The latest electric crossovers may be increasingly popular as cars that can do most things – short of going motor racing perhaps. Now that may be about to change with a new race series called SuperCharge aiming to hit grids around the world from 2022.
SuperCharge is a new electric SUV racing series
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It is early days yet for SuperCharge but the idea is for a field of different looking but identically powered battery racecars to do battle on bespoke inner city circuits, each of which would include crowd-pleasing features like a 2.5-metre jump.
The cars would be entered by manufacturers which will have the freedom to design bodies that mimic their showroom models, in an electric twist to the old “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” philosophy.
Under their different skins the cars would all use the same road car-based mechanical package of twin motors, all-wheel drive and 670PS (500kW) of power for acceleration in the order of 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds. Teams would be able to tweak batteries and suspension settings but competitive advantage will be mostly down to driver skill, says SuperCharge. Launch control, traction control and brake-by-wire are all outlawed.
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While it is not difficult to think of suitable candidates – new high-riding, all-wheel-drive electric compact SUVs are being launched all the time, from the Volkswagen ID.4 to Ford Mach-E – no manufacturers are quoted as supporting the idea so far. Equally, the FIA has yet to give its thumbs up to the racing.
SuperCharge though is adamant the series will get off the ground in 2022 with events across Asia-Pacific, China, Europe, Middle East and USA. Each meeting would comprise 15 races each of six laps on bespoke 1km urban circuits designed for maximum thrills and optimum spectator viewing. Special track features are planned to include a water gantry to wet parts of the track, low friction zones for drifting and a 2.5 metre-high jump where the cars will literally take off. Sixteen cars from eight teams would take part in the knockout format competition, with two cars against each other in a final shootout.
“Motorsport is at a crossroads,” SuperCharge managing director and co-founder Rob Armstrong tells GRR. “With many countries and cities already announcing plans to ban internal combustion-engine cars in the coming years, the need for road car-based electric motorsport is becoming more and more compelling.”
SuperCharge believes the format will appeal not just to spectators but also attract top drivers from the worlds of circuit racing, rallying and off-road racing.
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