Ford Racing’s 2,200-HP Electric Mustang Runs ¼ Mile in 6.76 Seconds

• Ford says Cobra Jet 2200 ran 6.76 seconds at 222 mph in Charlotte.

• The electric Mustang uses two motors producing 2,200 hp at the wheels.

• A pyrofuse system helps isolate high voltage during emergency response.

Ford Racing’s Mustang Cobra Jet 2200 has raised the performance target bar for electric drag cars, posting a stupefying 6.76-second quarter-mile pass at 222 mph at NHRA Charlotte, according to Ford. This makes the purpose-built Mustang the quickest and fastest EV over the quarter mile.

The run followed earlier passes in the 6.87-second range at more than 221 mph during the same program’s rollout at zMAX Dragway. NHRA reported early testing that included consistent 6.86- to 6.87-second passes and a best of 6.869 seconds at 222.36 mph before Ford later hit the lower 6.76-second elapsed time.

The Cobra Jet 2200 is the latest step in Ford’s electric Mustang drag-racing development line. It follows the Cobra Jet 1400 and Super Cobra Jet 1800, two earlier demonstrators used to study battery output, calibration, traction, electric motor packaging and repeatable performance under dragstrip loads.

The new car’s name references its 2,200-hp output at the wheels. Ford uses two 1,200-hp electric motors, compared with the four-motor layout used in the previous Cobra Jet 1800. The company says the new car is more than 900 lbs lighter than the Super Cobra Jet 1800, which itself was about 1,000 lbs lighter than the Cobra Jet 1400.

Weight reduction is key and was built into the vehicle package. Ford fitted a custom tube-frame chassis, carbon-fibre bodywork, and a NASCAR-style vinyl wrap that the company says saves about 20 lbs compared with a standard wrap.

The driveline is another major change. Cobra Jet 2200 sends 1,340 lb-ft of torque through a reverse-acting centrifugal clutch and a five-speed clutchless transmission. The patented clutch allows the car to launch in direct drive, then slip during gear changes to help control tire speed and keep power usable during a run.

Several conventional drag-racing components remain included in the package, such as a driveshaft and rear-end hardware familiar to internal-combustion race cars. The choice was intended to use proven drag-racing efficiency rather than replace every mechanical system with EV-specific parts.

The Ford Racing team is using repeated track passes to study how high-output electric systems respond to short-duration, high-load competition, including traction limits, component durability, power delivery and safety procedures.