In the summer of 2018, the Electric GT Electric Production Car Series presented the very first Tesla Model S P100D race car to the public in Barcelona. The unique race car was built with a complete bodywork from Bcomp’s ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ flax fibre technologies, contributing to reducing the car’s weight by 500 kg compared to the production model.
Two years later, the Electric GT race series has been temporarily put on hold and its future is open. But what happened to the first EGT Tesla race car that was built?
SPV Racing
SPV Racing was the first race team to buy an EGT Tesla Model S P100D. The team principal and one of the driving forces behind SPV Racing, Lars Lindberg, is a man with a deep passion for motorsports. A passion accompanied by high ambitions to push sustainable technologies in the motorsports and road mobility sectors. These ambitions moved SPV Racing to fully support the Electric GT Championship from the very beginning, and culminated in SPV buying the first EGT Tesla before the series was put on hold.
Optimising Performance
Since 2018 SPV Racing has been busy optimising their Tesla race car to unlock its full potential. Together with their partners they have managed to optimise the cooling systems, playing a key role in the car’s performance. Extensive efforts were also put into the software side of the car, paying off in the form of pure power. Taking full control over the engine and battery systems allows the team to optimise the car for every single race and make full use of its capabilities – and it has plenty to give!
Finally Going Racing
For the 2020 race season the SPV’s Tesla will take to the start of the Portuguese Hill Climbing Series under the livery of CdS Engineering. After recently obtaining the FiA approval – making it the only FiA approved Tesla race car – the Model S P100D with natural fibre bodywork is expected to deliver some great performances in the upcoming hill climb races. Lindberg is utterly pleased with the performance they are getting from the car and enjoys finally seeing it on the racetrack. On the first race of this spring he proudly comments: “This was the first time that any electrical car participated in a normal FiA approved race.” Meanwhile, he is more than busy pushing forward on a lighthouse project for EV technology in motorsports.
Circuito do Sol
In the Alentejo region of southern Portugal interesting things are happening. An old racetrack is about to be transformed into nothing less than a completely sustainable state-of-the-art EV technology hub for the motorsport world. Together with his partners, Lindberg is intent on building a centre for the development and testing of electric racing vehicles. The former racetrack is getting a complete overhaul and will ultimately provide options for three different loops. Beside the track, a brand-new technical facility will be hosting a full engineering department and workshop with state-of-the-art infrastructure, allowing for rapid prototyping and development capabilities. Large parts of the building will be taken up by a R&D centre that strongly focuses on lightweight composite materials and is modelled after Composite Design Sweden AB’s facilities.
The Circuito do Sol project will involve several stages over a long term. Adding trackside Hotels and real estate along with an inland lagoon, a Golf course and eventually even an international school ultimately evolving it into a place where people will live and work, are all part of the plan. The whole project is held together by the holistic approach to sustainability. The aspirations for true sustainability start with a large solar power plant on the side of the racetrack and extend over waste, sewage, and water management all the way to the layout, construction, and materials of the new buildings.
“International race teams will have the opportunity to come here for testing and developing their EV technologies. And they will be able to do this in a truly sustainable environment.”, says Lars Lindberg, Chairman of Circuito do Sol. He adds: “Having a deep passion for motorsports but also for making the world better and liveable, this is our contribution. Basically, we do our best to play a role in the paradigm shift that the automotive industry is currently going through.”
Learn more:
