Opel has become the first manufacturer to develop an all-electric rally car built to the FIA’s new eRally5 regulations with the unveiling of its prototype Mokka GSE Rally.

The German manufacturer has been one of the leading marques in electric rally car production having enjoyed success with its Corsa Rally Electric, which is used in the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup, enjoying its fifth season this year.

Now the car maker has taken the covers off its latest electric rally car prototype, the Mokka GSE Rally which will make its debut at ELE Rally Eindhoven this weekend. 

The car is the first vehicle built to the FIA’s eRally5 regulations devised in 2022 for cars largely based on two-wheel drive production-spec models featuring a stock motor, inverter and battery. 

“For more than four years, Opel and the ADAC have been demonstrating that electric rallying works and excites,” said Opel and Vauxhall CEO Florian Huettl.

“With our new Opel Mokka GSE Rally, we are offering a glimpse of a fully electric next generation rally car thanks to the latest motorsport technology the prototype offers strong performance and power aplenty.”

According to Opel, the Mokka GSE Rally will deliver “performance on a par with a Rally4 car” with the vehicle producing a peak output of 207 kW (280 hp) and torque of 345 Newton metres.

It features a multi-plate limited-slip differential and a racing gearbox, together with reinforced drive shafts and wheel hubs bolted to a lightweight chassis. 

The software tuning for the engine and battery management has been designed for maximum efficiency, driveability under competitive conditions and performance.

To ensure the highest safety standards, the car’s battery is shrouded in a special casing. In the unlikely event of an insulation issue, a visual and acoustic warning system immediately reports a malfunction.

In the event of a sudden deceleration (such as in a collision), a sophisticated sensor system completely shuts down the high-voltage system in a few tenths of a second.

In addition, the Mokka GSE Rally has a special extinguishing system with electrically non-conductive extinguishing agent. Opel believes the Mokka GSE Rally could be ready for competition in 2026.