- Final change for iconic racing championship
- Comes after V6s were allowed in and the rivalry between Ford and Holden ended
- Racing fans torn by the latest development
The roar of the vehicles in the Supercars Championship will be softened by the hum of an electric motor in 2024 with the first EV safety car to be used in the iconic Aussie racing series.
Porsche is set to replace Ford as supplier of safety vehicles for Supercars racing, with the powerful Taycan EV set to hit Australian circuits this season.
Speed cafe has reported that testing is already underway to ensure the Porsche EV has the range to complete all races.
The range of the Taycan model ranges from 444 km to 505 km, depending on the model and battery specifications.
And the Taycan Turbo S has already been used as a safety car at endurance events, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
It would mark a huge change for the Supercars Championship, which allowed non-V8 engines in 2016 and was forced to abandon the Ford-Holden rivalry at the end of the 2022 championship.
The Porsche Taycan electric vehicle (pictured) is reportedly being tested for use as a safety car for the Supercars Championship in Australia
Porsche’s electric vehicle already has power and speed specifications that rival most supercars in the championship, even though it is not designed for racing
The Porsche safety car has already been used in many international races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe
The Taycan Turbo S has been used as a safety car in the all-electric Formula E competition since 2022.
While an electric vehicle potentially competing in the Supercars championship may still be a long way off, the potential addition of the electric safety car has many fans excited.
Many were quick to dismiss the idea of electric cars in motorsport.
“Don’t you just love the sound of batteries charging over the rumble of V8s?” one fan posted sarcastically.
“How can you even consider car racing without the engine revving and singing? Electric will never be popular,” another added.
‘I believe electric cars are great as family transport and I really think there are good reasons to switch mass car transport to electric. But I saw some EV racing in Hong Kong and it was terrible. I wouldn’t bother with it,” wrote another.
The BMW i8 is another example of an electric vehicle that has been used as a safety car in international races
However, many were excited about what could become possible given the power of some of today’s leading electric vehicles.
For example, the Taycan Turbo S has a power of 460 kW and can reach top speeds of 260 km/h, which is close to the Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro. Shane Van Gisbergen won the Supercars championship with a power of 477 kW and a top speed of 300 km. /H.
Porsche’s safety car is already more powerful than many cars in the field, including the Gen3 Ford Mustang driven by Will Davison in 2023, which has an output of 447 kW.
“It’s not often that the safety car achieves better performance figures than the race cars that follow it,” said one racing fan.
“LOL, the safety car is faster than the real ‘Supercars’,” another joked.
‘I don’t like electric cars. But this, this is something,” another posted about the Porsche.
While for many, no matter how fast electric vehicles become, nothing can take away the roar of the classic engines in iconic races like Bathurst.
“How can you get excited when you’re driving a quiet car and all you hear is the sound of the tires?” asked a racing fan.
“Beautiful car, but without the sound it will never feel like a real Porsche,” wrote another.