bird story agency

Africa is boldly asserting itself as a formidable contender in the realm of electric motorsports, presenting itself as a potential electric motorsports hub while accelerating fanbase traction.

Following on the heels of the successful 2023 Cape Town E-Prix in February, two South Africans have become integral members of the trio that announced the birth of the Elite World Cup for HyperCars – a trailblazing all-electric car racing championship scheduled for its inaugural spectacle in 2024.

Founders Liu Yu of China and South Africa's Tokyo Sexwale and Stephen Watson launched the unique competition in during the BRICS meeting in South Africa, marking a significant evolution in the motorsport world.

According to the founders, the competition will be an international showdown of premium performance, elite talent and innovation.

“The Elite World Cup is not just a racing competition,” said Sexwale, a prominent South African businessman and former government minister, “It is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation and sustainability.”

The super competition aims to see global figures in the world of motorsports brushing shoulders - and wheels - to prove their racing prowess on tracks around the world, including in Africa.

According to Stephen Watson, a South African motorsport professional, car drivers from F1, Indy Car, NASCAR and WRC will be featured.

"We want the drivers and teams who have established themselves and represented their countries in various prestigious motorsport championships around the world,” Watson explained in a statement.

Between September 2024 and March 2025, the Elite World Cup will unfold during the traditional racing calendar off-season.

A model race car in the form of the Lotus Evija, a Chinese high-power electric "hypercar", was also unveiled during the event.

Boasting a staggering 2000+ bhp (brake horsepower) and an acceleration that propels it from 0 to 300 km/h in just over 9 seconds, the e-car exemplifies the exhilarating action that awaits.

The worldwide surge in e-vehicle electrification is poised to strongly impact motorsports on a global scale, with electric races a major future trend. 

Global Market Insights valued the global electric power sports market at US$ 150 million in 2021 with projections it will grow to US$800 million by 2030.

Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, the governing body of motor sports globally, seeks to ensure all its championships can run with clean energies by 2026.

Despite its youthful motorsport sector, Africa is actively positioning itself to be a key contender in the future of this industry.

Cape Town's event in Formula E - officially known as the ABB FIA Formula E Championship - was hugely successful for the   world's first fully electric street racing series, proving the viability of e-car races in Africa.

This comes as more African countries show interest in growing and hosting major motorsports events.

The island of Zanzibar, for example, has been making a bold case for itself, seeking to secure rights to host Formula 1.

From undertaking a high-end infrastructural overhaul and being undeterred by the hefty US$ 500 million investment required, Zanzibar is seeks an opportunity that has in the past been enjoyed only by one African nation - South Africa, in 1992 and 1993.

From Uganda's Pearl of Africa rally, the third round of the Africa Rally Championship to Kenya's WRC Safari Rally, motorsport events are sparking widespread interest in motorsport across the continent. That, together with the continent's ambitions to grow its electric vehicle manufacturing industry, augurs well for wide support for electric car racing.

bird story agency