Opel Unveils Prototype of Electric Rally Car Meeting FIA eRally5 Specifications
Opel has developed a prototype for its first electric rally car, the Mokka GSE Rally, designed to meet the FIA’s recently introduced eRally5 regulation. The car is set to make its public debut at this week’s ELE Rally Eindhoven, although not in a competitive context. This move follows the FIA’s ratification of technical regulations in 2022 allowing all-electric vehicles to be homologated at the bottom of the current rallying pyramid.
The Mokka GSE Rally represents Opel’s vision for the next step in electric rallying, succeeding its Corsa-e model used in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup. The new prototype boasts more than double the power of the first-generation Corsa-e, with 280bhp compared to 130bhp. Opel claims the Mokka GSE Rally will offer performance on par with a Rally4 car, thanks to improvements in engine software tuning and battery management.
While a specific homologation date for the Mokka GSE has not been confirmed, Opel hints that it could be used in multiple customer sport competitions worldwide from the 2026 rally season. The car features several safety enhancements, including a fully encased battery with underbody chassis protection and a visual and acoustic warning system in case of malfunction. The high-voltage system is designed to automatically disable within tenths of a second in the event of a rapid deceleration due to an accident.
This development comes after Opel introduced new charging infrastructure for its all-electric series earlier this month, capable of restoring 80% of charge in its Corsa-e rally cars in under half an hour using a low-voltage supply.
