Ford Supervan 4.2 EV sets new record at Pikes Peak
What's the story
Ford has broken the Pikes Peak Hill Climb record in the Open Class category with its monster electric MPV, the Supervan 4.2.
The EV completed the 19.99km course in eight minutes and 47.682 seconds in June 2023, beating the previous Open division record of nine minutes and 24.433 seconds set in 2019.
What makes this high-performance EV so special? Check out its best features.
About
What exactly is Pikes Peak Hill Climb challenge?
Commonly referred to as the "Race to the Clouds," the Pikes Peak Hill Climb challenge is an annual racing event that takes place at the Pikes Peak in Colorado, the US.
The track measures 19.99km long and consists of 156 turns. The race starts at 4,720ft and ends at 14,115ft at the summit.
This self-sanctioned racing event was first held in 1916.
Design
Look at design of Supervan 4.2
On the design front, the Ford Supervan 4.2 EV looks like a creation of Frankenstein.
It is a combination of a low-slung race car and an MPV, with a raked windscreen, a sculpted bonnet with air vents, winglets in place of ORVMs, and blacked-out forged wheels.
It features an aggressive front air splitter, a diffuser, and a large rear wing made using carbon fiber.
Information
EV equipped with revised regenerative braking system
Ford Performance division and STARD (Stohl Advanced Research and Development) have equipped Supervan 4.2 with a revised regenerative braking system. Along with carbon ceramic brake discs and lightweight magnesium forged wheels, the system helps regenerate power using the new 600kW architecture.
Performance
Supervan 4.2 backed by 1,400hp, tri-motor setup
By reducing the number of STARD-sourced UHP (Ultra High-Performance) six-phase motors from four to three and using UHP Li-Polymer NMC pouch cells, the Ford Supervan 4.2 reached an optimal power-to-weight ratio.
Its tri-motor setup generates a maximum power of 1,400hp.
The exact capacity of the battery pack has not been disclosed by the carmaker yet.
Information
Cabin features tubular roll cage, bucket-type seat
Inside the cockpit, the Ford Supervan 4.2 gets an FIA-approved tubular roll cage, a multifunctional steering wheel, and a carbon fiber bucket-type seat with a six-point seatbelt. It features a full-color TFT instrument cluster that displays racing telemetry and essential track-related data.