Ford Performance added some significant juice to the long-running Mustang Cobra Jet series in 2020 with the introduction of the all-electric Mustang Cobra Jet 1400. A year later, the car was driven to an NHRA electric vehicle quarter-mile world record.
The Blue Oval could have sat back and admired the trophies it had won, but instead, it went back to work and is now striving to surpass itself and possibly shatter other records in the process. It will utilize the brand-new Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800, a revised version of the electric Cobra Jet with less weight and several hundred more horsepower.
Ford Mustang Super Jet electric engine reaches an electroshock power of 1800 horsepower.
After the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype made its public debut at the National Hot Rod Association’s (NHRA) US Finals in September 2020, where it exceeded expectations with an 8.27-second quarter-mile time during testing, driver Bob Tasco III pushed the electric super-dragster to its official 8.128-second quarter-mile record (at 171.97 mph/276.2 km/h) in June 2021 in Norwalk, Ohio. According to Ford, the quarter-mile time remains the NHRA world record for a fully electric vehicle.
Instead of heading home and smugly resting on their laurels, Ford Performance and its collaborators immediately returned to the garage to enhance their creation. Not even two full years later, the redesigned vehicle has been unveiled, reviving the 1969-era Super Cobra Jet moniker.
Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports, stated, “We’re always looking to challenge ourselves in every aspect of motorsport.” “Drag racing remains a crucial testing ground for our products and technology, and we’re excited not only to attempt to break our own record in the quarter-mile, but also to demonstrate our ongoing development across the entire electric vehicle landscape.”
Ford Performance and MLe Racecars redesigned the Cobra Jet 1400’s entire battery system to reduce weight as part of this ongoing development. The new 1800 utilizes the same four DS-250 115 electric motors and PN-250-DZR inverters as the 1400, but a new Liberty transmission transmits electricity to the rear axles.
The 1800-hp electric Ford Mustang Super Jet will shock the record books.
Ford and company have also modified the geometry of the rear suspension that cushions the larger Mickey Thompson drag radial tires in an effort to optimize launch.
In addition to upgrading the control hardware and software, Ford has implemented a new data acquisition system. In total, it has shed hundreds of pounds of weight and increased output to 1,800 horsepower in pursuit of a speedier quarter-mile time.
This time around, MLe Racecar cofounder and test driver Pat McCue will operate the vehicle, and the team will not only attempt to break the full-bodied EV quarter-mile record but also two 0-60 mph (96.5 kph) EV records. They intend to execute the maneuver at a later NHRA event this season.