Ford Racing’s Mustang Cobra Jet 2200 set a new world record for an EV by running a quarter mile in 6.87 seconds at a speed of 221 mph at the NHRA event in Charlotte. This run broke Ford’s own previous EV record of 7.62 seconds, set by the Cobra Jet 1800 last September, by an impressive margin of 0.75 seconds.
As the name suggests, Ford’s Cobra Jet 2200 puts a whopping 2,200 horsepower at the wheels thanks to a redesigned electric motor and inverter combo. To reduce complexity and increase efficiency to 98 percent, Ford decided to use two motors and inverters instead of four as before. Total power has increased by 600 hp, but the motor and inverter weigh half as much as before. Everything runs on a 900-volt architecture and a 32 kWh battery that charges in 20 minutes, which is enough for NHRA’s 45-minute turnaround rule.
The car has some unusual features for an EV like a clutch that lets the driver dump all the power to the road instantly for maximum acceleration. It also uses a multi-speed transmission that allows the car to run in its ideal power band during periods of running—reducing quarter-mile times by up to a second, according to Ford. The battery design also allowed the team to adjust weight distribution for optimal traction. Another racing touch is a pyrotechnic circuit breaker that can instantly break high-voltage connections via a small explosive charge to align with NHRA safety rules.
Some of these technologies, such as high-efficiency motors and 900-volt systems, could easily reach consumer vehicles. Unfortunately, Ford and other US automakers have recently significantly reduced their investments in BEV technology. Ford recently announced it would reboot the F-150 Lightning as an EREV with a gas generator, while last week GM delayed its next-generation full-size EV pickup and SUV — all due to rapidly rising gasoline prices.
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