With electric motors able to produce the kind of top speed and acceleration that like-for-like internal combustion engines simply cannot match, there is excitement surrounding FIA RX2e, which will join the FIA World Rallycross Championship series at six European events in 2021.

The bespoke, lightweight, four wheel-drive electric rallycross car is built around a spaceframe chassis and incorporates two independent powertrains alongside a 32kWh battery, with the motor generating 250kW (335bhp) of power and up to 460Nm torque. This represents respectively a 24% and 14% increase over the existing Supercar Lites car, narrowing the gap to rallycross’ headlining Supercar class.

Krogstad earned his chance to race the RX2e car – developed by Spanish electro-mobility specialist QEV Technologies, in partnership with Olsbergs MSE – by winning the Supercar Lites showdown at Nysum, Sweden in September.

The 22-year-old Norwegian – who previously competed in the RX2 Series in 2018, is a strong advocate of the sport’s electric future. “I think it’s great that rallycross is truly embracing the new electric era – with short, sharp races, we’re the perfect discipline for it,” Krogstad said. “This is the way the whole automotive industry is going – it’s the future – and it’s unquestionably the right thing to do to protect our planet.

“The car looks like being a lot of fun to drive, with many more parameters for drivers to play with and adjust – from the torque to the launch control, the chassis, suspension, brakes and regenerative behaviour – and that really appeals to me. It will be about driving smart as well as fast.

“RX2e really feels like the start of building something big for the future. It will generate a whole host of opportunities for drivers like me. My hope is that electric rallycross can become the new Group B – super-fast and spectacular – and that people will ultimately look back on this exciting new era as a golden age for our sport.”