Ford Performance has rewritten the rulebook at the Nürburgring, where its all-electric SuperVan 4.2 and Lightning SuperTruck set record-shattering lap times. Faster than the Mustang GTD, these prototypes prove just how far EV technology has come and hint at what might be coming to future production models.
Earlier this year, Ford brought the Mustang GTD back to the Green Hell, clocking a 6:52.072 lap, five seconds faster than its previous effort. But Ford’s EV division wasn’t content to let the GTD steal the spotlight.
The SuperVan 4.2, a prototype that first turned heads at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2022.
Driven by racing ace Romain Dumas, the SuperVan unleashed its 2,000 electric horsepower to post a jaw-dropping 6:48.2. That officially makes it the fastest van ever to lap the Nürburgring and the seventh-quickest prototype overall.
While calling it a “van” is a bit of a stretch, it’s a track-only machine running slicks. The result is still a symbolic victory for Ford’s EV program.
The run also carried a subtle tribute to the late Nürburgring legend Sabine Schmitz, who famously declared she could lap the circuit in a Transit van during her Top Gear days. Ford Performance has now proven the point with extreme EV firepower.
As if the SuperVan’s performance wasn’t enough, Ford doubled down. Also piloted by Dumas, the Lightning SuperTruck delivered an even faster lap, crossing the line in 6:43.482. That time places it among the top five fastest prototype laps ever recorded at the Nürburgring, an extraordinary achievement for a truck-based platform.
From inside the cockpit, both vehicles sound more like jet turbines than cars. The near-silent whine of their powertrains builds to a high-pitched shriek as speeds climb, with the onboard footage showing Dumas attacking corners at breathtaking pace.
While it’s easy to see these runs as pure publicity stunts, Ford insists there’s more at play. Pushing electric prototypes to the limit at the Nürburgring helps engineers stress-test powertrains, batteries, and cooling systems under extreme conditions.
The lessons learned here could eventually influence production EVs like the F-150 Lightning and E-Transit, improving durability and performance for everyday drivers.
Whether or not your future Amazon delivery arrives courtesy of SuperVan-inspired tech remains to be seen. For now, Ford Performance has proven that its electric prototypes aren’t just fast, they’re redefining what a “van” or “truck” can do on the world’s most demanding racetrack.
Ford Car News Nürburgring Ford performance Romain Dumas SuperVan 4.2 Lightning SuperTruck EV Prototypes
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