CUPRA Racing Director Jaime Puig says he wants to see the brand’s new E-Racer TCR car racing before the end of 2018, as further steps are taken towards the inaugural electric touring car series in 2019.
The announcement of the first-ever electric touring car series was made back in March, with TCR promoter WSC Ltd behind the plans and SEAT sub-brand CUPRA being the first involved manufacturer.
CUPRA have been continuing their test and development of the new car in the meantime, and Racing Director Jaime Puig says he hopes to see the car compete before the end of the year, possibly in TCR Europe or WTCR.
“The goal is racing in the future e-TCR series starting at the end of 2019,” said Puig. “The first objective is to compete in a race this year. We will do it if we are well prepared and we will compete face to face with the rest of those involved in the TCR series, of course out of competition.”
Puig is hoping for other brands to get involved in the concept, so that the inaugural series can get underway in late 2019.
“The objective is to compete in an exclusive series of electric cars to which more brands will arrive, with which they are already in conversations.”
Talking about the e-Racer concept, Puig says that the intention was to create a car with higher performance specifications than the existing petrol-powered TCR cars. The car is reportedly capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds.
“With the CUPRA e-RACER the objective was to have an electric car built to TCR specifications with the same or better features than one with a petrol engine.
“It was presented in Geneva but we are already working on track; we have started with the tests and we will do more.
“Everything electric is a new challenge, fun and huge by the amount of information that must be managed and put in order.
“The figures are compelling. We have 600 bhp, 680 bhp peak and 480 continuous, with a base weight of 1,585 kilos, although we have to lower the weight a little, at least 20 kilos.
“The cooling system is already defined and operative, which has three different circuits, one for each element: batteries, engines and inverters. Each one with its operating temperature, and we have to see how much it can take at full capacity.”
CUPRA have carried out recent battery testing in Croatia and driveability testing in Spain. The car will be on show during the TCR Europe finale in Barcelona in October.