Here is Skoda’s new Fabia, and it’s an electric rally car

Skoda has teamed up with Austrian company Kreisel Electric to turn a Fabia Rally2 evo into a cross-country-capable prototype named the RE-X1 Kreisel.

Based on the third generation of the Fabia hatchback, the car comes equipped with dual electric motors installed one per axle for 348 PS (343 hp / 256 kW) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque. There is no mechanical link between them, so the engineering team had to develop a special software solution to ensure their synchronous operation and optimum cornering performance.

The suspension, shocks, wheel hubs and brakes are stock Rally2 evo fare, but the chassis benefits from several reinforcements introduced to compensate for an extra 100 kg (220 lbs) of weight. Out of the total 1,330 kg (2,932 lbs), the bottom-mounted traction battery alone weighs 330 kg (727 lbs). Charging is possible with powers up to 200 kW, and plugging in to a terminal like this replenishes 80% of the charge within 15 minutes. The driving range is limited to 35 kilometers when driven on track at full tilt.

The RE-X1 Kreisel is the third electric car to enter the Rallye Weiz racing series in Austria. Skoda proudly points out that it is also the first EV to have run the entire Rallye Weiz course over 514 km (319 miles) long without encountering any technical issues. Other participants struggled on at least one out of the 14 total special sections of the track.