One Quick Pony: Ford Mustang Mach-E NASCAR Prototype Makes 1,200 HP

Ford has pledged to keep the V8 alive as long as possible, and to build exciting on- and off-road vehicles for all enthusiasts. The Ford Mustang Mach-E NASCAR Concept may not have a V8, but I’d bet it’s still a whole lotta fun. Still not convinced? Would a 1,200-horsepower Mustang Mach-E be good enough for track time? Ford certainly thinks so.

Last year, NASCAR dipped its toes into the EV pool. Unfortunately, the fan feedback was more cesspool than celebration, which shouldn’t have been a surprise. And, well, NASCAR‘s first foray into electrification was seemingly its last. However, the 1,300-hp concept, even though generic in shape and style, was still a 1,300-hp concept. And Ford just went with that stat to build a similar EV race car prototype destined to be on the track rather than just as a display.

The Mustang Mach-E demonstrator is a high-powered EV racer with a tri-motor system that produces 1,200 horsepower of emissions-free propulsion. Outside of that stampede of power, Ford’s performance prototype crossover is actually quite different than what NASCAR proposed. In an interview with Road & Track, Ford took the ABB NASCAR EV Prototype and had “some fun with it.”

“This chassis is a variation,” said Zach Burns, head of the development team for the Mach-E racing demonstrator. “You can see the back end of it, it’s much bigger with a higher roof…to make it look more like an SUV. The front and rear clip are also different from the [NASCAR] Next Gen vehicle, but from there, suspension, everything else is carryover.”

According to R&T, the motor and transmission are in front of the firewall while the battery rides shotgun. Also, the bespoke Goodyear tires are made from a renewable compound designed for an EV race car. 

Added Burns, “Overall, it’s intended to be what we could do in what would be fair as NASCAR rules if they were to have rules for this car.” But there’s no racing series (yet), so there are no rules (yet). “So what?” seems to be the Ford motto because the track-ready Mustang Mach-E demonstrator will go on tour. For additional racing cred, the program’s official driver is Romain Dumas, a two-time Le Mans winner and the reigning Pikes Peak champion. 

Ford hasn’t released a schedule yet, but don’t expect the domestic product to showcase demo runs exclusively within North America. For example, the automaker’s previous performance EVs have made appearances at the Goodwood Festival of Speed to the 12 Hours of Bathurst. So, despite its NASCAR roots, this potential next-gen race car will be showing off its track skills beyond an oval.

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