Ford Performance is climbing Pikes Peak in a modded up E-Transit ‘SuperVan’ you’ve gotta see
Ford Performance is literally and figuratively gearing up for the 101st Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and is using the 4,725 foot climb to showcase the power of all-electric design. This year, the American automaker is sending a souped up E-Transit donned the “Ford SuperVan 4.2.” Spoiler alert! By that, I mean… it has a huge spoiler. Take a look.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) is an annual event held in Colorado in which vehicle from around the world try to snag the fastest time winding through 156 turns during the 12.42 mi route that climbs 4,725 feet. The finish line sits at over 14,000 feet above sea level, eliciting the climb as “the race to the clouds.”
As long as the Pikes Peak Climb has existed, Ford vehicles have competed, including a Model T during the inaugural event back in 1916. In recent years, we’ve seen current generation vehicles like the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500SE compete at Pikes Peak.
However, this year, Ford Performance is bringing all-electric speed to Pikes Peak with what it calls “one of the world’s most powerful electric powertrains ever developed.” This past February, Ford Performance announced its SuperVan 4 would be competing at this summer’s event in Colorado.
Today, however, we learned that Ford Performance and longtime collaborator Stohl Advanced Research and Development (STARD) have been refining the modified E-Transit, cutting weight and optimizing aerodynamics to achieve the best possible time on the mountain. Behold! The Ford SuperVan 4.2.
Ford significantly upgrades its SuperVan for Pikes Peak
For the 101st Hill Climb at Pikes Peak next weekend, Ford Performance is unleashing a beast of an electric van that is a redesign if its SuperVan 4 predecessor, further optimized for competition. Ford Performance and the experts at STARD explained that they increased the aerodynamics of the SuperVan 4.2, while also increasing its downforce (over 4,400 lbs. at 150 mph).
The custom-built Ford E-Transit underwent a weight reduction to improve its balance and agility around the abundant number of turns up Pikes Peak. The motorsport specialists also leaned down the SuperVan’s powertrain system, eliminating one of the four STARD UHP 6-phase motors, while optimizing the EV’s power-to-weight ratio using STARD’s Li-Polymer NMC pouch battery cells with new 600 kW regeneration performance – all while maintaining AWD. Despite dropping a motor, Ford’s SuperVan 4.2 will take off up Pikes Peak with over 1,400 horsepower (1,050 kW). Here are some additional upgrades:
- Revised regenerative braking system with carbon ceramic brake discs
- Magnesium forged wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero race tires
- Upgraded driveshafts
- Perspex windscreen
- Minimalist race interior to remove any additional, unnecessary weight (see images above)
Ford Performance and its team of experts believe they’ll not only be able to remain competitive at Pikes Peak this year, but demonstrate the unmatched capability of the automaker’s EV technologies. Ford Performance Motorsports global director Mark Rushbrook elaborated:
Together with our STARD partners, we have built the E-Transit SuperVan 4.2 to be a truly competitive machine focused on getting to the top of the mountain quickly. The Pikes Peak Hill Climb presents the perfect opportunity to showcase Ford’s electric vehicle technology and bring light to EV Performance.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will take place this coming Sunday, June 25 and will be broadcast live on YouTube.
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Environment
U.S. could reach deal with Canada that avoids oil and gas tariffs, energy secretary says
HOUSTON — The U.S. could reach an agreement with Canada that avoids tariffs on imports of oil, gas and other energy resources, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Monday.
Wright said such a scenario is “certainly is possible” but “it’s too early to say” in response to a question from CNBC during a press conference at the CERAWeek by S&P Global. The U.S. is in “active dialogue” with Canada and Mexico, the energy secretary said.
President Donald Trump has paused until April 2 tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports that are compliant with the agreement which governs trade in North America. Trump originally imposed broad 25% tariffs on goods from both countries as well as lesser 10% tariffs on energy imports from Canada.
It’s unclear, however, how much of the oil, gas and other energy that the U.S. imports from Canada is compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Wright declined to provide specifics when CNBC asked how much of those imports are USMCA compliant.
“I’m going to avoid the details for now,” Wright said. The energy secretary said, “We can get to no tariffs or very low tariffs but it’s got to be reciprocal” in an interview with CNBC’s Brian Sullivan.
Canada’s energy minister, Jonathan Wilkinson, warned last week that energy prices will rise in the U.S. if the tariffs on energy imports go into full effect.
“We will see higher gasoline prices as a function of energy, higher electricity prices from hydroelectricity from Canada, higher home heating prices associated with natural gas that comes from Canada and higher automobile prices,” Wilkinson told CNBC’s Megan Cassella in an interview.
The U.S. has been the largest producer of crude oil and natural gas in the world for years. But many refiners in the U.S. are dependent on heavy crude imported from Canada. The U.S. imported 6.6 million barrels of crude oil per day on average in December, more than 60% of which came from Canada, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Wright acknowledged that the tariffs are creating uncertainty in energy markets as negotiations continue.
“We’re in the middle of negotiations for where things are going to go with tariffs, so that feels frightening and gripping right now but this time will pass,” Wright said. “Deals will be made, we’ll get certainty and we’ll have a positive economic environment for Americans going forward.”
U.S. crude oil fell more than 1% Monday to close at $66.03 per barrel, while global benchmark Brent closed at $69.28 per barrel. Crude oil futures have pulled back substantially as Trump’s trade policy creates uncertainty and OPEC+ has confirmed that it plans to gradually bring back 2.2 million barrels per day of production beginning next month.
Apple is rolling out a notable update to Apple Maps EV Routing for Ford drivers. Starting today, Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning drivers can use Apple Maps EV Routing via CarPlay to plan road trips that include Tesla Superchargers – or any station that uses the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector.
As I’ve explained before, Ford began shipping adapters CCS to NACS adapters that allow Mach-E and Lightning drivers to charge at Tesla Superchargers last year. Until today, however, Apple Maps was unaware of this change. This meant Apple Maps EV Routing would only route Mach-E and Lightning drivers to CCS charging stations, even though a route with Tesla Superchargers might’ve been more efficient.
With today’s change, Apple Maps via CarPlay will now include NACS fast charging stations, such as compatible Tesla Superchargers, in recommended route planning recommendations.
In a blog post, Ford explains:
Apple Maps EV Routing in CarPlay allows drivers to input their route and can view the estimated battery level they will have when they get to a destination, as well as suggested charging stations along the way if charging is needed. Previously, Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning drivers would have to manually open another app, then enter a NACS fast charger as a destination to have it added to their route. Now, with the Apple Maps EV Routing and NACS fast charger integration, the experience will be more seamless.
How to Use Apple Maps EV Routing in CarPlay:
- Connect your Apple iPhone to CarPlay.
- Open Apple Maps, go to Settings, and confirm your preferred charging network(s) – make sure you select a NACS fast charging station, such as Tesla Supercharger. You only have to do this once.
- Enter a destination.
- Apple Maps will then calculate the estimated state of charge you will have when you get to a destination.
- If a charge is required, depending on the fastest route, it will automatically route you to a NACS fast charging station.*
This is a significant update to the Apple Maps EV Routing experience for Ford drivers. Next up on my wishlist is support for battery preconditioning when using Apple Maps EV Routing. Android Auto added this feature last October.
The new feature is available now to iPhone users running iOS 17 or later. No software update is required for your car.
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James Murdoch, a Tesla board member and friend of CEO Elon Musk, has confirmed that he sold about $13 million in stock today as the stock (TSLA) crashed.
There has been a lot of insider trading at Tesla lately, and by trading, we mean selling – cause no insider is ever buying at Tesla.
We recently reported on Kimball Musk, Elon’s brother, and Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Taneja Vaibhav recently selling ahead of a recent drop in the company’s stock price.
Tesla’s chairwoman, Robyn Denholm, also sold $33 million worth of Tesla shares last week and over $100 million in the last 3 months.
Now, it’s James Murdoch’s turn. The Tesla board member just confirmed, through a required SEC filing, that he sold 54,776 Tesla shares for just over $13 million today:
He sold as Tesla’s stock crashed 15% today. It is now down more than 50% from its all-time high just a few months ago.
Murdoch was appointed to Tesla’s board in 2017.
He is better known as the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the former CEO of 21st Century Fox from 2015 to 2019.
Murdoch was one of the Tesla board directors who was forced to return almost $1 billion in cash and stock options to Tesla as part of a settlement for over-compensation.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla insiders are unloading, and those are just the ones we know about. Public companies only have to report insider trading for board directors and listed top executives.
For the latter, Tesla purposefully only lists 3 people: Elon, Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla’s CFO, and Tom Zhu, whose role at Tesla has bit quite fluid in recent years.
Therefore, we don’t know about the dozens of other top executives potentially selling their shares right now amid a giant correction.
It’s really suspicious because there are clear top leaders at Tesla who are often on Tesla’s earnings calls, and they are not even listed, like Lars Moravy, for example.
But it’s par for the course at Tesla, which has some of the worst corporate governance I have ever seen. It’s truly shameful.
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