Last year, we saw Ford Performance race an all-electric “SuperVan” up the hill at Pikes Peak, but this year, it’s upping the ante with a souped-up version of the F-150 Lightning called the “SuperTruck.” SPOILER ALERT… it has a huge spoiler.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, also known as the “race to the clouds,” is an annual race entering its 102nd year. Teams and drivers from around the globe race up the hill’s 12.42-mile in hopes of capturing a record time.
Even as an established and long-running race event each year, Pikes Peak is slowly becoming more electrified. For example, for the time ever, a ZDX BEV from Acura will lead the way up the 14,115-foot summit at Pikes Peak as the official pace car.
Hyundai is targeting multiple records during this year’s event using its new IONIQ 5 N models. Last year, we saw Ford Performance make the climb up Pikes Peak in a customized version of its E-Transit van, calling it the “SuperVan.”
This year, Ford took a similar approach using its F-150 Lightning EV and, of course, had to name it the “SuperTruck.” Although Ford announced the F-150 Lightning’s entry at Pikes Peak on March 1, 2024, we had yet to see what the all-electric racing truck would look like.
Today, Ford officially unveiled it, and its design is quite a departure from the stock passenger model. Have a gander.
Ford’s F-150 SuperTruck looks to dominate Pikes Peak
Ford Performance captured several records with the SuperVan at Pikes Peak last year and hopes to make a habit of it with the help of BEV technology and a new race vehicle called the F-150 SuperTruck.
Designed with the help of Ford Design and STARD Advanced Research and Development, the American automaker describes the F-150 SuperTruck as peak (no pun intended) performance in BEVs. The customized Lightning truck may look a little funky compared to the passenger version you can see driving around town. Still, it is a moving lesson in advanced aerodynamics that can generate 6,000 pounds of downforce at 150 mph.
The truck is propelled by three STARD UHP 6-Phase Motors and Ultra-High Performance Li-Polymer NMC cells that combine for an output of over 1400 horsepower. Other unique features include a triple-element front wing, headlight ducts, hood ducts and louvers, front dive-planes, side diffusers, rear diffusers, and a multi-element rear wing.
The magnesium forged wheels are equipped with carbon ceramic brakes and Pirelli P-Zero tires, supported by a fully custom in-board suspension system.
Ford shared that the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck will be driven by Pikes Peak veteran and record holder Romain Dumas, who was behind the wheel of the SuperVan last year. Dumas spoke about this year’s climb and what he and the Ford Performance team expect to achieve:
After a successful 2023 climb, I’m thrilled to be behind the wheel again with this team and to help push the limits of what an electric vehicle can achieve on the turns of this legendary course. In testing, the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck has surpassed my expectations, so we are hoping for some good weather to try and do something very special.
Ford shared that this year, it has its sights set on besting its own 2023 record set by the SuperVan 4.2, which completed the run in 8 minutes 47.682 seconds. The 102nd annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is scheduled for June 23, 2024.
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