Last week, plans for a new motorsport programme called SuperCharge that’s launching in 2022 were unveiled by a two of motorsports’ most important minds; Max Welti and Rob Armstrong. The SuperCharge race series will feature fully electric crossover SUVS racing at eight events across Asia, Europe, Middle East and the USA. Partnering with manufacturers who are already producing electric vehicles, the SuperCharge series will feature vehicles that look like those customers can buy off showroom floor. The racecars, named SCO1, produce 500 kW and can hit 100 km/h from rest in just 2,5 seconds.

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Each event will have 15 races that are up to six laps long on short circuits in bustling urban environments, featuring a water gantry, 2,5-metre-high jump, low-friction zones and a lap extension dubbed SuperLoop which can be used strategically once per race. Each event will run for a day and a half, with a festival-like atmosphere that should appeal to all ages. The SuperCharge series will have three championships that teams, manufacturers, and drivers will compete for. Each event will feature 16 cars and drivers from eight teams in a knockout format.

Click here to read about an FIA all-electric race series that could visit SA in 2021.

SuperCharge will also serve as a platform for the global automotive industry to showcase the very latest technology in environmentally friendly powertrains and batteries that will eventually find its way to the streets. At the same time, the series’ bigwigs have been hard at work for the past 18 months to make SuperCharge as cost-effective and sustainable as possible.

“Motorsport is at a crossroads. With many countries and cities already announcing plans to ban internal combustion-engine cars in the coming years, the need for road car-based electric motorsport is becoming more and more compelling. Given this rapidly increasing EV momentum, we believe the timing and appeal of the SuperCharge race series is ideal and see a clear space for it as the road car-relevant motorsport series,” says SuperCharge managing director and co-founder Rob Armstrong, who oversaw global motorsports at WME IMG, and formulae such as the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

Because the SCO1 racecars will have to conform to SuperCharge’s strict technical regulations, the racing should prove entertaining, as drivers and teams will have to find ways of increasing performance through sheer skill and superior set-up. Another important factor will be how teams can manage battery performance.

“I’ve been involved with many groundbreaking race series as both a driver and promoter and realised that motorsport as we know it has to change. Undoubtedly, it is an exciting time to be involved in revolutionising the next generation of motorsport,” says SuperCharge co-founder Max Welti, who is a former racer and director of motorsport programmes for manufacturers like Audi, Ford and Lamborghini.