FIA launches new electric RallyCross race for 2021

The FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) officially unveiled the new all-electric eRX2 championship, which will start in 2021 as the support series for the FIA World Rallycross Championship. The eRX2 is a joint venture between the Spanish eMobility specialist QEV Technologies, Olsbergs MSE and RX Promotion.

This is a new series in the rallycross series( short sprint races on mixed terrain). The RX2 uses standard racing cars,a concept that the FIA has now adopted for the electric racing series.

The vision for the FIA eRX2 Championship is to provide a pathway to the top of the sport for aspiring rallycross stars. RX2 , just like its predecessor RX Lites, has served as an excellent training ground for drivers on their way up the ladder to the pinnacle of World RX, and eRX2 is now set to raise the bar even further by embracing the discipline’s electrification and focusing firmly on the future.

In order to achieve that, the FIA has called upon the very best in the business. QEV boasts a long and successful history in the electric vehicle domain, from managing the NEXTEV team with whom Nelson Piquet Jr won the inaugural FIA Formula E Championship in 2014/15 to designing and creating electric powertrains and installing electric charging infrastructures.

Having secured the FIA’s tender to develop the ‘arrive-and-drive’ eRX2 concept – based around a bespoke, lightweight four wheel-drive electric rallycross car with a space frame chassis and 32 kWh battery producing 250 kW (335 bhp) of power – QEV Technologies has spent the past nine months preparing for its launch.

The battery – which has been fully safety-certified – is mounted next to the driver in the centre of the car to ensure optimum, 50/50 weight distribution, while power is supplied evenly to the front and rear wheels by a pair of motors and inverters, all of which benefit from a cooling system to prevent excessive temperatures.

The eRX2 car will be able to run for up to 25 minutes, with recommended 20-minute recharges between sessions over the course of a race weekend. The final car is set to be officially presented towards the end of this year, and six European events are planned for the inaugural season.

Joan Orús, COO of QEV Technologies says ,with short, sharp races, rallycross is the ideal discipline for electric cars, and we are confident eRX2 will generate more dynamic and spectacular action than has ever been seen before. He added that not only will the degree of torque available make the car considerably quicker than the current RX2 model, but it will also be more challenging to drive, especially on the limit. In the junior series, where young drivers prepare for the supercar level with the fastest rallycross cars, this is a key factor.

Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President for Motorsports events at IMG, the FIA World Rallycross Championship promoter, said: “We understand how important it is for drivers progressing to international competition to race at World Championship events, it’s exciting that the next generation of drivers will be able to drive bespoke electric race cars and be at the forefront of the electrification of rallycross.”

Gyarfas Olah, FIA Off-Road Commission President, said: “We are delighted that through the launch of the FIA eRX2 Championship we are able to provide a cost-effective entry point for younger drivers to become part of rallycross’s electric future. We look forward to making further announcements about the championship over the coming months.”

Six European events are planned for the premiere season. However, with the uncertainty of the situation the calendar of the events will be released in autumn.