Autosportfoto

World Rallycross Championship electric car switch delayed to 2021

The World Rallycross Championship's expected switch to using electric cars has been delayed until 2021.

The series had been set to make the change for the 2020 season, but that has now been postponed by a year.

This is "to allow optimal time for all manufacturers investigating the possibility of competing to develop their plans," according to a WRX statement.

The deadline for manufacturers to sign up for electric WRX in 2020 had been August 15, but marques will now have until March 29 '19 to sign up for the '21 season.

The electric WRX concept was proposed by manufacturers, the FIA and championship promotor IMG.

Peugeot has been most vocal about its intent to sign up for the series, while Volkswagen, Audi and Ford have also been connected with electric entries, but there has not yet been any official announcement from any marques about their participation.

"A huge amount has been accomplished in a relatively short time since the first formal meeting in June 2017," said IMG boss Paul Bellamy.

"A completely new type of rallycross car has been conceived and defined, and so it is worth waiting a little longer to secure the best possible field of competitors.

"We believe that fans new and old will love what will be a thrilling addition to their favourite events."

The existing two-litre turbocharged Supercars will continue to run as the headline class in WRX until the end of the 2020.

When the series does switch to running electric cars, as revealed by Autosport earlier this year, the four-wheel drive, two-motor machines will be based on a single-make carbon monocoque chassis, developed and supplied by ORECA.

Williams Advanced Engineering will supply the batteries, while competing manufacturers will develop their own power trains and body kits.

Zdroj: autosport.com