Ken Block needs no introduction by now. The inventor of Gymkhana has gathered a huge fan base on- and off-line, and for good reason: he’s been sitting behind the wheel in cool rides since forever. Speaking of those, this time around, Mr. Block gets to shakedown the living daylight out of the all-electric Ford Fiesta ERX that he actually raced over the last weekend in FIA’s World Rallycross Project E race series. And as usual, some tire slaying ensued.
I didn’t know an electric rally car even existed!
Well, it’s pretty real. T In other words, three electric motors splashing out 450 kilowatts (603 horsepower) and 1002 Newton-meter (739 pound-feet) of torque sent to all four corners through a pair of two-speed gearboxes – one for each axle.
At the same time, the ERX can reach a top speed of 240 kph (150 mph) and each unit demands €374,000, or around $441,000.
Ford Fiesta ERX specifications
Motor |
three electric |
---|---|
Power |
603 HP |
Torque |
739 LB-FT |
Battery Pack |
450-kWh |
Top Speed |
150 mph |
The video you’re about to see is shot in mid-west Sweden and in typical Ken Block fashion, in includes jumps, drifts, a lot of e-motor whining, and a lot of burned tire. As for the future of motorsport, it’s safe to say that while the next years might bring a mix between ICE-focused and EV-only disciplines, the latter is slowly but steadily trickling down the sport’s branches.
It’s too early to talk about a majority of EV motorsport niches, but given the immense performance potential that can be squeezed out of an all-electric powertrain, we’re expecting more race cars such as the Fiesta ERX to pop up in the coming years.