Ford taking on Ferrari has become a legendary history in the world of car racing, and now the former is once again attempting to counter attack the most relentless Tesla in the field of electric vehicles by this wildest Mustang Mach-E that consists of 7 motors, which will make its debut in NASCAR, where the endurance of cars is most tested.
Ford will begin delivering its first electric vehicle Mustang Mach-E next year, which has received numerous attention due to its inheritance of the classic Mustang design, as well as its significance in being the first electric vehicle of the company. Ford has exerted great efforts in order to lay down the red carpet for Mach-E, with one of them being the recent announcement of this Mach-E 1400.
The design of Mach-E 1400 is fully based on Mustang Mach-E, though a total of 7 motors are equipped within the vehicle, with 3 installed at the front wheels, and 4 at the rear wheels, providing a ferocious output of 1,400 horsepower.
Unlike its predecessor Cobra Jet 1400 that specializes in linear acceleration, the Mach-E 1400 is designed for lap races. Thus Ford has especially emphasized its maneuvering in drifting, where the hydraulic hand brake system facilitates precise control on the power system, and allows the rear wheels to suspend output instantly that would complete the drifting motion.
The prototype of the vehicle adopts the design of the Mustang Mach-E GT, and is designed by RTR Vehicles of Ford. The two primary objectives behind the astonishing performance of this Mach-E 1400 are as follows:
First, Ford hopes to explore the different possibilities in electric vehicles by testing the results of various power modules and configurations through this particular design, and second, to prove that the company is still capable of passing the torch in racetracks from having to transform from fuel power vehicles to battery electric vehicles.
To achieve substantial power, the Mach-E 1400 will adopt a NMC battery that strives for the maximum discharging efficiency without the consideration of driving range.
The bonnet of the vehicle is made with organic composite fiber, and the rest of the vehicle is built with carbon fiber. As expressed by Vaughn Gitting Jr., the person in charge of the project, “this is an unprecedented concept, and the only thing I can think of that resembles this vehicle is probably a maglev roller coaster”.
It would take more than a comparison of acceleration and data for car racing fanatics to believe the ability in electric vehicles. The most popular professional sport in the US, NASCAR, is not only the largest competition system for mass produced modified cars in the US, but also the exhibition venue for the performance of various American muscle cars, and it is where Ford has repeatedly earned its popularity.
However, NASCAR has stipulated rigorous rules regarding the power of vehicles, and electric vehicles are yet to be permitted to participate in the competition, though Ford intentionally debuts this vehicle at the racetrack of NASCAR and conducts tests alongside other competitive vehicles just to demonstrate its power performance, and prove that it is on par with fossil fuel vehicles.
A participation in the competition is out of the question since Mach-E 1400 will definitely take the last place. Take the grandest race of Daytona 500 as an example: general vehicles would need to enter the repair station for roughly 6 times to replenish fuel and replace tires amidst the 800km racetrack, with a longest idling period of approximately 20 seconds, which is insignificant compared to the charging procedure of electric vehicles once entering the repair station that takes 10 minutes each time.
The length of electric Formula 1 racetracks is merely 2-3km, which allows electric race cars to fully exert their capability, though electric vehicles are still far behind from fossil fuel vehicles in endurance competitions.
(Photo source: Ford)
