Ford and STARD turned the electric SuperVan 4.2 into a purpose-built 2023 Pikes Peak hill-climb demonstrator by reshaping its aerodynamics for thin mountain air, reducing weight, and fitting race-specific powertrain, braking, and chassis hardware. Ford reported more than 1,050 kW (1,400 horsepower) of combined peak discharge power; the official event records list Romain Dumas’s run at 8:47.682. “Ultimate” is an editorial description, not a measured ranking against every Pikes Peak entry.
What changed from the SuperVan 4?
The 4.2 was developed by Ford and Austrian motorsport engineering company STARD specifically for the 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Ford’s retrospective describes it as an update of the SuperVan 4.0, itself the predecessor to the 4.2. Rather than simply adapting a road van, the team refined an existing electric demonstrator for a steep, high-altitude timed climb.
Ford said the redesign addressed the mountain’s conditions with revised aerodynamics, a lighter chassis, and competition-focused running gear. The company’s November 2023 retrospective reported an 880-pound reduction in weight from the SuperVan 4.0. Ford did not publish a complete before-and-after weight breakdown in the cited material, so that figure describes the reported overall reduction, not the weight of any single component.
How was the powertrain configured?
The SuperVan 4.2 used three STARD UHP 6-phase electric motors, rather than the four-motor setup of the prior configuration. One motor drove the front wheels and two drove the rear, giving the van all-wheel drive.
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Ford Performance reported more than 1,050 kW, or 1,400 horsepower, of combined discharge power. Ford qualified that number as based on peak motor performance at peak battery power; it is not a claim that the vehicle continuously delivered that output throughout the climb. Ford also reported 600 kW of regenerative-braking capability.
Why did Ford redesign the aerodynamics?
At Pikes Peak, the van needed aerodynamic load to help it stay planted through the course’s fast sections and turns, while operating in high-altitude air. Ford said the 4.2’s aerodynamic redesign was intended for those conditions and reported more than 4,400 pounds of downforce at 150 mph. Its front splitter and rear spoiler were made from lightweight carbon fiber.
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Ford’s November retrospective described the downforce as two tonnes at approximately 150 mph. These are Ford’s reported figures in different units and wording; the cited material does not provide an independent measurement or a test protocol for comparing the claims.
Which race-specific parts helped prepare it for the climb?
The 4.2 paired its electric powertrain and aero package with hardware chosen for competition rather than everyday van use:
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Ford’s announcement identifies these components as part of the build but does not provide component-level weights, stopping-distance results, or comparative durability data.
What did the SuperVan 4.2 achieve at Pikes Peak?
Romain Dumas drove the Ford entry in the 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The event’s historical records list a time of 8:47.682 in the Pikes Peak Open and Electric Modified Truck/Van classifications. That is the documented 2023 result, not a claim about a current course record.
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Ford’s pre-event description characterized the course as 156 turns, 4,725 feet of elevation gain, and a finish at 14,115 feet. Those figures help explain why the 4.2 was built around a specific hill-climb mission: its aerodynamic load, all-wheel-drive layout, regenerative braking, and reduced mass were developed as a package for the mountain, not as a general-purpose electric van specification.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read Ford’s performance claims
The specifications and design rationale above are attributed to Ford Performance or Ford Motor Company; the finishing time comes from the event’s historical records. The cited material does not include an independent engineering teardown or instrumented validation of Ford’s power, downforce, or weight figures. It also does not provide a controlled climb-time comparison between the SuperVan 4 and 4.2, so the available evidence supports describing the changes and the 2023 result, but not quantifying how much each modification improved the time.
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Sources
- Ford Performance: SuperVan 4.2 Pikes Peak announcement (June 2023)
- Pikes Peak International Hill Climb: historical records
- Ford Motor Company: SuperVan Pikes Peak retrospective (November 2023)
- Ford Media Center: 2023 Pikes Peak pre-event announcement
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