Skoda Motorsport, Skoda Austria, the Austrian battery technology solutions specialist Kreisel Electric and ‘operational partner’ Baumschlager Rallye & Racing have teamed up to develop a fully electric rally car — the Skoda RE-X1 Kreisel.

Based on a Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo bodyshell and powered by an 860V system, the concept car has been homologated by the Austrian Motorsport Federation AMF.

When Kreisel Electric, supplier of the ‘mandatory hybrid technology of the generation 2022 World Rally Cars’ for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), looked for partners to develop a fully electric rally car, Skoda Motorsport saw what it termed ‘an interesting opportunity’. The manufacturer’s motor-sport department updated a Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo chassis to be fitted with Kreisel’s electric powertrain.

Future-orientated technology
Michal Hrabánek, head of Skoda Motorsport, said: “The Skoda RE-X1 Kreisel concept car is an exciting combination of traditional and future-orientated technology. The car offers all the set-up possibilities of the latest generationSkoda Fabia Rally2 evo, but with a fully electric powertrain. I believe rally fans will find such a combination truly interesting.”

The Kreisel Electric e-motor delivers a peak power of 260kW and a maximum torque of 600Nm; in comparison, the Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo 1.6 litre turbo petrol engine produces 214kW and 425Nm of torque.

With the exception of the drivetrain, the car is based on the Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo rally car with some modifications; the suspension has been adapted to accommodate the battery, as has the bodyshell floor.

The Kreisel high performance lithium-ion battery block is mounted as low as possible in the chassis and liquid-cooled by Shell E-Fluids. Kreisel Electric has also developed a bespoke charging station — called Chimero — for use during rallies.