FIA ETCR

The FIA ETCR - eTouring Car World Cup is an electric touring car series. In 2021, the series was known as Pure ETCR and included cars from three different manufacturers competing in five different locales. ETCR becomes an official FIA series with the 2022 season. 

TCR promoter WSC Ltd unveiled the electric touring car championship alongside the CUPRA 'e-Racer' car ahead of the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Hyundai became the second manufacturer to commit to developing an ETCR car in September 2019, with the 'Veloster N ETCR,' and Romeo Ferraris confirmed in December that they would build an Alfa Romeo Giulia to ETCR specs.

 

The series was renamed 'Pure ETCR' in February 2020, and a calendar of demonstration events for 2020 was released. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, development and testing were pushed back several months, rendering the original plan unworkable. On October 9, Hyundai Motorsport was formally announced as a competitor during Copenhagen's series' official launch ceremony. On November 13, 2020, during the WTCR race at MotorLand Aragón in Spain, a demonstration of the starting gates and the Hyundai Veloster was held. Romeo Ferraris unveiled the Alfa Romeo Giulia ETCR on the same weekend.

 

The cars that participate in the FIA ETCR are the most powerful touring cars ever produced, with electric powertrains developed from ordinary production models. An FIA ETCR car is a four- or five-door production car powered by Magalec Propulsion and Williams Advanced Engineering's common power unit and battery pack. At 12000rpm, the electric motor produces 300kW of continuous power and 500kW of peak output. The car has a single gear and has rear-wheel drive. The battery can charge from 10% to 90% in less than an hour and has a capacity of 65kW at 800v.

 

The ETCR race structure is not like traditional touring car races but rather like rallycross, with multiple rounds of short races and an elimination process leading to a final. Individual races are referred to as 'battles. They begin with an opening gate and last only a few circuits. Each driver has a power increase for attempting to pass and a smaller boost for attempting to retake a spot. Cars return to a central 'energy station' where they are recharged between battles.

 

The FIA ETCR event format is unlike any other. In the Cup Draw, drivers are divided into two Pools of six vehicles, Pool Fast and Pool Furious. There are no energy-saving techniques used; the cars are pushed to their limits to demonstrate high-performance capabilities. Following a qualifying round, cars compete for the best starting position in the Super Final and the title of King or Queen of the Weekend. The drivers complete the FIA ETCR podium by scoring the second and third most points over the weekend. The weekend's King or Queen is the highest-scoring driver from Pool Fast or Pool Furious.