ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup: How Opel is Radically Rethinking Charging Infrastructure and Electric Rallying

02 Jul 2026

• Greater sustainability: ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup 2026 with numerous innovations
• Greater flexibility: New charging infrastructure enables 'remote charging' between special stages
• Greater range: Self-sufficient system powers rally cars anytime and anywhere
• More action: Mobile charging infrastructure delivers even more racing kilometres
• Premiere: At the Rallye Weiz, the Opel Mokka GSE Rally will tackle every special stage kilometre of a rally for the first time

Rüsselsheim. Thrilling competitions combined with sustainability and a pioneering spirit of innovation makes the all-electric ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup unique in the world of motorsport. The key to ensuring the success of the world's first electric rally one-make cup and turning the battle for points into a heart-pounding experience for fans and everyone involved is an optimal energy supply for the rally cars. Only then can the Opel Mokka GSE Rally cars, which have been in action since the start of the season and deliver up to 207 kW (281 hp), show what they are capable of. Opel is now introducing a groundbreaking new charging concept - mobile, self-sufficient, sustainable and highly flexible.

Since 2021, Opel has been proving that electric rallying works! This applies just as much to the vehicles as it does to the entire infrastructure surrounding the competitions. At the same time, the manufacturer is consistently driving forward further development. As a result, not only the new Mokka GSE Rally, but also - in particular - the charging infrastructure deployed this year are setting new standards. "Our mobile charging infrastructure has proven itself to be powerful, reliable and flexible over the past few years. The next step was to maximise the number of competition kilometres for our participants whilst minimising the logistical effort," said Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott.

Innovative, flexible, self-sufficient, sustainable: The new charging infrastructure

The new system is all about 'remote charging'. Behind this lies a mobile charging solution that can be set up quickly at any suitable location between special stages. To achieve this, the charging points - which were already used in last year's Cup - are transported on articulated lorries to wherever they are needed. The key feature: the articulated lorries themselves are also powered entirely battery-electric, meaning that not only the rally cars but also the charging logistics operate locally emissions-free.

Schall-E's charging stations have an internal storage capacity of 160 kilowatt-hours and deliver up to 250 kW of charging power, which can be split between two connections, each with a capacity of 125 kW. Eight charging cubes per truck can therefore power up to 16 rally cars simultaneously. The charging stations are connected to a 150 kWh buffer storage unit, which is charged via a 63-amp connection at the main charging park and also has a 500 kWh battery storage unit as a reserve. During peak charging periods - that is, when many cars need to charge simultaneously - the electricity from this buffer is channelled to the charging points, maintaining a stable full charging power of 125 kW per socket even under maximum demand. This perfectly fits the needs of the electric rally cars, as the Mokka GSE Rally's standard 400-volt DC architecture is designed for a maximum charging power of 100 to 110 kilowatts.

Within the competition, the charging stations operate entirely self-sufficient. Nevertheless, the charging trucks, with their 450 kWh batteries, can feed additional power into the buffer battery via their own inverter, should this be necessary. All charging processes are fully monitored by software, ensuring that teams and service crews are kept informed of the status of each individual charging cube at all times.

For more rally action: New charging system debut at the Rallye Weiz in Austria

Thus, remote charging makes all the difference, as the rally cars no longer have to return to the 'main station' to recharge, but can top up between special stages, making them much more flexible. This lays the foundation for a genuine first in electric rallying and ensures more action, adrenaline and kilometres driven on electric power: at the third round of the 2026 ADAC Opel GSE Rally Cup, held as part of the Rallye Weiz on July 17 and 18, the speedy electric cars will tackle all eleven special stages for the very first time! A positive side effect: the Mokka GSE Rally cars will therefore also feature in the rally's overall standings, allowing for the first-ever direct comparison with conventionally powered rally cars. "And I'm sure even some experts will be amazed at just how high up the rankings the first electric Mokka will appear," said Jörg Schrott.

The Director of Motorsport at Opel Automobile GmbH underlines the spirit of innovation that has always been at the heart of the project: "The whole team, from both Opel and the ADAC - every single person - is constantly thinking about how to make technology and processes even more effective and efficient - particularly with our customer teams in mind. The new charging infrastructure is the perfect example. Setting up and dismantling the main charging park takes less than a day, all the equipment is transported by electric vehicles, and remote charging allows us to significantly increase the cars' range on the special stages. At the Rallye Weiz, our Mokka GSE Rally cars will, for the first time, be able to cover just as many special stage kilometres as combustion-engine cars. The pioneering work of Opel and the ADAC is thus set to continue, both now and in the future - and, as we saw at the Rallye Vosges Grand-Est, it is already inspiring the first imitators."

Contact:

Colin Yong
+49 (0) 6142-6922084
[email protected]

Matthias Meyer
+49 (0) 6142-7891910
[email protected]

Marcus Lacroix
+49 (0) 172-7404562
[email protected]

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