Ford’s Super Mustang Mach-E EV Racer Wins 2026 Pikes Peak Overall Title

At the 2026 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Ford’s all-electric Super Mustang Mach-E race car claimed overall victory with a time of 8:18.202, becoming the first electric vehicle in the event’s history to defeat all internal combustion-powered competitors and win outright. First held in 1916, the race has now reached its 103rd edition. The course spans approximately 20 kilometers, starting at an elevation of 2,862 meters and climbing to 4,300 meters, with an average gradient of 7.2%. It is renowned for its high altitude, extreme weather conditions, and treacherous terrain. Due to the thin air at high altitude, which reduces oxygen availability and thus lowers combustion efficiency in gasoline-powered vehicles, EVs enjoy a natural advantage as they are unaffected by this limitation. Previously, the all-electric Volkswagen ID.R set the current overall record of 7:57.148 in 2018—a mark that remains unbroken. Ford had previously competed and won with modified electric vans (SuperVan) and electric pickups (SuperTruck). In 2025, Ford entered the specially built Super Mustang Mach-E race car for the first time, driven by experienced racer Romain Dumas. Despite securing a class win under adverse weather conditions that forced the closure of the upper half of the course, the team finished second overall, just five seconds behind the winner. In 2026, the full course was open and weather conditions were favorable. Although the Super Mustang Mach-E trailed its rivals by seven seconds during qualifying—which was held only on the lower section of the track—it capitalized on its performance advantage at high altitude during the full-course race, ultimately winning by over 11 seconds. The car competed in the “Unlimited Modified – Production-Based” class. While its winning time surpassed Ford’s previous SuperVan record of 8:47.682 (set in the “Pikes Peak Open” class), it still fell short of the Volkswagen ID.R’s overall record. Another EV entry in this year’s event was the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N fielded by Evasive Motorsports, but it was unable to start the race after sustaining damage during practice sessions.