Iconic Japanese racing outfit and tuning house Mugen has announced it will return to motorsport with an entry into the all-new FIM E-Xplorer World Cup, the latest electric motorcycle based series launching in 2022.
A name prolific in both the two and four-wheel industry with close spiritual ties to Honda, Mugen’s motorsport history has included stints as an engine supplier in Formula 1, Japan’s Super Formula and most recently its dominant efforts in the TT-Zero class at the Isle of Man TT.
For 2022, Mugen - under the M-TEC banner - will compete in the E-Xplorer World Cup, a quirky new series that will combine elements of off-road trials and street circuit racing on electric motorcycles.
Though the exact format and locations are yet to be confirmed, it will feature ten teams and 20 riders - one male and one female within each team - and be competing in heats in a relay-style format, with natural and urban obstacles to include jumps, wallrides, pits, stairs and water.
The series is being dubbed as similar in ethos to the four-wheel Formula E and Extreme E Championships, with a number of key people - including Alejandro Agag - involved in E-Xplorer.
We're delighted that a brand like M-TEC, steeped in motorsport history and success, has taken an option to race as a factory team in the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup," says E-Xplorer S.A CEO Valentin Guyonnet.
"Since we established the series as a way of demonstrating and developing pioneering technology in the two-wheeled mobility sector, we've had a lot of interest from marques and manufacturers all over the world.
“True to form, M-TEC has been particularly fast-moving in declaring its interest in the series and, after its dominance in the Isle of Man TT, E-Xplorer would be a logical next step and a significant new challenge for the Japanese outfit.
“I look forward to having them alongside us as we work towards the inaugural World Cup."
