Ford will attend this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, alternatively known as the Race to the Clouds, with a particularly extreme take on the E-Transit Custom. The event will take place on Sunday, June 25.
Platform-wise, the SuperVan 4.2 has much in common with the E-Transit for public roads, but it features a host of modifications that make it stand out from both that van and Ford’s hill climber from the last year.
In the summer of 2022, Ford introduced the SuperVan 4 (see video). It has four electric motors, made 2,000 horsepower and could sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in around 2 seconds. Its racing counterpart from the current season lost one e-motor at the front axle and was left with 1,400 hp – not a big loss when you consider the weight savings. It was also retrofitted with Li-Pol batteries and an improved regenerative brake system.
The manufacturer claims that the modifications made in the powertrain and chassis departments resulted in a vehicle with a perfect weight-to-power ratio for racing. The build was rounded off with magnesium alloy wheels and carbon-ceramic brakes. The body was pieced together from carbon-fiber panels on a tube frame. Ford said it used the experience from the last year to fine-tune the aerodynamics.
