Scandinavian touring car series STCC features Tesla as 1st race car, but won't go electric until 2024

The year 2023 is not an easy one for electric touring car racing: After the promoter's withdrawal from the ETCR, the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship (STCC) has now also announced that it will not hold any races this year. The reason for the cancellation is delays in the production of the cars. Originally, the first season as an electric racing series should have started on 17 June in Helsingborg. Now the series is working towards a start next year, but at least has shown its first vehicle - a Tesla Model 3.

"As the delivery of our new STCC electric cars unfortunately continues to be delayed, we have decided to shift our focus to the 2024 racing season and instead present our new cars in autumn 2023," says Micke Bern, CEO of the STCC. "We can only apologise to everyone involved and our supporters for not being able to run the 2023 season as planned. This is an advanced and ground-breaking project that is unfortunately prone to delivery delays."

"We are working tirelessly towards 2024 and have by no means lost our commitment to this landmark initiative - quite the opposite," Bern continued. "We have a very strong concept with EPWR, but unfortunately we can no longer make up for the delays."

EPWR, technical partner of the series, produces all the STCC vehicles by converting original chassis of the Tesla Model 3, BMW i4, Cupra Born and Volkswagen ID.3 for motorsport. The cars built by the Stockholm-based company have an output of around 400 kW. In addition, all body parts are made of a natural fibre composite. EPWR had already signed up RX2e and Extreme E driver Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky as a development driver in spring 2022.

Delays in the delivery of components for the battery system had forced battery producer STARD to change suppliers. As a result, the batteries could not be completed in time. The start date of the season was postponed several times and finally even had to be set for 2024. STARD has a lot of experience in the development of electric racing cars. Among other things, the Austrian company was involved in the development of Project-E, the first electric prototype for the WRX.

Tesla Model 3: First STCC vehicle presented

Although fans in Scandinavia will have to wait until next year to see the new electric bolides on the race track, they were able to catch a first glimpse of the racing series' electric future last weekend. The STCC publicly exhibited one of the cars for the first time at the race track in Knutstorp in southern Sweden, where according to the old race calendar a run should actually be held.

The car presented was a Tesla Model 3, which will be used by the Brink Motorsport team. In addition to team principal Tobias Brink, the two Swedes Hugo Nerman and Jimmy Eriksson, older brother of ex-Formula E driver Joel Eriksson and German Formula 3 Champion of 2012, will also be competing for the team.

"We are excited to finally start delivering a whole new generation of spectacular and sustainable race cars," says Micke Jansson, CEO of EPWR. "We will be delivering the first cars to the STCC in the coming weeks, who will then pass them on to the teams. Now we are looking forward to the upcoming tests on Swedish race tracks, where we can collect a huge amount of data as part of our ongoing development work for 2024 and beyond."

The STCC has not yet presented a race calendar for 2024. The only thing that is certain is that, in addition to races on classic circuits, two city races will be held in Helsingborg and Gothenburg. Before that, demo runs with the now presented Tesla Model 3 will take place on 22 and 23 September at the Swedish racetrack Mantorp Park.