The world’s first electric car is a Spanish brand

The CUPRA e-Racer has become the best electric competition car in the world for the second year in a row. After winning the PURE ETCR Championship in 2021,
the model of the Spanish brand made history this year by becoming the first electric touring car to win a world championship, the FIA ​​ETCR.

The e-Racer is one of the most ambitious projects in CUPRA history and a cornerstone in
the electrification strategy of its range of street vehicles. Five years ago, the brand decided to take a step forward and create its own laboratory for racing electric cars, launching the design and development of the world’s first electric race car.

The CUPRA engineers worked without references, beyond their own experience
with racing cars such as the CUPRA TCR, which laid the foundation for the TCR regulations that are now in effect around the world.

As for electrification, it was like working on a blank sheet of paper, selecting the technology that would equip the model, the batteries, the weight distribution… always without compromising on performance, weight or reliability, in a primitive stage for this technology.

Marked already in the first version, which has evolved to adapt to the official technology
for the FIA ​​​​ETCR Championship, CUPRA showed that a fast, reliable and highly efficient racing car could be created. A high voltage battery, made up of 23 panels of 264 units, which could be recharged in just 40 minutes, was the vehicle’s power source and also one of the main technical challenges, due to its weight of 450 kilograms. With four powerful electric motors, this first version of the e-Racer reached a top speed of 270 km/h.

Transmission: Rear-wheel drive. Maximum power: 680 hp / 500 kW. Maximum torque: 960 Nm. Battery: lithium-ion and 65.6 kWh. Front suspension: McPherson strut / 2-way shock absorber / coil spring / ARB. Rear suspension: double wishbone / 2-way shock absorber / coil spring / ARB. Control: standard electric power. Front brakes: 378 x 34mm vented disc. Rear brakes: 355 x 36.8 mm ventilated disc. Maximum speed: 272 km/h. Acceleration: 0-100 km/h: 3.2 s.

In mid-2018, the CUPRA e-Racer performed its first circuit test, an acid test that confirmed the optimal integration of the batteries with the rest of the vehicle elements. After this test, the e-Racer continued to roll on various tracks around the world to accumulate miles of experience, allowing CUPRA engineers to continue to improve and optimize electric tourism. From this first test, the brand had already set a clear goal: to be the fastest
to be the first to reach the finish line.

The new technology
tested by CUPRA creating the world’s first electric touring car was key to the birth of the first electric touring car championship, the PURE ETCR, which began its journey in 2021. From the concept of the e-Racer, a regulation was designed and also an identical electric kit to ensure equality between the different registered manufacturers.

The result, once integrated
the 65.6 kW battery and the rest of the common elements (engine, converter and gearbox), it was a rear-wheel drive car with a maximum power of 500 kW (680 hp) and 960 Nm of torque, able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3 ,2 seconds. The CUPRA e-Racer charges to 90% in just 50 minutes, with a 100 kWh charger, the energy needed to run a race.

Source: La Verdad

Ida

I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.