Cupra joins 2023 Formula E championship

spot_imgspot_img

aria-label="cupra further strengthens its commitment to electric motorsport as it joins abt to compete in formula e 01 hq"

Cupra and Abt Sportsline reveal 2023 Formula E Championship Gen3 racer.

Cupra has become the latest manufacturer to enter the Formula E sphere, partnering with motorsport outfit Abt Sportsline for an entry into the new-look 2023 season.

- Advertisement -

The Spanish brand joins newcomers Maserati and McLaren in the electric single-seater series – as well as long-time participants DS, Mahindra, Nissan, Porsche and Nio – as part of a drive to cement its zero-emission sporting credentials.

aria-label="cupra further strengthens its commitment to electric motorsport as it joins abt to compete in formula e 05 hq"

In the five years since Cupra was hived off as a brand in its own right from parent company Seat, it has already made a name for itself in electric motorsport worldwide. It has competed in both seasons of the off-road Extreme E series, finishing mid-table both times, and claimed victory in the 2021 and 2022 rounds of the ETCR electric touring car championship.

- Advertisement -

Now, it says it is “ready for the next stage of its development” as it signs up to race in the world’s highest-profile electric racing championship.

Cupra says its own brand ambitions line up neatly with those of Formula E, which has been certified net-zero since its inception, in that both aim to reach “individuals that value sustainability and are passionate about racing and performance”.

Cupra’s entry comes as Formula E launches a wide-reaching overhaul of its technical regulations, meaning the cars for 2023 are much more powerful and faster than those that have gone before.

aria-label="cupra further strengthens its commitment to electric motorsport as it joins abt to compete in formula e 06 hq"

The series’ new Gen3 racer features a motor at both ends for a combined 470bhp and is capable of a 200mph-plus top speed. Meanwhile, 600kW regenerative braking is so strong that the cars can go without a rear braking set-up.

Cupra’s car – with a powertrain supplied by Mahindra (which, coincidentally, recently signed a deal to use the Volkswagen Group’s MEB architecture for passenger cars in India) – will be driven by Dutchman Robin Frijns and Switzerland’s Nico Müller.

The brand’s CEO, Wayne Griffiths, said: “Racing is at the core of Cupra’s DNA – and at Cupra we go out to win. It’s the right time to take the next leap forward and join the world’s greatest electric motorsport competition, and I can’t wait to see the Abt Cupra Formula E team competing in the heart of some of the world’s most iconic cities.

“Joining Formula E, a unique motorsport platform, underlines our ambition of becoming a truly global relevant brand, with the aim of inspiring the world from Barcelona.”

The season kicks off in Mexico on 14 January and runs for seven months, finishing with a double-header in east London on 29/30 July.

spot_img

Further Reading

Kia EV9 is DrivingElectric Car of the Year 2024

The game-changing Kia EV9 “alters the electric landscape” according to Automotive Daily partner, DrivingElectric.com