POLAND MAKES HISTORY WITH ELECTRIC RX CLASS
Tesla-powered division is planned
The Polish Rallycross Championship is set to become the first rallycross series in the world to have a class for all-electric cars this year.
The National Electric category for rear-wheel-drive machines using a Ford Fiesta platform and powered by a Tesla-based motor has been founded by Polish electronics firm Geecogen and its competition arm Elimen Racing.
Developed over the last 12 months, the concept is planned to join the Polish series from the season-opener at former European championship venue Slomczyn on April 6. The new machines use a Proto-built bodyshell, weigh 1150kg and produce 230Kw, the equivalent to 300 horsepower and 330Nm torque. A minimum of five cars is required for the class to run on its own, but the electric cars could run together with the conventional Supernational category while the class is established.
Arrive and drive packages for the series cost 50,000 Euros, with two drivers already signed up.
“It has been lots of work in parallel to other projects, but my business partner Daniel Sliwka and I are very happy because we already have some amazing results,” concept founder Przemyslaw Rozmyslowicz told Motorsport News. “We are preparing the five rear-wheel-drive cars to reach the minimum quantity of vehicles required, and have managed the technical development of the dedicated components of the electric drive system, such as the electric motor and controllers, battery packs, management and systems and telemetry.”
Final approval of the concept is expected to be confirmed by the Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Federation later this month.