Škoda Motorsport, Škoda Austria, battery technology specialist Kreisel Electric and operational partner Baumschlager Rallye & Racing have formed a collaboration to develop the Škoda RE-X1 Kreisel, a fully electric rally car.
Based on a Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo bodyshell, the car will deliver a peak power output of 260kW and run an 860V electrical system. The concept car was homologated by the Austrian Motorsport Federation (ÖAMTC) and will debut at the Austrian Rally Championship later this month.
With Kreisel Electric supplying the mandatory hybrid technology for the 2022 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the company says it was seeking a partner to develop an EV rally car. Building on previous knowledge and experience, Škoda’s motorsport department, based in Mladá Boleslav in the Czech Republic, built a Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo chassis that could be fitted with Kreisel’s electric powertrain.
The chassis has undergone a multitude of revisions, including a redesign of the suspension to enable the battery to be integrated into the car, alongside modification to the bodyshell’s floor. The battery block was fitted as low as possible in the chassis and is liquid cooled using Shell E-Fluids. The Kreisel lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 52.5kWh and an electrical tension of 860V.
“The concept car Škoda RE-X1 Kreisel is an exciting combination of traditional and future-oriented technology. We provided our best experience, based on developing three generations of the rally-going Škoda Fabia,” commented Michal Hrabánek, head of Škoda Motorsport. “The concept car offers all the setup possibilities of the latest-generation Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo but with a fully electric powertrain. I really believe rally fans will find such a combination truly interesting.”
The first chassis has been built to an asphalt spec. However, the project’s partner for the testing program, Baumschlager Rallye & Racing, has begun testing the Škoda RE-X1 Kreisel on gravel surfaces.
