The brand-new all-electric FIA eRX2 Championship has been officially revealed and it’s set to become a support series for the 2021 FIA World Rallycross Championship, replacing the current RX2 International Series.
The new class is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, and is a joint-venture between the Spanish electric technology company QEV Technologies, Olsbergs MSE and RX Promotion – the organisation currently behind both the RX2 International Series and Supercar Lites.
FIA eRX2 Championship will be ran by the World RX promoter IMG for 2021 and the vision of the series will be the same as for the current RX2 – to provide a pathway for upcoming rallycross talent.
To try and ensure a successful debut year for the new class, the FIA has asked experienced company QEV Technologies to help develop a drivetrain for the car chassis.
“This is a tremendously exciting time for electric motorsport, and here at QEV, we all firmly believe that the FIA eRX2 Championship can play a major role in helping to shape the future of rallycross’ electric landscape. Since winning the tender back in October, our team has worked tirelessly to develop the new eRX2 car.” Joan Orús, COO of QEV Technologies, explained and continued to talk about how confident he is for the new series:
“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. 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, which will be a key factor in helping to prepare competitors for the subsequent step-up to Supercar level.”
He added:“One of the aspects I like most about the eRX2 car is all of the additional areas in which the driver can make a real difference, from the distribution of the torque to brake bias, which simply isn’t possible with an internal combustion engine vehicle. Being able to manually balance the car and its performance mid-race, while travelling side-by-side at speeds of up to 150km/h will truly showcase a driver’s skillset and technical understanding.”
The cars will be based on the current generation internal combustion engine powered Supercar Lites that are manufactured by Avitas Motorsport in conjuction with Olsbergs MSE. The drivetrain developed by QEV will produce 250kW (335bhp) and uses a 32kWh battery for all four wheels.
“We are delighted to be working with QEV Technologies to develop the new eRX2 Championship and car. QEV’s experience and expertise in the electro-mobility domain speaks for itself, with sustained success both on and off-track – they are truly a pioneer in the sphere.” Andreas Eriksson, CEO of the Olsbergs MSE, said, who is one of the creators behind Supercar Lites.
“It is that same pioneering spirit that earned them the tender for the FIA eRX2 Championship, and their eagerness to innovate and push back boundaries truly resonates with all of us here at OMSE. They have been very open in acknowledging that this will be their first foray into rallycross, but they have shone in every other motorsport discipline they have entered and are learning fast. They are an excellent partner in every respect.
“There is no question that the future of motorsport is going to be electric, and as far as I am concerned, there is no question that QEV are going to set the pace in rallycross’ bright new era.”
The battery planned for use in the championship has already passed the required safety tests and will be mounted in the middle of the car to ensure the best possible 50/50 weight distribution and to help supply power evenly on both the front and the rear axle.
The eRX2 cars will manage a 25 minute driving range before they need to be recharged, with the recommended charges between each session being 20 minutes.
“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’ electric future. We look forward to making further announcements about the championship over the coming months.” Gyarfas Olah, FIA Off-Road Commission President, enthused.
The concept car was unveiled at RallyX Nordic’s All-Star ‘Magic Weekend’ at Höljes earlier this month but the final car will be presented at the end of this year.
“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.” Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President for motorsports events at IMG, added.
The 2021 FIA eRX2 Championship is set to take place over six rounds around Europe, with the final calendar set to be announced later this autumn.
