Motorsport organisations around the world are slowly electrifying various international race series, with the aim of reducing emissions without impacting the drama that racing and rallying has to offer.
In fact, brand new racing championships launched in recent years have featured emission free cars from the outset, such as the radical Extreme E race series and Nitrocross.
This has led to the creation of some incredible electric machines primed for rallying, rallycross and all manner of motorsport events. So we thought we'd put together a list of awesome electric rallying machines that are making the ICE-powered cars of yore eat their dust.
Audi S1 Hoonitron
Inspired by the 1987 Audi S1 Pikes Peak racer, the S1 Hoonitron is another bonkers creation designed and built for the late rally and Gymkhana legend Ken Block.
The Hoonitron sits on the same electric architecture as the brand’s RS e-tron GT, but has an increased power output of 1400bhp and is capable of spinning into a donut at 93mph directly from standstill.
The Hoonitron’s most notable outing was for a thrilling ‘Electrikhana’ video, which saw Block pilot the machine around the streets of Las Vegas.
Audi RS Q e-tron E2
Utterly wild and phenomenally capable, the RS Q e-tron was designed to tackle the harsh terrain that features in the infamous Dakar Rally. Despite a series of setbacks the e-tron managed to score 14 podiums at this year’s event, finishing 14th in the overall standings.
We have a bit of a confession to make however; the RS Q does feature a combustion engine. But we thought the bonkers machine deserved a place in this list because the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine doesn't actually drive the wheels. Instead it feeds energy to the car’s 52kWh battery which powers two electric motors.
And don’t assume its large proportions limit its performance; the all-wheel-drive machine can sprint from 0-62mph in less than 4.5 sec…on a loose surface.
Citroën C3 ERX
Developed by Citroën Racing and Austrian motorsport outfit STARD, the C3 ERX is a superfast electric rally car built for the British Rallycross Championship’s ‘Supercar’ category. It’s powered by STARD’s in house developed electric drivetrain which produces 450kW and 737lb ft of torque.
The C3 ERX is heavily based on the standard C3 Rally2, and uses the same chassis and suspension. Like that ICE car, the ERX features a number of setup options in order to optimise grip levels on different surfaces.
Ford Fiesta ERX
Want your ERX car to come in with a Blue Oval badge instead? Well you’re in luck as the STARD powertrain can also be fitted to the Rally2 spec Ford Fiesta.
Like the Citroën, the Fiesta has been created for the British Rallycross Championship, and develops 450kW and 737lb ft of torque. All in, the electric rally Fiesta weighs about 1450kg, which is about 200kg more than its ICE counterpart.
GCK Motorsport Lancia Delta Evo-e
French motorsport firm GCK Performance has taken the iconic Lanci Delta Integrale and reimagined it as a high-performance electric rallycross monster.
Producing 500kW, the twin motor machine has been created to take part in this year’s World Rallycross Championship, and has been driven by none other than nine-time World Rally Championship winner, Sébatien Loeb.
GCK says its electric Delta Integrale can achieve a 0-62mph time of just 1.8sec - that’s claimed to be 0.7sec faster than a Formula 1 car.
Hyundai Kona Electric NZ EVRC1
Proving that a rally car doesn’t have to be based on a sporty hot hatchback or saloon, the Hyundai Kona Electric NZ EVRC1 is a fearsome rally machine built for Group B competition in New Zealand.
Developed over 18 months and 10,000 man hours, NZ EVRC1 produces 800kW – for context that’s more than a Bugatti Veyron. And despite its heavy weight due to its battery setup, the 1400kg machine has the suspension travel as a WRC car.
Nitrocross FC1-X
With a peak power output of 787kW and 811lb ft of torque, the four-wheel-drive, 1245kg FC1-X machine is an all-new rallycross beast designed for the Nitro RX Championship. And because of its insane power and torque figure it can do 0-62mph in a beguiling 1.4sec - now that is bonkers.
The FC1-X features a 51.27kWh battery, and has enough juice for around 13 minutes of full bore racing. Recharging the machine takes around 25 minutes. And its 1245kg weight figure has been achieved thanks to the use of carbonfibre and fibreglass panels.
Nissan Leaf AT-EV
This rally-spec Nissan Leaf wasn’t prepared for a championship. Instead it was reconfigured by Plug in Adventure for a couple to take on the infamous Mongol Rally, a gruelling 10,000-mile adventure from the UK to Mongolia.
The Leaf AT-EV was equipped with Mamora wheels and Maxsport RB3 narrow tyres, braided brake lines, a protected underside, mudflaps and 6mm front skid plate. It also featured a roof rack and LED light bar.
Piloted by Chris and Julie Ramsey – the same couple that are currently attempting a Pole-to-Pole expedition in a modified Nissan Ariya – completed the Mongol Rally averaging 95 miles between charges, with the AT-EV becoming the first EV to finish the 10,000- mile journey.
Skoda RE-X1 Kreisel
Based on the Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, the RE-X1 uses a Kreisel electric powertrain and was developed as an experimental prototype for rallying events. The car’s floor was modified to integrate a 52.5kWh battery, and two electric motors were added, developing a combined output of 260kW.
The electric Skoda rally car is claimed to be able to run at full race pace for up to 35 minutes, but importantly can be charged in 15 minutes so as not interfere with race schedules.
Spark Odyssey21
When it first arrived in 2019, many assumed that the Spark Odyssey21 - given its name and radical styling - was a vehicle designed for space exploration. Instead it was the car created exclusively for the all-new Extreme E world championship.
The Odyssey21 features a twin-motor setup which develops 400kW, which is enough to help the 1650kg machine go from 0-62mph in 4.5sec on gradients up to 130%. The car is built by Spark Racing Technology but uses batteries supplied by WAE Technologies, formerly known as Williams Advanced Engineering.
The rugged off-road EV also features large 940mm wheels to help the car withstand gravel, rock, mud, ice, snow, water and sand.
Opel Corsa-e Rally
Created by sister-brand Opel’s motorsport division, the Corsa-e Rally was launched as one of the first electric customer rally cars, designed for a one-make racing series in Germany.
The electric Corsa gets rally-spec suspension, a wider and taller body and a 2mm-longer wheelbase. When launched, the Corsa-e Rally was closely matched to the standard car, but gained lightweight performance wheels, decals, and spotlights.
Power comes from a 50kWh battery which is paired to a front-mounted electric motor that develops 100kW and 192lb ft of torque.
World Rallycross RX1e
The World Rallycross Championship was reborn as an all-electric racing category last year and now features wild 500kW supercars.
The chassis is the same as the before, but now all the cars use a Kreisel Electric-developed twin motor powertrain which develops 500kW and 649lbft of torque. This means the all-wheel-drive machine can handle the 0-62mph jaunt in a staggering 1.8sec.
Mobile containers with 900kWh of power are used at each rallycross to charge the cars.
World Rallycross RX2e
The RX2e rallycross machine is used in the lower-tier RX2e Championship as a support series to the main World Rallycross events. Powered by a 30kWh battery and two electric motors, the RX2e develops 250kW and 376lb ft of torque.
Unlike the top-tier category, the RX2e gets its own bespoke body made from a lightweight composite. And despite its electric powertrain, the RX2e weighs just under 1300kg with a 50:50 distribution for greater balance.
