In 1971, Ford’s race department was tasked with building a high-performance “SuperVan” — a Transit Mk. 1 with a mid-mounted Le Mans-spec engine from the Blue Oval’s iconic GT40. This project was later followed up by a fiberglass-bodied, monocoque-framed Transit Mk. 2 powered by the C100 race car’s 590-hp Cosworth V8 and then an Mk. 3 kicked along by a 650-hp Cosworth HB Formula 1 engine. And though it’s now been almost three decades since it debuted its third-gen SuperVan in 1994, the Michigan marque has just returned to the project to deliver a modernized, fully-electric take on the high-performance hauler with what’s been dubbed the Ford Pro Electric SuperVan.
Based on Ford’s newly-released E-Transit Custom — the first all-electric version of Europe’s best-selling transit van — this unorthodox one-of-one vehicle is constructed around a race-derived chassis that’s been paired with a motorsport-spec double-wishbone suspension setup and race-grade braking hardware. In place of a petrol-powered engine like Ford’s three previous SuperVan builds, the latest iteration of the project packs four electric motors that collectively put down almost 2,000hp — a configuration that enables the SuperVan to clock 0-60mph runs in less than two seconds. The quad-motor setup also draws from a custom-developed, liquid-cooled 50-kWh battery pack that’s been mounted in the floor of the van to optimize its center of gravity and weight distribution. The battery can also receive a full recharge in only 45 minutes.
The latest SuperVan also benefits from the use of a host of cutting-edge composites for the build’s bodywork and aero kit — the latter of which was developed in collaboration between Ford Performance and Austrian race outfit STARD and includes a sharp front splitter, side skirts, flared wheel arches, and a large rear diffuser. On top of a suite of onboard cameras, the van has also been bestowed with an advanced traction control system, launch control, and three-stage regenerative braking. The interior of the SuperVan has been largely stripped down and now features an FIA-spec roll cage, race seats, and a SYNC touchscreen 2 that allows the driver to select between one of the custom van’s drive modes (Road, Track, Drift, Drag, and Rally).
The Ford Pro Electric SuperVan is poised to make its public debut this week at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where Le Mans racer and Goodwood lap record holder Romain Dumas will be piloting the 2,000-hp EV up the famous 1.5-mile, nine-turn hill.
