Championship electric go-kart racing is coming to the US this fall, and you can participate
Have you ever dreamt of becoming a professional racer? Maybe not stock cars, but perhaps you’ve smoked little kids at the go-kart track and thought, “Yeah, I could go pro.” Now’s your chance as the World Kart Association and Blue Shock Race are bringing an electric kart racing championship to the US, and racers of all experience levels are invited to join the fun.
Go karting.
It’s a staple of the US family vacation, right up there with mini golf. Many of us grew up dueling in the heated Grand Prix in the MarioKart series, some even dreaming of a day when their skills on Rainbow Road might one day translate to a real-life track race.
For many of us, the closest we’ve gotten is the electric go-kart track, which, while fun, is usually limited by governors, strict rules (rubbing is racing, baby!), and, of course, the dreaded slow kart (it’s definitely the kart, not you).
What if you had the chance to truly test your electric go-kart racing skills at the championship level?
The World Karting Association (WKA), which has been in the micro motorsport segment for over 50 years and has its own hall of fame, has already established such leagues around the globe.
During that time, the WKA established many US-based go-kart racing events, but the past focused on loud combustion vehicles. Now, the WKA has partnered with electric kart technology developer Blue Shock Race to bring electric kart racing championships to the US, and you can join.
American electric kart racing championship to launch in fall
The WKA and Blue Shock Race released details of their new partnership earlier today, outlining plans to establish Sprint racing programs with electric go-karts in the United States.
Plans for the nascent American E-Kart Championship are underway, beginning with exhibition races this fall ahead of full-time Sprint participation in 2025. Blue Shock founder Artis Daugins elaborated:
I want to express huge thanks to everyone involved in the development of electric karting, and I’m proud to announce that this year, together with WKA and other partners, we are launching the American Electric Karting Championship. It’s a significant challenge from various perspectives, but as we all know, in America, big things start here and are achieved by crazy people who are ready to work hard. Therefore, the BSR team is committed to bringing many new drivers into the karting industry in the coming years, providing them with the latest and most advanced racing technologies developed by the BSR team. Together, we can achieve more.
Participating racers will be behind the wheel of all-electric racing go-karts powered by Blue Shock’s BSR-X4 go-kart power units, which deliver the following performance specs:
- Power: Limited to 27 kW (36 hp)
- Battery: 56Ah / 96V Li-Ion (5.3 kWh) with a Quick Swap Battery System (swap in 2 min)
- Top Speed: Up to 125 km/h (78 mph)
- Acceleration: From 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph) in ~4.0 seconds
- Brakes: Rear brakes only
- Weight: ~120 kg (265 lbs) ready to race
When we say “participating racers,” we mean anyone (under 265 lbs). That’s right, now’s your chance to show your stuff in the WKA’s new electric go-kart league. Per the release:
Aspiring racers from diverse backgrounds, including those with no previous karting or motorsport experience, are encouraged to participate. This inclusive competition aims to provide a platform for all competitors to showcase their skills and determination.
Think you’ve got what it takes? We’re already talking about trying to join, so perhaps we’ll see you on the track.
The American Electric Karting Championship will begin with two demo events: Whiteland Raceway Park, Indiana, on October 25-26, and Jacksonville Park, Florida, on November 22-24, where the WKA and Blue Shock Race will showcase the high-performance BSR-X4 karts seen above.
After that, the inaugural championship season will begin at the Daytona International Speedway on December 27-30, 2024, en route to crowning the first-ever BSR American Electric Kart Champion in 2025.
You can learn more about the new championship racing league here. See you out there!
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![Enwin Utilities adds $1 million Terex electric bucket truck to fleet [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/enwin_MAIN.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The Windsor, Ontario utility says it’s driving towards a more sustainable future after adding a dozen new electric vehicles to its fleet – including a state-of-the-art, 55-foot Terex electric bucket truck.
Based on a Class 7 (33,000 lb. GVWR) International eMV Series BEV, the Terex EV takes the eMV’s 291 kWh battery and adds the Terex Optima 55-foot aerial device and HyPower SmartPTO system to create a fully electrified utility service vehicle that can do anything its diesel counterparts can do while offering better, safer working conditions for utility crews.
“We’ve got 12 EVs,” said Gary Rossi, president and CEO, Enwin Utilities. That number represents fully 10% of the utility’s entire vehicle fleet. “Our centerpiece is our electric 55-feet bucket truck. It’s very quiet,” continues Rossi. “So (the truck) allows us, our crews, to communicate better. It’s not as loud in the community when they’re doing repairs in someone’s backyard.”
That notion is echoed by Terex, itself. The company says its HyPower SmartPTO (power take off), which replaces a mechanical PTO, avoids a loud idling engine while reducing workers’ exposure to toxic exhaust fumes.
The utility company says the new electric bucket truck cost it almost $1 million Canadian – but while that might sound like a lot, Rossi says the price is similar to what a similarly-optioned ICE version of the bucket truck would cost.
“It’s all about building Windsor’s future and literally plugging into the battery factory down the road that is being constructed and showing that Windsor is a leader on this front,” says Drew Dilkens, Mayor of Windsor. “I don’t own an internal combustion engine vehicle,” adds Mayor Wilkins. “I only own two electric cars. My wife and I, we made the change starting in 2019 and I can’t see myself ever going back.”
CTV News Windsor
Enwin says its commitment to clean energy extends beyond its vehicle fleet. The company recently unveiled a massive MW solar rooftop net metering facility at its Rhodes Drive headquarters with over 3,000 solar panels. The site, one of Canada’s largest solar installations, generates enough clean electricity to power 300 homes annually.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Terex; Enwin via CTV News Windsor.
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Built by Damen Shipyards and the first fully electric tugboat to be deployed in the Middle East, the new RSD-E Tug 2513 Bu Tinah put in its record-breaking performance took place at Khalifa Port during ADIPEC, the world’s largest energy conference.
The RSD-E Tug 2513 is based on the already efficient hull design of the standard, diesel-powered RSD Tug 2513, but its new, fully electric propulsion arrangement enables it to offer zero emissions operations in situations where oil or fuel leakage would be – let’s say especially bad.
But, while the “clean” aspect of all-electric operation is obvious, its Guinness World Record of performance shows that the Damen RSD-E Tug 2513 is up to whatever task its owners put to it.
“This Guinness World Record achievement demonstrates that the transition to alternative energy does not come at the cost of performance,” explains Maritime & Shipping Cluster, AD Ports Group, Captain Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba. “We are very proud that the first electric tug in the Middle East is also making waves on a global level with this accolade and the fact that in parallel it is improving the sustainability of our operations alongside cost efficiencies in terms of overall fuel saving is extremely important. This vessel is now a key component of our Marine Services fleet and our electrification strategy.”
To earn its record, the the Damen RSD-E Tug 2513 Bu Tinah recorded an average high peak bollard pull of 78.2 tonnes (about 86 ‘Murican tons). The record-setting tugboat can undertake a minimum of two towage operation on a single charge, and can be recharged on a marine DC fast charger in just two hours.
Electrek’s Take
We’ve come a long way since 2021, when a 6MW electric tugboat was pulling about 50 tonnes of bollard weight. A nearly 50% jump in performance without a similar weight or mass gain is a sign of advancing technology – and we are here for it.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Damen.
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