Ford's F-150 Lightning will be entered in the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb scheduled for June 23, the automaker announced on Friday.
However, Ford doesn't plan on running a stock version of the electric pickup truck at Pikes Peak. Instead, the automaker is working on a special F-150 Lightning demonstrator vehicle similar to the E-Transit Custom-based Supervan 4.2 demonstrator that ran up the mountain last fall.
A teaser photo showing the F-150 Lightning demonstrator under a shroud doesn't reveal much, although there appears to be an oversized rear wing similar to what Ford fitted to the Supervan for its Pikes Peak run.
The Supervan also packed a three-motor setup good for 1,400 hp, and managed a time of 8:47.682. That was a new record for the Open Class, and not far off the pace of the overall winner last year, a Wolf TSC-FS race car that set a time of 8:40.08.
Ford Supervan 4.2
Ford has also built a Mustang Mach-E demonstrator with seven electric motors producing a combined 1,400 hp.
Ford hired Pikes Peak's current overall record holder Romain Dumas for the run in the Supervan. The French racing driver posted a blistering time of 7:57.148 behind the wheel of Volkswagen's ID.R electric time attack special during the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb to claim the record. While the F-150 Lightning isn't expected to break that record, it may come close. The automaker hasn't announced who will pilot the F-150 Lightning.
Ford also hasn't indicated whether it is planning a more potent version of the F-150 Lightning for the road, though the automaker in January showed the Switchgear concept. While the concept matched the stock F-150 Lightning's maximum 580 hp, it featured two swappable chassis configurations that could alter the truck between street and off-road performance.
F-150 Lightning shipments are currently on hold as Ford looks to sort out a quality issue thought to be related to the headlights used on the latest 2024 model. Ford spokesperson Emma Bergg told the Detroit Free Press last week that shipments ceased on Feb. 9 and are expected to resume in the coming weeks after some quality checks are completed.
