Ford has revealed the all-electric Mustang Mach-E 1400, a one-of-a-kind prototype developed in 10,000 hours of collaboration with RTR Vehicles to demonstrate the performance possibilities of electric propulsion. The car is based on a Mustang Mach-E GT body-in-white, the prototype targets 1,400 peak horsepower (1,419 PS), achieved using seven motors – five more than the Mustang Mach-E GT. Three motors are attached to the front differential and four to the rear in a pancake style, with a single driveshaft connecting them to the differentials, which have a wide range of adjustability to set the car up for everything from drifting to track racing.
The chassis and powertrain are set up to allow the team to investigate different layouts and their effects on energy consumption and performance, including rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive. Drift and track setups have completely different front end configurations, such as control arms and steering changes, to allow for extreme steering angles in drifting. Power delivery can be split evenly between front and rear, or completely to one or the other. Downforce is targeted at more than 1,000kg at 257km/h (160mph).
“Getting behind the wheel of this car has completely changed my perspective on what power and torque can be,” said Vaughn Gittin Jr., RTR Vehicles founder, and motorsports champion. “This experience is like nothing you’ve ever imagined, except for maybe a magnetic roller coaster.”
The 56.8kWh battery (installed) is made up of nickel manganese cobalt pouch cells for ultra-high performance and high discharge rate. The battery system is designed to be cooled during charging using a di-electric coolant, decreasing the time needed between runs.
An electronic brake booster is integrated to allow series regenerative braking combined with ABS and stability control to optimise the braking system. The Mustang Mach-E 1400 features Brembo brakes, like those on the Mustang GT4 race car, and a hydraulic handbrake system designed for drifting that integrates with the powertrain controls to enable the ability to shut off power to the rear motors.
The Mustang Mach-E 1400 is set to debut at a NASCAR race soon, and serves as a testbed for new materials. The bonnet (hood) is made of organic composite fibres, a lightweight alternative to the carbon fibre that comprises the rest of the vehicle.
