‘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’

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