Volkswagen's push for the development of an all-electric rallycross supercar were revealed by EV News in March 2016 with plans for electric cars to be introduced into the World RX structure announced in August of last year, but a source has now indicated that electric cars will take the place of conventional internal combustion engine Supercars in the headline category after next year.
“Electric cars will be the world championship. They absolutely, categorically will be the world championship,” the source told Autosport.
“Fifteen cars are required to begin in 2020. Nine different manufacturers have been engaged in the discussions and negotiations so far, but the ability to buy the required components and build a car has to be open to privateer teams if they want to go that way too.”
It’s understood that the new electric cars will be based on a common carbon monocoque tub and safety structure that will be supplied as part of a chassis kit, expected to also include suspension and braking systems.
The FIA is expected to issue an invite to tender for the chassis kit in the coming weeks, with an additional invite to tender for batteries.
It’s believed that motors won’t be from a single supplier and neither will the composite body shells that will sit on top of the carbon chassis’, allowing for different models of cars to be used.
Competitive development of quad-motor all-wheel-drive torque vectoring electric powertrains could provide the missing link between electric motorsport and road-car technology.
Volkswagen have made clear that its electric Pikes Peak programme is designed as a learning project towards a future factory electric RX entry.
How did Tesla respond to questions over its latest delays in delivery dates for the Model 3 electric car? Why should EV owners and advocates worry about consumer awareness of plug-in electric cars? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending on Friday, February 9, 2018. Friday, we... 
Today, we look at plummeting Prius sales, our monthly roundup of best green-car deals, new Tesla Model 3 delivery delays, and a video preview of the 2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. All this and more on Green Car Reports. The company that makes more electric-car batteries in China than any other, known as CATL, has ambitious plans for expansion into... 
As they say: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. The first Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, launched for 2011, wasn't one of the better examples of the class for drivability. But Hyundai has updated its mid-size hybrid three times since then, with each generation getting markedly better. DON'T MISS: 2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid... 
"Overall, I think, while there were challenges associated with Model 3 ramp, we were in a deeper level of hell than we expected, so a few levels deeper than we'd like to be, but swiftly exiting, I think." Those chastened but seemingly optimistic words came from the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, during a conference call discussing the company's... 
The Toyota Prius hybrid has been its maker's "halo car" and an example of its most advanced technology for two decades. Launched from an early-1990s project to halve the fuel consumption of a small car, its hybrid-electric powertrain pioneered mass electrification of passenger cars. But the sales arc of what has grown to be a family of Prius... 
With gasoline cheap and buyers continuing to shun passenger cars for crossovers and trucks, there are bargains to be had in fuel-efficient and electrified vehicles. This month's deals, courtesy of CarsDirect, includes cheap leases, low financing rates, and money off sticker prices. They cover a variety of vehicle types, with hybrids among the... 
Just a handful of companies today make the bulk of battery cells used in plug-in electric cars worldwide. Now the largest single maker of electric-vehicle cells in China has expanded its focus, from the home market to global markets and specifically the U.S. The name, CATL, may not be familiar to North American electric-car advocates, but the... 
Today, we're at the Chicago auto show media day—meaning today—and we've got news about updated hybrid and plug-in hybrid Hyundai Sonatas, a new diesel Ford, some Lexus pricing, and a look ahead to an all-new electric car in Geneva next month. All this and more on Green Car Reports. A battery-powered version of the Hyundai Kona Electric... 
What the auto industry calls a "mid-cycle refresh" can range from indistinguishable to very evident. The 2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid falls into the latter category, with new front and rear styling, changes to the interior and dashboard, and numerous added safety and connectivity features. The hybrid Sonata follows the updated conventional gasoline... 
Lexus invented the idea of a luxury hybrid utility vehicle in a version of its RX crossover well over a decade ago, but sales haven't been strong of late. Cheap gasoline, better fuel efficiency from all types of vehicles due to rising CAFE rules, and a lack of interest in hybrids have all hurt the latest version of the RX Hybrid. Now it has... 
The last time Ford released a new hybrid or plug-in electric model was for the 2013 model year, and that's a long time ago in electric-car years. Detroit's second-largest automaker continues to work on boosting the fuel-economy ratings of its vehicle lineup, however. The latest example is a new diesel engine option for the 2019 Ford Transit... 
The lack of plug-in electric crossover utility vehicles with all-wheel drive is a growing and obvious gap in the market. And where there's a gap, aggressive South Korean carmaker Hyundai may try to fill it. The company has now issued a teaser photo of the Hyundai Kona Electric small SUV it plans to unveil on February 27 before next month's Geneva... 
Today, we've got poll results on what kind of fast charging would lure mass-market buyers, plug-in electric car sales for Canada, and a call for one or two news writers to work for us. All this and more on Green Car Reports. January sales results for plug-in electric cars in Canada are in, and our author has looked back at the final 2017 figures... 
Are you a published writer with a strong and abiding interest in green cars, especially those that plug in? Do you have experience writing assigned news stories on deadline? Are you looking for a new challenge? If so, Green Car Reports would like to talk to you. The site is now seeking one or two contract writers to produce regular daily news... ![Tesla Model S at Supercharger site in Ventura, CA, with just one slot open [photo: David Noland]](https://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/tesla-model-s-electric-car-road-trip-upstate-new-york-to-southern-california-photo-david-noland_100500011_t.gif)
One of the obvious challenges of even the latest electric cars is that you can't drive them coast-to-coast as quickly as you can gasoline cars. It's far from impossible to do such a trip—especially if you own a Tesla and can use the company's DC fast-charging Supercharger network—but it will take longer. Even under optimal... 
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV helped the Canadian plug-in electric vehicle market to its first 1,000-unit January last month. The company sold 174 of its plug-in hybrid SUV in its first full month on sale, representing about 30 percent of overall Outlander sales. If that ratio holds, the Outlander PHEV could become Canada’s second...