This week, the 2025 Bridgestone FIA EcoRally Cup visits China for its tenth event of a packed calendar. The competition officially kicked off at Luogang Park in Hefei, Anhui, marking the start of this world-class new energy vehicle motor sport cup. In a video address at the opening ceremony, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem extended greetings to the organisers, competitors, and all attendees, while emphasising the significance of this event in promoting the development of global new energy motorsport and spreading the concept of sustainable mobility.

The FIA EcoRally Cup is the FIA’s top-tier championship for road-legal new energy vehicles. 2025 season features 14 rounds in total, with China hosting the only round outside Europe. Last year, Anhui province had successfully hosted a candidate event and was officially granted to host the main event this year. The rally track covers five cities—Hefei, Anqing, Chizhou, Huangshan, and Xuanchen. Starting at Luogang Park in Hefei and finishing in Xuancheng, the whole route covers around 800 km.

A total of 100 competitors from China and abroad are competing, including 20 international competitors from Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, France, Poland, and other European countries, along with 80 Chinese competitors made up of professional racers and some notable public figures. All competing vehicles are mass-produced pure electric new energy vehicles, featuring brands such as NIO, Chery, Li Auto, BYD, JAC Motors, Volkswagen, and others.

The event is sanctioned by the FIA and jointly organized by the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China (CAMF), the Anhui Provincial Sports Bureau, Anhui Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Anhui Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, as well as the municipal governments of Heifei, Huangshan, Chizhou, Anqing, and Xuancheng. Looking ahead, the FIA will continue to deepen its cooperation with China in the field of new energy motor sport, facilitating the development of global sustainable mobility and automotive industry innovation.

FIA Road Sport Director, Emilia Abel, commented: “The scale and organisation of this event is truly impressive. The Bridgestone FIA EcoRally Cup is a fantastic advertisement for the development of electric cars, and is also a great way for people to get involved in motor sport using their own everyday road cars.

“At the FIA, we really believe that the solution for a fully-sustainable future will rely on a combination of different technologies, and so we have a wide portfolio of championships and events where these technologies can be developed and showcased. China is certainly a world leader when it comes to EVs, so this is a really important event that brings the international spotlight on the developments being made here.”