Unveiled: Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 Prototype – 8-Second All Electric Drag machine


Unveiled: Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 Prototype – 8-Second All Electric Drag machine

It’s difficult to determine whether or not the electric movement is going to actually permeate into the performance world properly or if it’s just a wish, but there’s no doubt that the performance an electric powertrain can bring to the table is actually nice and eye-opening. The power of a ton of torque instantly and fully, from the second the “throttle” pedal is hit. And it’ll run, this one. Yeah, it’s projected to hit the eights, which will happily threaten Chevrolet’s eCOPO Camaro in a battle of full-size Scalextric cars on any drag strip anywhere.

Admittedly, we’re thin on the details, because the car technically isn’t released fully. That’ll happen (maybe) sometime later this year. From what we can ascertain from the footage, we hear one shift…that’s it. Ford’s holding their cards until the CJ1400 shows up in real life.

DEARBORN, Mich., April 23, 2020 – It won’t hurt your ears and doesn’t use a drop of fuel, but it’s projected to crush the quarter-mile in the low-8-second range at more than 170 mph. For the first time ever, Ford Performance introduces a one-off Mustang Cobra Jet factory drag racer with all-electric propulsion.

The battery-powered Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype is purpose-built and projected to deliver over 1,400 horsepower and over 1,100 ft.-lbs. of instant torque to demonstrate the capabilities of an electric powertrain in one of the most demanding race environments.

“Ford has always used motorsport to demonstrate innovation,” said Dave Pericak, Global Director, Ford Icons. “Electric powertrains give us a completely new kind of performance and the all-electric Cobra Jet 1400 is one example of pushing new technology to the absolute limit. We’re excited to showcase what’s possible in an exciting year when we also have the all-electric Mustang Mach-E joining the Mustang family.”

Following the debut of the all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV – the first-ever, all-electric Mustang, the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype represents another opportunity to advance Mustang heritage and performance while simultaneously incorporating some of the most advanced technology coming to Ford’s future powertrains.

Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 also honors the original Cobra Jet that first dominated drag strips in the late 1960s and still is a major force in sportsman drag racing today.

“This project was a challenge for all of us at Ford Performance, but a challenge we loved jumping into,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “We saw the Cobra Jet 1400 project as an opportunity to start developing electric powertrains in a race car package that we already had a lot of experience with, so we had performance benchmarks we wanted to match and beat right now. This has been a fantastic project to work on, and we hope the first of many coming from our team at Ford Performance Motorsports.”

Ford Performance continues to test Cobra Jet 1400 ahead of its world debut later this year at a drag racing event where fans, media and competitors alike will get to meet the race car, as well as see exactly what it’s capable of up on the asphalt.

Before that, catch a sneak peek starting this Sunday, April 26 by watching MotorTrend On Demand’s “Hard Cell”, a showcase of electric vehicles pushing innovation boundaries.

To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the project, Ford Performance has teamed up with several capable and specialized suppliers:

  • MLe Racecars – Vehicle builder, designer, integrator and tuner
  • Watson Engineering – Chassis support and development, roll cage builder
  • AEM EV – Software and motor calibration and controls
  • Cascadia – Inverter and Motor supplier


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13 thoughts on “Unveiled: Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 Prototype – 8-Second All Electric Drag machine

  1. 6POINT6

    Sounds exiting to me. To see how Ford and Chevy applies this new technology will be interesting. Cant wait to see them line up against each other. Ford vs Chevy, isn’t that what turns us on?

    1. jerry z

      I go to the races for the sights AND sounds. Taking away the sounds would be what’s the point of going.

      Yes I’m a hater, a big one.

  2. tw

    Speaking of electric performance cars , what’s up with the Tesla roadster that was supposed to be released this year ?

  3. Curtis

    Electric cars can be fast, no doubt about it. The torque they make is unreal and torque is what wins races. However, we are in the midst of a campaign to try and make our country and the world suffer along without fossil fuels. Do the people who promote electric cars realize that it takes a lot of coal or nuclear power to make electricity? It doesn’t get pumped out of the ground like oil. No doubt the big players behind the push for green energy know this and most people with a few brain cells still clicking are aware of it. But those with an agenda don’t care, they simply want to be in control and make you submit to their pet agenda. Once they’ve eliminated your fossil fuel cars they won’t give a rats behind about whether you have an electric car or any car for that matter. They will just take them. These people would just as soon have you stuck in a small area and dependent on their supposed benevolence. I make no apologies for this political rant, we automobile enthusiasts have to wake up or we will all be relegated to walking, riding bicycles or mass transit in a decade or so.

    1. Billy Bob

      Curtis is right about this: \”But those with an agenda don’t care, they simply want to be in control and make you submit to their pet agenda.\”

      If you live in any major metropolitan area anywhere in this country, you\’ve encountered them, and their high density, anti-automobile, pro mass transit, extreme control agenda.

      That said, I do find the technology in this car very interesting.

  4. Patrick

    NHRAs wet dream. All cars run same motor and batteries. Placement is regulated by the rulebook. No oil downs. Whisper quiet, run anywhere. Plenty of area on the NHRAS mandated bodies for advertising. A walk through the pits will be awesome! You can see what gauge wire everyone is using and the restricted engine and battery placement. Ads can be pumped over the loudspeaker during races since the noise is gone. People will be able to stare at their phones while the races are run, no shocking wake up on launch. Dodge will come back since all power plants are the same, still find a way to get caught cheating. Massive dirty diesel generators will be the secret like they are now for Formula E. NHRA will tell us how great this is and how fast they go. Staging battles will be a thing of the past, no reason to with electric. Drivers can instagram down the track as they go. Whats not to like?

  5. Patrick

    drag racing is visceral and tactile. It appeals to the other senses perhaps more than with vision. The pass of a top fuel FC or rail hits you in your chest, shakes your soul .Electric doesn’t.

  6. Rick Z

    Not a fan, but probably will be incorporated into NHRA somehow. Progress is inevitable. If it’s just a class like all the others it will be OK.

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