MXGP, the Motocross World Championship, will gain a new electric support class in 2026: MXEP.
MXEP is set to race at “five or six” venues in Europe in 2026, all as a support class to the MXGP and MX2 Grand Prix classes.
The new series has been billed as an “Electric World Championship” by MXGP promoters Infront Moto Racing, but whether it would be given full FIM World Championship status initially is currently unconfirmed. In MotoGP, the electric MotoE series began as an FIM World Cup, and was upgraded to World Championship status last year, which coincided with the series’ move to Ducati V21L machinery that had been designed and engineered specifically for MotoE, instead of the production-derived Energica Ego bikes that the championship had used until the end of 2022.
On the announcement of MXEP, Infront Moto Racing CEO David Luongo said: “We saw in the last few months and years that there have been many developments into the electrification of bikes, so I think that it’s a good moment to put down the base of a new support class that will be fully dedicated to electric bikes.
David Luongo. Credit: MXGP.
“We don’t want to mix things with ICE bikes, but to create a path for this technology to develop and continue to grow, and we will see how it develops. In the last few months, many things have started without clear guidance on where it will go. I think that as the best and most modern platform for Motocross in the world, that MXGP should also embrace this new technology.
“So we want to announce that in 2026 we want to create a new support race, in collaboration with the FIM and with the manufacturers, for a fully dedicated Electric World Championship that will be held alongside MXGP.
“We aim to run five or six races in Europe for this, so we have two years to work with the FIM and the manufacturers on the rules for the bikes and to define exactly what it shall be. It will help to complete the package of an MXGP weekend, and also help the manufacturers with a very professional platform to help develop these products which are already on the market to complete the portfolio for a manufacturer.”
It is not clear which manufacturers would take part in MXEP at this stage. Stark Future is the most prominent manufacturer in the electric dirt bike segment, but it has voiced its opposition to a separate electric series as recently as 13 March. Stark would rather be allowed to race the MXGP series itself, and go head-to-head with established internal combustion bikes. It did so with success in the 2024 Arenacross UK series, a championship it won with Jack Brunell.
Speaking on the prospect of a separate electric series in MXGP, but before MXEP was officially announced, Stark CEO Anton Wass said: “I firmly believe that segregating electric bikes into a separate class undermines the essence of true competition in motocross. Our mission is to break barriers and showcase the potential of electric technology on equal footing with internal combustion engines, Motocross thrives on innovation and pushing boundaries, and segregation only hinders our collective progress towards a more inclusive and dynamic sport.
“World Trials have done a great job on including Electric with combustion and have shown that when the platform is competitive it has its place amongst combustion counterparts.”
The only major manufacturer that has an electric motocross bike in-competition is Honda, whose CR Electric Proto raced at the final round of last year’s All-Japan Motocross Championship, and is competing in this year’s FIM E-Xplorer series.
Find all the latest motorcycle news on Visordown.
