Heavily-modified Ford F-150 Lightning headed to Pikes Peak

Ford Performance is returning to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2024, but this time it's not bringing a van. It will compete in the 102nd edition of the event with a heavily-modified F-150 Lightning that looks much lower and considerably wide than the stock model.

While the idea of entering a pickup truck in a major hill climb might sound odd, we're not talking about a run-of-the-mill F-150 Lightning. The preview image published by Ford Performance shows the outline of a truck that looks more like a race car than like something you'd take to Home Depot. There's not much in the way of ground clearance, and we think we spot a massive, wrap-around rear wing through the cover.

Technical details haven't been released, we don't even know what the drivetrain's layout is, but we're expecting pretty insane figures. For context, Ford entered a heavily modified Transit van called SuperVan in the 2023 edition of the Race to the Clouds. It was powered by three electric motors that developed a combined output of 1,400 horsepower, and it was fitted with a body kit designed specifically for the race.

Beyond the instant torque, running an electric car in the Pikes Peak hill climb offers a major advantage: an electric motor isn't affected by altitude changes. The course starts at about 9,400 feet and takes competitors to the summit, which is at around 14,100 feet, so teams racing with a gasoline-powered car need to take this significant difference into account when they're preparing their engine. Range, charging time, and repeatability, the enemies of an electric drivetrain during a longer event like an endurance race, are far less important at Pikes Peak.

Ford will release more details about the Pikes Peak-bound F-150 Lightning in the coming months. The qualifying days will take place from June 18 to June 20 and the race is scheduled for June 23. Ford has already revealed that its electric truck will race with the number 150.