FIA launches new Electric Sport Vehicle regulations in “spirit of Group N”

The FIA has announced the creation of a new set of Electric Sport Vehicle regulations, which will be the first set of rules for electric-powered machines created by motorsport’s governing body.

The rules have been designed for use in both national and regional competition, with a focus on producing race cars that are closely derived from their road-going counterparts.

The regulations cover both technology and safety, with ‘performance management also an option depending on competition requirements’.


A key feature of the FIA ESV rules is that a car will be suitable for a range of different racing formats, including circuit racing, with manufacturers able to offer competitors cars that can run ‘out of the box’, with the expectation that customer race departments and individual teams will all be involved in the build of new cars.



The class will be open to both Grand Touring cars and four-door, coupe-shaped sports sedans, with the maximum chassis height set at 1460mm. Bodywork will be largely unchanged aside from minor changes to incorporate larger tyres and additional cooling ducts, although some panels can also be replaced with equivalent, lighter parts.
 


A minimum production volume of 300 units over the first 24-month period from the homologation of the road car will be required, with a minimum power output set at 300kW – around 410bhp.

Cars will be grouped according to certain performance levels, based on a methodology that looks at a variety of factors including weight, aerodynamics and power unit.



“As the governing body of world motor sport, our responsibility is also to ensure that our knowledge and expertise are available to our member clubs as well as local organisers and promoters,” Marek Nawarecki, the FIA Director of circuit sport, said. “Therefore, having a set of technical regulations applicable to different disciplines and formats, as well as to different sporting levels, is key to fulfilling this role.

“The FIA ESV revives the spirit of Group N, where a car purchased at a dealership, fitted with all the necessary safety equipment, was essentially competition-ready and suitable for various disciplines and formats.”