A Tesla-Only Race Series is Actually Happening

Thanks to its, well, ludicrous acceleration, the Tesla Model S P100D has seen plenty of success on the drag strip. It’s also the quickest car we’ve ever tested, and it will probably at least hold that title until we can officially test the Dodge Challenger Demon. But soon, you’ll also be able to watch the Model S race on a legitimate racing circuit, complete with straightaways, turns, and elevation changes.

Electric GT Holdings, Inc. announced today that the FIA, motorsports’ international governing body, has officially sanctioned an all-Tesla racing series called the Electric Production Car Series. Once it launches later this year, up to 20 competitors will drive race-prepped Model S P100Ds through three qualifying rounds, a 37-mile (60 km) day race, with a second race that evening over the same distance. At tracks that can accommodate drifting, Electric GT says the top two finishers and two fan-voted favorites will compete in a head-to-head drifting challenge to earn extra points.

The cars are said to be 1,100 pounds lighter than stock and will be tuned to make 778 hp and 734 lb-ft of torque, allowing them to hit 60 mph in a claimed 2.1 seconds. Along with the necessary safety equipment and an improved aero kit, they’ll also get custom Pirelli tires, Alcon brakes, a racing suspension, and custom composite body panels.

One detail that Electric GT doesn’t mention, however, is what it’s done to improve battery cooling. It says the cars have more than 50 miles of range when driven at racing speed, but our own experience driving the Model S on a track didn’t go so well. We let the Model S P100D participate in our latest installment of the World’s Greatest Drag Race, but during Best Driver’s Car testing, it couldn’t even complete an entire lap of Laguna Seca without going into limp mode. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen in the middle of an actual race.

At the moment, there’s no telling how exciting it will be to watch Teslas race each other, especially considering the short, range-limited format. But with several long-range electric vehicles going on sale in the next few years, if EPCS were to add a few of those to the competition, it could get a lot more interesting. Perhaps Jaguar would be interested in entering its upcoming electric i-Pace race car?

Source: Electric GT

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