Ford’s 1342kW Mustang EV drag racer targets quarter-mile world record for a battery-powered car
Ford Performance has unveiled the 2023 Ford Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800 – the car it hopes will soon be known as the world’s quickest electric vehicle to cover the quarter mile (402m).
Created to beat the incredible 8.128sec quarter-mile sprint at 171.97mph (276.76km/h) that was claimed by the current world-record-holding 2021 Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1400, Ford’s new Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800 is on track to become the world’s first seven-second all-electric car.
Instead of evolving the old racer, Ford Performance and its partner MLe Racecars is said to have gone back to the drawing board for the Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800, with the new racer boasting upgrades to the chassis, powertrain and control systems.
Sharing its name with the original 1969 Mustang Super Cobra Jet, the new car uses the same four inverters and two double-stacked motor pairings as the Super Cobra Jet 1400, but gains a different transmission and much lighter battery pack.
Improving traction off the line, there’s also a redesigned rear axle that includes improved suspension geometry and even larger Mickey Thompson drag radials.
Helping guarantee devastating levels of acceleration, Ford Performance claims that power has been boosted from 1030kW to at least 1342kW and that “hundreds of pounds” have been removed from the kerb weight.
Finally, there’s new Ford Performance-designed software and computers that manage the advanced powertrain and collect data to help improve runs.
As well as aiming for a class-best quarter-mile sprint, the Ford Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800 is also aiming to set a new record for the quickest electric vehicle to sprint from 0-60mph (0-97km/h) and also claim the quickest-ever 0-60mph dash for a two-wheel drive electric vehicle.
Climbing behind the wheel at an undisclosed track session later this year will be MLe Racecars founder and Super Cobra Jet 1800 program test driver Pat McCue.
Commenting on the wild new battery-electric drag racer, Ford Performance boss Mark Rushbrook said: “We’re always looking to push ourselves in every corner of the motorsport world.
“Drag racing remains a key proving ground for our products and technology, and we’re excited to not only try to best our own record in the quarter mile, but to further showcase ongoing development we continue to make across the entire electric vehicle landscape.”
Apart from showcasing the latest S650-series Ford Mustang’s styling, the motivation behind creating the Ford Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800 could be to preview the Blue Oval brand’s next-generation electric powertrain technologies.
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Keyword: Wild Ford Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800 revealed