FIA Publish Technical Regs For Forthcoming Electric GT Category

The FIA has announced new technical regulations for electric-powered GT cars, designed to run at a similar race pace as current GT3 cars but with more rapid acceleration and a faster qualifying pace.

The regulations have been developed in conjunction with manufacturers and allow both specialists in electric vehicle construction without previous combustion engine motorsport experience and manufacturers already committed to the GT3 class, who will be able to utilise the architecture and certain design elements of their existing cars and convert them to electric power.

The new class of cars is intended to serve manufacturers as a platform to develop technology relevant to their current and future high-performance road cars.

All of the manufacturers will have the freedom of choosing their own powertrain set-ups, comprised of either two or four electric motors, with both two- and four-wheel-drive configurations allowed.

The cars will also feature dynamic vehicle control that will automatically adjust the torque of each wheel independently based on speed, acceleration, traction and steering angle, thus ensuring that the cars will have advanced handling characteristics.

Depending on the base model, the minimum weight of the cars will vary from 1490 to 1530kg, with maximum power reaching 430kW (570+hp).

The intention is that cars built to these regulations will compete at full-length permanent circuits.

The new class will be the first in electric-powered motorsport not to rely on standardised batteries. and will accommodate cars of vastly different architectures with different spaces available to install key components (not unlike GT3!)

Standard battery cells, but permitting bespoke battery layouts 

Through a partnership with Saft, a subsidiary of Total, the entity already working on the battery packs for the forthcoming Peugeot Sport LMH prototype racer, the category will allow the manufacturers to build their own bespoke battery layouts based on Saft-supplied cells.

Saft has developed bespoke lithium-ion pouch cells optimised for the needs of the new class allowing for 700kW peak regen and 700kW fast recharging that will enable them to replenish to 60% of their capacity within a few minutes during a mid-race pit stop.

The charging network will be developed to meet the fast charging requirements and depending on the venue, will include elements of permanent and temporary infrastructure.

The promoter of a new world-level competition featuring electric-powered GT cars will be announced in due course.

Jean Todt, FIA President, said: “The FIA’s vision is to make motor sport a laboratory for sustainable mobility. The announcement of this new electric-powered GT car category is a key milestone serving this goal as it will pave the way for new battery and fast-charging technologies. A perfect illustration of our race-to-road approach.”

Leena Gade, FIA GT Commission President, said: “The market for high-performance electric road supercars is on a constant rise, hence a platform to allow manufacturers to develop and showcase their technology was much needed. Creating these technical regulations has been a key project for the FIA GT Commission over the last eighteen months. We’ve held regular discussions with GT manufacturers through our Technical Working Groups and there’s keen interest in this new category. It also widens the FIA’s GT portfolio, coexisting alongside with GT3 which will remain the focus of the customer racing market worldwide for the time being.”

Xavier Mestelan Pinon, FIA Technical Director, said: “The role of electric propulsion in automotive industry is ever-increasing, as we want motor sport to be relevant to our industry, more and more competitions are going in this direction. The main technical challenges are battery development, battery integration in the cars and fast charging technology. This is crucial to the manufacturers who want to develop road-relevant technology rather than relying on standard components. Also, being able to utilise and adapt GT3 platform ensures that costs are under control.”

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