WATCH: 1470kW Ford Electric Supervan debuts at Goodwood

UPDATE, June 24: 1470kW Ford Electric Supervan debuts at Goodwood

Ford's latest Supervan has been revealed, with the all-electric E-Transit Custom making its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Following on from the previous three iterations of Supervan (more further below), the Ford Pro Electric Supervan is the first to ditch an internal combustion engine and instead use electric motors – four of them, to be precise.

With a 50kWh liquid cooled-battery in the back and a motor on each axle, the Electric Supervan produces an eye-watering 1470kW – roughly 1000kW more than the Cosworth HB V8 engine which powered Supervan 3.

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Creature comforts such as Ford's Sync infotainment system from the road-going E-Transit Custom have been carried across, while the Supervan features five selectable drive modes (road, track, drag, drift and rally), although it's hard to imagine it being used in a situation which doesn't call for full power.

Developed by Ford Performance, the Electric Supervan rides on a purpose-built, track-ready spaceframe chassis with lightweight composite body panels retaining the shape of its E-Transit Custom base.

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“The chance to be part of the iconic SuperVan story and reimagine what it could be in the 21st century was a dream opportunity,” said Ford of Europe design director, Amko Leenarts.

“The fourth chapter of the Supervan story is designed to be the fastest, most extreme yet while keeping the Transit DNA. The proportions are a more dramatic version of what we developed for the E-Transit Custom and the front light bar creates a futuristic expression, making the Electric Supervan the absolute pinnacle of Transit design language.”

The E-Transit Custom has been locked in for a local berth in 2024, with the electric van joining its bigger E-Transit sibling as a part of Ford Australia's electrified line-up.

The story to here

June 22: Ford to debut electric Transit Custom Supervan at Goodwood

After a 28-year hiatus, Ford has confirmed its Supervan will return – setting its debut for this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Set to be based on Ford's latest all-electric E-Transit Custom, no specifications have been revealed as yet for Supervan 4, but expect a dual-motor setup and aerodynamic aids to be fitted to the latest creation for fast runs up the Goodwood hillclimb.

Ford's Transit van has always been seen as a tool rather than an inspiration since its inception in 1965.

Having revolutionised the commercial vehicle segment in the United Kingdom, Ford has occasionally turned its workhorse into something fun – the Supervan.

Based on the Transit, the Supervans were used as promotional vehicles for the Blue Oval from 1971 until the Supervan 3 of 1994, underpinned by Ford's best racing equipment to show off what would happen if the tradie's ultimate tool was made for the race track.

“Since 1971, Ford Supervans have been about exploring what is possible with Transit and pushing the boundaries of performance,” said global director of Ford Performance, Mark Rushbrook.

“The new Ford Pro Electric Supervan ushers in a whole new era of possibilities with an electrified powertrain and the enhanced connectivity of our new, all-electric E-Transit Custom.”

While it's not known if the new Ford Pro Electric Supervan will come to Australia as a part of its promotional tour, the standard E-Transit Custom has been locked in for a local berth in 2024, joining Ford Australia's growing fleet of electrified vehicles.

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Ford's E-Transit Custom will arrive in Australia from 2024

Super quick Supervan history

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Supervan

The original Supervan was launched in 1971 and underpinned by a Ford GT40 chassis with power coming from the Le Mans racer's V8.

Its body was based on the six-year-old Mk1 Transit, something which prevented the white and blue-striped slab from pushing past 250km/h.

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Supervan 2

Transit fans would have to wait until 1984 for the next Supervan. Dubbed Supervan 2 (very original), it was based on the Mk2 facelift, although little of the original van remained.

Its fibreglass body covered the chassis of Ford's C100 Group C endurance racer, with the 4.0-litre Cosworth DFL engine powering it – not the DFV as many think.

Less than a year after its debut, the new Transit came out, all but making it obsolete.

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Supervan 3

The third iteration of Supervan was launched in 1994 to promote the facelifted Mk 3 Transit, with an even more radical design than its predecessors.

Massive front air dams, side skirts and a rear wing were fitted to the seven-eighths scale fibreglass body, while power was now sourced from a Cosworth HB engine – the motor which delivered Michael Schumacher his first F1 title with Benetton.

Refurbished in 2004 and now fitted with a Cosworth V6 engine, Supervan 3 was the last of its breed to be powered by an internal combustion engine.