‘World’s first fully electric touring car’ completes lap of racetrack
‘The biggest challenge is getting used to driving with no gearbox and without the roar of the engine’
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Your support makes all the difference.The world’s first fully electric touring car has been driven round a racetrack.
Cupra, the performance arm of SEAT, has developed the e-Racer, a zero-emission track car capable of 0-62mph in just 3.2 seconds.
To showcase the vehicle’s development, Swedish racing driver Mattias Ekström put it through its paces at the Montmeló circuit in Barcelona.
Instead of a roaring petrol engine, the e-Racer let off a whistle-like sound.
Although a giant battery makes it 400kg heavier than the petrol-powered touring model, the e-Racer’s four electric motors help it keep pace.
With the equivalent of 500 kW (670bhp), the e-Racer accelerates from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and from 0-124mph in 8.2 seconds. Its top speed is 167mph.
The effort by SEAT is a response to the growing interest in electric motorsport – the fifth season of Formula E recently concluded while the electric touring car championship set to start next year.
Ekström, who is a three-time Race of Champions winner, said: “After a career dedicated to the racing world where I had explored all combustion engine formats I wanted to transition to electric racing with Cupra, which has been a pathfinder in this segment since its creation.
“I think the biggest challenge is getting used to driving with no gearbox and without the roar of the engine as a reference for knowing, for example, how fast to go when taking curves.
“It felt really good, especially when reaching full power coming out of the slow curves on the circuit. I really enjoyed the first lap. The second also went well, although I began to notice that I was forcing the rear tyres. I still need some time to get used to the sound of the engine. It’s much quieter than any other I’ve driven before, and I’m a very emotional driver.”
Ekström is reportedly working closely with the team of engineers and technicians to fine tune the e-Racer ahead of the launch of the new Electric Touring Car Series which starts next year.
SWNS
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