Formula E has shown that an electric race series can work, and has even managed to get the major automakers involved.
As a result, there are race organizers looking to emulate Formula E's success in other categories. Two that come to mind are the Extreme E off-road series and Tesla Model S-based Electric Production Car Series, though the latter looks to have run out of steam.
Another that we're likely to hear more about in the future is a series for electric crossover SUVs, dubbed SuperCharge. Its organizers have proposed an inaugural season taking place in 2022, with eight rounds spread over Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.
Unlike conventional races which can span hours, each SuperCharge round would consist of 15 races with a six-lap duration. The races would also involve some stunt driving, such as jumps, and drivers would compete based on a knockout format. The plan is to have eight teams with two drivers each.
SuperCharge electric race series
Teams would use a common vehicle, in this case a crossover called the SC01. For the inaugural season, the SC01 would have a power rating of 670 horsepower, or enough for 0-62 mph acceleration in 2.5 seconds. In other words, similar acceleration to a Formula One car.
According to the organizers, a crossover body style was chosen as this is the segment where automakers see the most growth. It could lead to future seasons featuring race cars derived from production models.
“Motorsport is at a crossroads,” Rob Armstrong, managing director and co-founder of SuperCharge, said in a statement. “With many countries and cities already announcing plans to ban internal-combustion cars in the coming years, the need for road car-based electric motorsport is becoming more and more compelling.”
Note, we've already seen a race series for electric crossovers. The one-make Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy launched in 2018 saw some early success but was canceled this year due to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.
