The rumors were therefore founded: it was at Goodwood that Ford presented the new generation of SuperVan. And not only is this electric for the first time, but it announces 2,000 hp!
Two weeks ago, we were part of a rumor that Ford was going to unveil at the Goodwood Festival Of Speed, which is being held this weekend, the fourth generation of SuperVan, a line of unique superpowered creations used to the promotion of Transit. The big difference is that, after having been equipped in these previous iterations with thermal V8s borrowed from the GT40 or… from Formula 1, with up to 730 hp for the 3rd of the name released in 1994, the newcomer goes to the electricity, to welcome the commercialization of e-Transit. The latter offers quite generous power of up to 269 hp as standard, but that of the so-called Pro Electric SuperVan goes well beyond the most optimistic projections: 2,000 hp! Enough to bring down the 0 to 100 km/h in less than two seconds…
For this, it is equipped with a dedicated 50 kWh battery, cooled by water and optimally positioned to guarantee the lowest center of gravity and the best distribution of masses. It can be recharged in 45 minutes once the no less than four electric motors, one per wheel, have emptied it to the last of these electrons, Ford being careful not to give a figure of autonomy.
Attention however, it is not only a machine of straight line: this SuperVan can indeed count on its four motors and a sharp electronic management in order to distribute the torque perfectly to the four corners. Five driving modes are offered to the pilot ranging from Road to Rally via Drag and Drift: no matter how crazy you want to do behind the wheel, a configuration exists. And the fifth is used to officially clean the tires, unofficially to do endless burnouts by locking the front or rear wheels and by spinning the rear or front axle, which we should see a lot this weekend at Goodwood, especially with Romain Dumas at the controls.
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Even though the information had leaked, the Ford Pro Electric SuperVan was built in secret, developed in Austria by Ford Performance, Ford Design and electric rally specialist STARD, which means everything was done to the rules of the industry. ‘art: double wishbone suspension, KW shocks, Alcon brakes, OZ forged rims, Avon tires and a sprawling tubular roll cage.
In terms of aesthetics, the production model is a long way off with a generous blade at the front, enveloping rocker panels and a colossal diffuser at the rear. But what stands out the most are the huge cutouts in the sidewalls to channel air, forming tunnels not unlike those found on the latest GT and working with various blades and fins and varied to generate support.
Additional Details: Like the standard e-Transit, the Pro Electric SuperVan features regenerative braking, with three levels offered. There is even an Eco mode to use only a small part of the power then sent only to the front wheels! On board, we find the screen in portrait format of the Mustang Mach E with similar functions, from smartphone connectivity to navigation.
“What is all this good for otherwise? you are probably wondering, rightly. For Ford, it is not only a communication tool, but also a rolling laboratory used to “push the limits of electric cars, whether for racing or for the road”. And incidentally a 2,000 hp smile machine, however pointless it may seem.
