Greeting the world for the first time on Thursday at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the 1 471 kW Ford Electric SuperVan is the definition of bonkers – just don’t expect to load much cargo up into the rear.
It might have ditched its single mid-mounted combustion powertrain, but the latest Ford SuperVan now gets four electric motors which means it is able to sprint to 100 km/h in the blink of an eye; or less than two seconds if you affix a numeric value to it. This is the fourth iteration of the SuperVan which Ford has dabbled with for the past 50 years.
This futuristic looking machine was developed in complete secret by Ford Performance in collaboration with STARD; racing specialists. Its exterior aesthetics do borrow similar proportions to the existing Ford commercial range like the recently unveiled E-Transit Custom however it is completely bespoke and adorned with aerodynamic features on each facade, conceived by the Cologne based branch of the automaker.
Its real showstopper is its speed, with around 1 471 kW provided by four electric motors, the SuperVan is capable of some serious performance and has been setting blistering times up the Goodwood hillclimb. A liquid-cooled battery with a 50 kWh capacity provides the output to each motor. This heavy mass is placed in the middle of the car which aids in impressive handling characteristics while despite its height, keeps the centre of gravity low.
Expectedly, there is a completely updated suspension layout with a double-wishbone setup on both axles. The subframes are fit for motorsport while the brakes have been borrowed from a race car too. A full roll cage protects driver Romain Dumas during the weekend of racing who is seated in a bucket seat while Ford’s familiar SYNC 4 infotainment system can be accessed via the centrally mounted screen. Don’t expect to see the exact same operating system on your new Ford since it has specific driving modes for the SuperVan namely Road, Track, Drag, Drift, and Rally and a theatrical Tire Cleaning Mode which is supposedly to warm up tyres.