An Electric Global Rallycross Series Is Coming In 2018

Red Bull Global Rallycross race weekends will be joined by an all-electric series for the 2018 season, alongside the current Supercar and GRC Lites categories

Jack Leslie

30 Oct 2016

An Electric Global Rallycross Series Is Coming In 2018

Electric race cars are heading for Red Bull Global Rallycross (GRC) in 2018, alongside the current Supercar and GRC Lites categories.

The rallycross championship has announced an all-electric class will join the GRC race weekend as a standalone series, giving us the chance to see electric cars jumping, drifting and crashing around the US-based courses.

It’s big news not only for the electric car market, but also the rallycross corner of motorsport as well – it’s not something we’ve seen in the racing category.

GRC just concluded its sixth season. The all-electric class will join the weekend schedule alongside the GRC Lites and Supercar series, which features manufacturer support from Honda, Subaru, Volkswagen and Ford.

Manufacturers like Volkswagen have been pushing for an electric series to mirror the development of battery-powered road cars, and their prayers have now been answered.

Nothing has been announced just yet about the cars, but the all-electric category will be governed by GRC and the United States Auto Club.

Here’s what GRC CEO Colin Dyne had to say on the news:

“Red Bull Global Rallycross is pleased to add to our rallycross platform an electric series. 2018 season will be a landmark year for us as we welcome electric vehicles to the grid for the first time. The electric car is one of the hottest topics in the automotive industry, and manufacturers across the globe have recognized its immense potential.
“We want to embrace this technology by welcoming it into our series as we continue to grow and expand. Our current platform is the most enticing in motorsports right now to a young, millennial audience.
“Our small displacement, high-horsepower, turbocharged engines allow our manufacturers to showcase the performance capabilities of their current millennial-focused offerings, and provide a glimpse into the exciting future of the automotive industry. This electric series will add a new dynamic that will never replace the current formula, but will be an important part of our expansion.”