Rear-drive Mach-E manages almost twice its cited 504km range in UK economy run.

MENTION Ford Mustang and thoughts go to pedigree and fuel-chomping pace - fast rather than frugal.

No longer.

An electric car has set a new world record, officially certified by Guinness World Records and, yes, it was the battery-subscribed edition of the Pony Express.

Moroever, it was a completely standard Ford Mustang Mach-E. The only tweak was that it was running on the latest Bridgestone tyres.

The record was set by a team from Webfleet, a fleet management and telematics company  in the United Kingdom that part of the Bridgestone group. 

A rear-drive version with a 91kWh battery and official range of 504km was coaxed by the Webfleet team to a distance of 916.74km, beating a previous record of 909km set in Hangzhou, China.

Did they just drive everywhere at a crawl? No. 

Sure, some hyper-miling techniques that work for combustion engined vehicles when going to super mileage might have been employed - you can imagine the air con was kept off, windows kept closed and any extraneous weight removed.

But Webfleet-sponsored drivers Kevin Booker and Sam Clarke, supported by co-pilot Richard Parker of Webfleet, say they drove a course through Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Cambridgeshire using regular roads and driving in a manner designed “to emulate real-world driving conditions.”

And the car wasn’t modified?

Nope. Other than that the model’s standard 18 inch rims were fitted with the latest technology Bridgestone tyres to minimise rolling resistance and boost efficiency. Overall, the team averaged 9.9kWh/100km, about twice as efficient as an average electric car in normal conditions.

“This record is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in this endeavour,” said Beverley Wise, Webfleet UKI Regional Director for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions.

“It represents a significant milestone in the electrification of road transport and demonstrates the potential of electric vehicles when supported by innovative Bridgestone tyre design and advanced fleet management technology.”

Booker remarked: “Breaking this record has been an exhilarating journey and a powerful demonstration of what electric vehicles can achieve. It is incredible to see how far we have come with EV technology and efficiency. We hope this inspires more people to consider electric vehicles for their everyday travel.”

Clarke added: “Driving the Ford Mustang Mach-E for such a distance on a single charge was an extraordinary experience. The vehicle's efficiency and the support from Webfleet’s technology made this possible.”

Clarke and Booker have form in this area — the pair now hold five electric car distance world records, and this one was observed by the Automobile Association in the UK to ensure it was all done fairly and squarely. 

Edmund King OBE, AA president, commented: “We are delighted to have supported this incredible achievement with our expert patrols and backup team. 

“The drivers, together with Ford Mustang Mach-E, Bridgestone and Webfleet, have all used their expertise to prove that EVs can go much further than people think. Such endeavours are important to show that electric vehicles can be a major part of the future transport mix.”