The championship places the emphasis on driver ability and ingenuity in the single-specification electric series.

Sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, eRX2 is a joint venture between the Spanish electro-mobility specialist QEV Technologies, Olsbergs MSE and RX Promotion, the company that operates the current RX2 International Series. It will be run by the FIA World Rallycross Championship promoter, IMG.

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 spaceframe chassis and 32kWh battery producing 250kW (335bhp) of power – QEV Technologies has spent the past nine months preparing for its launch.

The first iteration of the eRX2 car – featuring an interim ‘prototype’ composite bodyshell on an RX2 Supercar Lites chassis – was unveiled during RallyX Nordic ‘All-Star’ Magic Weekend at Höljes in Sweden earlier this month.

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.

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.”

Joan Orús, COO, QEV Technologies, said:

“We firmly believe that the FIA eRX2 Championship can play a major role in helping to shape the future of rallycross’ electric landscape.

“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, a key factor in helping to prepare competitors for the subsequent step-up to Supercar level.”

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.”