SuperCharge is another new electric CUV race series
SuperCharge is a new off-road electric race series set to rival Extreme E. Scheduled to begin in 2022, SuperCharge will be a global championship for electric crossovers, with eight events taking place in cities in the U.S.A., China, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific.
The SuperCharge cars will apparently be road-based, although quite what road car the SC01 is based on is not clear. The all-wheel drive machines are said to offer 500 kW and accelerate from zero to 62 mph in just 2.5 seconds.
Each event will be urban-based and feature a series of 15, six-lap sprint races on circuits of around half a mile in length. Picking up cues from stadium cross and, er, steeple cross, the circuits will feature an eight-foot-high jump, and a water splash to liven up the action. The circuits will be created in parks or streets inside an amphitheater for spectators.
By contrast Extreme E races are to be held in remote areas of the earth on rugged natural terrain. Extreme E has already attracted F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton, while former team mate Nico Rosberg has also announced he will be entering a team.
The SuperCharge championship has been developed by Rob Armstrong whose career includes stints at Stewart Grand Prix and Jaguar Racing, as well as being head of motorsports for IMG. His partner Max Welti is a former racer who has directed global competition programs for Audi, BMW, Ford, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Porsche, and VW.
SuperCharge has been consulting with regulatory authorities and drivers, including Tanner Foust to design the series. “The SuperCharge series has amazing allure for a race driver like me. In my career I’ve found that for a new motorsport to grow successfully it has to appeal to a young demographic, as well as the major car manufacturers. The excitement of electric acceleration, high-performance and cutting-edge technology, combined with the tempo of the race day, will tick both boxes and in turn ensure a very successful series,” said Foust.
With the Formula E single-seater series already firmly established and two new CUV-based EV championships starting up, it looks like the future of motorsports is electric. How will fans respond to this new and near-silent challenge where the roar of the crowd is louder than the cars? Let us know what you think.
