The Ford SuperVan is a series of high-performance vehicles that combine potent engines and the brand's commercial vans, with iterations going back to the early 1970s. The fully electric Supervan 4.2 will compete with Romain Dumas as the driver in this year's 101st Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
The 4.2 moniker identifies this as a tweaked version of the Supervan from the 4.0's debut at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Ford revises the aerodynamics to increase downforce for better performance on Pikes Peak's 156 turns. The additions include a carbon-fiber front splitter and rear spoiler. Also, there's weight reduction from the chassis, but the vehicle still weighs over 4,400 pounds.
Gallery: Ford SuperVan 4.2
The SuperVan 4.2 is less powerful than the 4.0 because Ford removes one of the electric motors. There are now three of them rather than four. This reduces the output to over 1,400 horsepower rather than 1,972 hp from the previous iteration.
The 4.0 was capable of reaching 62 miles per hour in under 2.0 seconds. Ford didn't announce acceleration figures for the 4.2, but it's likely a bit slower due to the reduced power output.
The new powertrain setup places one motor in the front and two at the rear to maintain an all-wheel-drive layout. There are also upgraded driveshafts. The company STARD supplies the Li-polymer NMC pouch cells for the battery, and it supports 600-kilowatt regeneration.
The SuperVan 4.2 also features an updated regenerative braking system with carbon-ceramic brake discs. It rides on forged magnesium wheels with Pirelli P Zero tires.
The SuperVan 4.2 is very, very loosely based on the Ford e-Transit Custom. The rear section of the body is sculpted with large open areas for improved aerodynamics, causing the vehicle to look nothing like a commercial vehicle.
The van now wears the new Ford Performance color scheme that's a mix of blue, orange, and purple. This livery debuted on the Ford Mustang GT3.
Some exciting cars are coming to this year's Pikes Peak Hill Climb. Acura is bringing an NSX with wild aero parts. The brand Radford has a similarly crazy-looking machine. Alpine has a special version of the A110 for the event.
Check out the Supervan 4.0:
