The electric eSkootr Championship (eSC), set to hold its first races in 2022, is positioning itself as a cost-effective form of motorsport with a strong sustainability agenda. For its opening season, eSC says it decided to make the sport more accessible by introducing a standardized race vehicle for all competitors, to be built by Italian composite specialist YCOM.
The series says that some development and prototyping progress had been made before YCOM was signed up as a partner, but the design was far from finalized. Following discussions about the eSkootr’s requirements and a thorough evaluation of the early prototype’s performance, YCOM entered into a collaborative partnership with eSC to complete the development and production of the S1-X race skooter.
Running to a tight development deadline, YCOM had just three and a half months to develop the prototype and then an additional month and a half to produce 10 race-ready versions. If the program had been delayed, the eSC’s first testing sessions and races would not have been possible.
YCOM states that it was able to accelerate the S1-X’s development, taking the initial prototype to a production-ready design and ensuring that it was delivered in time for the first official eSC tests and races.
The machine uses a pair of 6kW electric motors in combination with a 1.5kWh battery supplied by Williams Advanced Engineering. The S1-X’s carbon-fiber chassis is clad with bio-composite bodywork and features adjustable front and rear suspension elements. The total weight is 35kg. To enhance high-speed stability, a torque delivery system balances output between the front and rear wheels. A temporary boost function is also available to riders during races.
The first 10 scooters have been delivered, following a 20-day testing program, and a further 20 are set to be produced before the season begins. According to the company, no major hardware or software issues were found during testing.
In a collective test with 16 different riders, the S1-X was initially limited to 40% power, rising to 70% by the end of the event. Even at this output, many riders were fatigued by the physical demands of riding the machines and lean angles of up to 55°. With improved physical conditioning and additional practice in October testing, the series hopes that the riders will be able to use 100% power as well as the additional 20% temporary boost function in the first race.
Hrag Sarkissian, eSkootr Championship co-founder and CEO, remarked, “YCOM’s ability to translate its team’s knowledge, expertise and experience from other fast-paced motorsport development projects to a completely novel electric micromobility race vehicle highlights just how quickly they can adapt while maintaining an exceptional standard of engineering and production quality. They had very little time to make the S1-X project a reality, and they achieved it while keeping us updated every step of the way.
