Ford Performance’s F-150 Lightning to Compete at Pikes Peak
Ford Performance is continuing its recent theme of breaking with convention at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Ford Performance will debut an all-new F-150 Lightning all-electric pickup at the 102nd running of the venerable event this year. The group is only teasing its competitor for now, but if history is any indication, the F-150 Lightning Pikes Peak entrant will certainly raise eyebrows.
Ford Performance is apparently using the Hill Climb to showcase its proficiency for producing ultra-fast EVs wearing bodies that aren’t conventionally “fast.”
Ford Performance set a Pikes Peak record in the Open Division in 2023 with its SuperVan 4.2. The heavily modified Ford Transit all-electric van conquered the Hill Climb in just 8:48.682, smashing the Open Division record by about 37 seconds. It also set a record for the fastest time posted by an electric, modified truck/van. SuperVan 4.2’s run was also second overall among all competitors in the 2023 Hill Climb.
The SuperVan was nearly 30 seconds quicker than an Alpine A110 GT4 Evo, which placed third overall, in the 2023 Hill Climb, for perspective.
The SuperVan accomplished its record-setting run thanks to a long list of performance modifications. The van develops 1,400 horsepower from a tri-motor setup with a staggering 600kW of regeneration. It also sports magnesium forged wheels, upgraded driveshafts, carbon ceramic disc brakes and Pirelli P Zero racing tires. There are also extensive weight-saving strategies, like a stripped interior and Perspex windscreen, and intensive aero design which includes a shark fin and a massive rear wing. Ford Performance claims SuperVan 4.2 generates 4,400 pounds of downforce at 150 mph.
Expect the F-150 Lightning entrant to have similar credentials. Or at least a giant rear wing, evidenced by the teaser photo released with Ford Performance’s announcement.
Though unconventional, pickups competing at Pikes Peak aren’t uncommon. In fact, another speedy F-150, a Shelby F-150 Super Snake Sport, competed last year at the Hill Climb. The 770-horsepower Shelby F-150 finished the course in just over 13 minutes.
Ford Performance’s F-150 Lightning is likely to beat that figure by several minutes. It stands to reason the organization is aiming to beat the SuperVan 4.2’s record run.
This year’s event begins with qualifying June 18-20 with the Hill Climb taking place June 23. The “Race to the Clouds” began in 1916 along a section of Pikes Peak Highway in Pikes Peak, Colorado. The 12.4-mile course includes 156 corners and a rise of over 4,700 feet to the finish line that is over 14,000 feet above sea level.
