Depot and camping trips, the Fathom will work better than a Mach-E. If you do none of that, then the Mach-E is sportier.

 

[WXman]

The Fathom will win on seating capacity and cargo storage. While I have joked that the Mach-E is just an electric Escape, it is smaller than its twin. For Home Depot and camping trips, the Fathom will work better than a Mach-E. If you do none of that, then the Mach-E is sportier.

Honest question: Is Mach-E really that small? I saw a YouTube video review today from a guy who is 6'10" tall and he fit perfectly fine in the front and back of a Mach-E. He even had headroom in the rear! Seems like that car has excellent people and cargo space.

 

[commadorebob]

Not by much, but the Mach-E is smaller than the Escape and Maverick.

Mach-E

Escape

Maverick

 

[Snakebitten]

The Mach-E is going to be a fantastic value equation used, vs a Fathom new. That's just the nature of depreciation AND the fact that the Mach-E has earned a reputation for being a very reliable vehicle. (My personal 2023 GTPE was impeccably built)

But there are some use-case differences that could disqualify cross-shopping between the two.

 

[nvabill]

An interesting thought....

So it looks like a Fathom with AWD, ER battery, and one or two options is probably going to land somewhere between $35k and $40k MSRP. We've already seen a dealer post here that they will sell at MSRP. Perhaps in the coming months we'll find dealers willing to sell at invoice. So, figure a nice Fathom somewhere in the $30k's.

Another option is to pick up a lightly used Mach-E. Since the Fathom likely won't have much towing capacity or cargo bed capacity (we do not know yet, Ford hasn't released these details, we're assuming based upon what we do know about the platform) it's not going to really be useful as a full blown pickup truck. Most people are going to use this as a commuter vehicle. So, a guy could just as well pick up a lightly used Mach-E. I'm seeing examples for sale locally with 25k to 50k miles on them for $25k to $35k. Some are even Ford EV Certified with warranties.

The advantage to the Mach-E is that it's a more powerful vehicle, with driveline components that likely are higher quality (hence their price), and a more traditional build that will cost less to insure. When Ford built those first two EVs in their lineup they made sure to build them robust because they knew EV adoption was going to be a tough row to hoe anyhow, and they didn't want reliability issues to be a thorn.

The advantage to the Fathom is it'll have a fresh factory warranty and the newest Ford tech built in.

As I sit here and wait for Fathom info to arrive, this comparison is becoming more and more intriguing. I had a Lightning and those were pretty reliable. Owners of Mach-E cars over the last 5 years have reported stellar reliability. Hmmm.....

Wasn't the Fathom going to also be an EREV with a gas engine. I thought it was but now can't find anything about that. Guess that was just the lightning replacement.

 

[commadorebob]

Wasn't the Fathom going to also be an EREV with a gas engine. I thought it was but now can't find anything about that. Guess that was just the lightning replacement.

Lightning v2 is getting a gas generator. The Fathom was designed from the ground up as an entirely new modular EV platform that will allow Ford to basically bolt together segments to make a line of vehicles. So, the Fathom and other EVs should have a similar overall look.

 

[nvabill]

Lightning v2 is getting a gas generator. The Fathom was designed from the ground up as an entirely new modular EV platform that will allow Ford to basically bolt together segments to make a line of vehicles. So, the Fathom and other EVs should have a similar overall look.

Yeah, that makes sense to be strictly EV as that will keep the target price low as promised.

 

[WXman]

Yeah, that makes sense to be strictly EV as that will keep the target price low as promised.

Jim Farley has talked about this. Since most of the cost is in the battery pack, using a smaller battery combined with a gas engine doesn't really increase the cost of the vehicle. However, he was a little adverse to the idea at first because of the build complexity to make ICE and EV work together reliably. What changed his mind is that Lightning ended up only comprising <5% of F-150 sales, and the people who did buy/lease them (myself included) complained about the absolutely miserable range while towing. And so, with the Ram 1500 REV launching this fall I think Farley wants to see how that goes and if Ram has success with it, the next gen Lightning will also use a gasoline range extender too.

For the Fathom, the entire point is to make assembly as simple and easy as possible, which is one way they are keeping this under $30k. I suspect, but cannot confirm, that lower quality parts are the other half. Anyway, so it made sense for THIS vehicle to be EV only.

 

[tarheelluv]

My Mach-E GT is a FANTASTIC vehicle and I drive it every chance I can- and even just to drive because it is just so FUN to drive. But it can't do what my Ford Flex can do. My Ford Flex can haul practically everything- and then some more on top of that.

 

[Snakebitten]

Lower quality parts?

Examples? (hypothetically, of course)

 

[PRSNCAT]

We own a 2022 PHEV SEL Escape and lease a 2024 Mach-E Select. The Mach-E was supposed to be mine, while the Escape was my wife's. She, however, has confiscated it while retaining possession of the Escape. Thus, I have limited experience with the Mach-E. The limited experience I do have with it is all positive. The PHEV Escape is probably the best vehicle we have owned (and we have owned A LOT of vehicles in the last 35 years -- it's just the 2 of us, and I/we have 4 additional vehicles beyond the Escape and Mach-E).

Keeping the Mach-E after the lease ends (if we can buy it at market price rather than the residual value) instead of purchasing a new Fathom is a fascinating idea. The advantage of the Fathom for our needs is the bed versus the back of an SUV. We use the bed of a pickup truck quite often.

My concern about the Fathom is the size of the bed. If it has a mid-gate like the Avalanche, it will meet our needs. If, however, it is a standard bed shorter than 5.5 feet (like the Maverick), we already know it won't work for us. I regularly store 4 7x16 Bownet soccer goals and a large Ez-up canopy. Each one is 5 or more feet long. They do fit in the Escape with the rear seats folded down.

I looked up the carrying capacity of the PHEV Escape versus the Mach-E, and the Mach-E has about 5 cu. ft. more capacity.

Thus, the original post makes a good point for us to consider.

 

[WXman]

Lower quality parts?

Examples? (hypothetically, of course)

I can't imagine that the CV axles, motor units, gauge thickness of materials, etc. etc. will be equivalent to what we saw on Mach-E or Lightning. All of these OE's literally watch pennies. They cost-cut here and there because when mass producing a vehicle it saves them tons of cash. Look at Mach-E...that vehicle saw a lot of decontenting in 2024 or 2025. Things like door handles, entry sill material, shifter knob, etc. etc. all removed or changed to less expensive versions.

So when I think of a vehicle like Fathom, where the price is HALF of the other EVs they've sold, I just cannot imagine that they are using the most robust, top shelf parts and materials in this vehicle. I expect that CV axles, sway bar thickness, shock absorbers, body panel thickness, glass thickness, strength of motor units, brake rotors, etc. etc. will be smaller, weaker, or of lower overall quality.

I could end up being wrong, but it would be a shock.

 

[Snakebitten]

Although I can believe that few vehicles Ford will build will get the development investment that the Lightning and Mach-E got, I don't think Ford would be willing to risk so much with this new platform as to go low quality.

And as for the vehicle costing considerably less than the Mach-E and Lightning, Ford is claiming that is achieved with manufacturing innovation. That certainly appears to be a valid claim based on what we have seen so far. The Fathom is a huge departure from Ford's legacy methods of design and manufacturing.