Opel has begun testing a rally variant of the new Corsa-e electric hatchback

MANILA: Opel is testing an all-electric rally car based on the production Corsa-e / Vauxhall Corsa-e which will be used in the all-new ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup. Currently, the first two Opel Corsa-e Rally vehicles in development are undergoing durability testing at the Dudenhofen Test Centre in Germany, as the company wants it to be retail ready as soon as possible.

According to Opel Motorsport director, Jörg Schrott, the testing of the two vehicles have two objectives: one is to gather as much data as possible through calculations and simulations, then gradually replace the data with real once. The other is focused on maintaining battery health under real-life conditions as well as adapting the software that comes with it.

He said, “With a brand cup car, it is important that the performance remains constant and accessible under all conditions. The equipment should guarantee equal opportunity for all participants.” Schrott further adds, “We also decided that the Corsa-e Rally should match and exceed the high standards of its petrol-engine predecessor, the Opel ADAM Cup. We are on the right road here too. Now we need to find the most balanced chassis setup, so in January we will start simulating some real rally stages.”

The Opel Corsa-e Rally version has the same battery as the car from the production line. It has a 50kWh lithium-ion battery able to deliver 136 Hp of power and 260 Nm of torque capable of providing a maximum of 337 km range. For the range to be fully optimized for rallying, it is offered in three driving modes:

• the ‘competition mode’, which offers full power and maximum torque
• the ‘rain mode’ for more torque, adapted to slippery grounds like
• when there is precipitation
  the ‘eco mode’ is the energy-saving option for relaxed driving

The race-ready Corsa-e is fitted with rally-spec suspension, is slightly wider at 1,770 mm (5.0 mm wider than production), and has a higher body at 1,440 mm (5.0 mm higher than production) with a 2,540 mm wheelbase—that’s 2mm-longer than the production model.

Other technical specs of the Rally variants has not been revealed as it is still undergoing testing. But for benchmarking purposes, the production version of the Corsa-e is capable of going from zero to 50 km in just 2.8 seconds and zero to 100 in 8.1 seconds. So expect the Rally variant to give better performance.

In terms of design, the Corsa-e Rally looks almost the same as its production counterpart. The only deviation would be the FIA-mandated towing straps, lightweight performance alloy wheels, and a bold decal package to differentiate the Rally version from the rest.

The Corsa-e Rally is set to compete in next year’s ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup—a one-make electric race series that will showcase 15 young up and coming rally drivers.

Once the development is complete, Opel will use the data to build a reference car and start working on a limited number of units—20 to be exact, for the 2020/21 season beginning December 15, 2020.

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