Skoda’s all-electric racing car concept, the Enyaq RS Race, is a motorsport project that supports sustainability and the development of innovative technologies, and serves as a pilot project for future models.
A highlight of the concept is its use of biocomposite parts which provide the same rigidity and weight advantages as carbon fiber, and contribute to an overall weight reduction of 316kg compared to the standard Škoda Enyaq Coupe RS.
The project, which started development in 2023, showcases Škoda’s activities in the field of electrified motorsport. Based on the Škoda Enyaq Coupe RS, the concept uses the same electric powertrain, but it is 70mm lower, 72mm wider at the front, and 116mm wider at the rear.
Extensive use of biocomposite parts, incorporating flax fibers in both the body and interior, helps reduce the weight. The concept also benefits from numerous visual and technical modifications, including the wider, lowered chassis a well as redesigned fenders and modified shock absorbers and springs.
Other highlights include a bespoke high-performance braking system, racing seats and a roll cage. Styling bits include darkened front headlights and a single elongated LED strip connecting the two headlights.
Johannes Neft, Škoda Auto board member for technical development, said, “In terms of sustainable solutions, the new concept car also serves as a pilot project for future innovations in series production. The biocomposite parts have led to a significant weight reduction, and we are trialling them in motorsport, including in the current Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, with a view to future implementation.”
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To further reduce the weight, engineers incorporated side and rear windows made of lightweight polycarbonate along with the wide range of biocomposite parts, developed in collaboration with Škoda’s motorsport partner Bcomp. The lightweight materials are also carried on to the interior, such as the dashboard, door panels and footrests for the driver and passenger. The standard model’s panoramic glass roof has also been replaced with a biocomposite part.
A total of 16 vehicle components are made from sustainable materials. One such material is AmpliTex, a technical reinforcement fabric made from renewable flax fibers grown in Europe. The car also uses Bcomp’s PowerRib technology, which uses extremely lightweight, high-performance natural fibres also made from flax. This material offers comparable rigidity and weight advantages to carbon fiber while reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 85%.
The Enyaq RS Race features a roll cage made of high-strength chrome-molybdenum steel, as well as other safety elements derived from the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. These include Atech racing seats with six-point seatbelts, safety door filling and an automatic fire extinguisher. Special protective skids on the underside of the vehicle prevent excessive wear to the chassis components and protect the battery.
The concept’s aerodynamics package features a large rear wing, an aerodynamically optimized roof, an NACA air intake channeling air into the interior, small winglets at the rear, redesigned air intake for the cooling system, redesigned fenders with two additional air curtains at the front, wider fenders, and aerodynamically optimized wheels and fenders.
The braking setup comprises carbon-ceramic brake discs, 10-piston calipers at the front, four-piston calipers at the rear, a rally-type hydraulic handbrake and a new brake cooling system. The wheels are 20in with low-profile tires. The powertrain delivers a combined output of 250kW, with the 82kWh battery – identical to the production model. Similarly, top- speed is 112mph (180km/h), but the lighter Enyaq RS Race can accelerate from 0-62 mph in under five seconds.
The cabin takes inspiration from Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 with a racing steering wheel and a modified infotainment system. The Enyaq RS Race is fitted with linear steering, with adjustable steering weight controlled via software, and the drive ratio has been optimized for racing performance. The sound system has also been updated and now sports a Havas premium sound system that incorporates a digital sound amplifier.
