Skoda debuts RE-X1 Kreisel EV rally car with 354 PS

Skoda Motorsport has unveiled a new fully electric rally car that was developed together with Skoda Austria, Kreisel Electric and Baumschlager Rallye & Racing. Called the RE-X1 Kreisel, it will make its racing debut at the Austrian Rally Championship set to take place in July this year.

If the shape looks familiar, that’s because the project is based on a Fabia Rally2 evo bodyshell, but with a prominent meme on the lower intake (it’s actually the initials of Skoda’s operational partner). Oh, there are also various updates to accommodate an electric powertrain developed by Kreisel to get the car moving. This includes a 52.5-kWh battery pack required the floor to the modified to ensure it sits as low to the ground as possible.

The battery pack operates on an 860-volt electrical architecture and powers an electric motor rated at 354 PS (349 hp) and 600 Nm of torque. By comparison, the standard, petrol-powered rally car uses a 1.6 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 291 PS (287 hp) and 425 Nm. Other changes include suspension revisions to account for the added weight of all the electrical kit.

“The concept car Skoda RE-X1 Kreisel is an exciting combination of traditional and future-orientated technology. We provided our best experience, based on developing already three generations of the rally-going Skoda Fabia,” said Michal Hrabánek, head of Skoda Motorsport.

“The concept car offers all the setup possibilities of the latest generation Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo, but with a fully electric powertrain and I really believe rally fans will find such a combination truly interesting,” he added.

During rallies, the RE-X1 Kreisel will be accompanied by a bespoke Chimero charging station developed by Kreisel Electric, which is capable of delivering up to 200 kW of power to recharge the batteries between stints.

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