FIA reveals details about World RX electric switch

Motorsport.com exclusively revealed earlier this month that the series is set to switch to electric cars after the season 2019, and the FIA has now released an invitation to tender for the new four-wheel drive cars’ battery systems. 

The tender for a common battery system supply covers seasons 2020 to 2023. 

“The FIA's objective is to switch the FIA World Rallycross Championship to electric cars as from 2020,” the tender states.

“The aim of Electric Rallycross is to allow the development of electric technologies and race for the efficiency of the traction chain of the car, to showcase that electric cars are as fun and powerful as thermal [combustion] ones.

"In order to maintain cost control with a high level of technology, the FIA is defining a battery pack that all car manufacturers will have to use in their cars which are then delivered to competitors.” 

A further invitation to tender for a carbon monocoque single-chassis will be issued in due course. The chosen battery and chassis suppliers will be required to work together on integration of the systems. 

The new electric cars will feature a pair of 250Kw motors, one per axle, which, as revealed by Motorsport.com, won’t be provided by a single-supplier. 

The minimum weight will remain the same as existing cars at 1300kg, while the maximum length will be 4000mm, with width at 1900mm, similar to the current Supercars that are based on cars homologated in Group N or Group A. 

Manufacturer registration for the revamped series will be in July 2018, before up to six battery packs need to be made available to electric rallycross constructors at the start of October next year. 

Cars will be homologated in February 2020 before pre-season tests for the inaugural electric rallycross take place in March 2020.