IRISH DRIVER RAFTERY MAKES HISTORY AND NOW RETURNS FOR FOURTH ROUND OF ADAC OPEL ELECTRIC RALLY CUP

Pictured from left to right are Aoife Raftery and Hannah McKillop at the opening round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2025. Galway’s Aoife Raftery made Irish rally history in April, becoming the first Irish competitor, male or female, to drive an electric rally car in competition, alongside co-driver Hannah McKillop.

Craughwell rally driver, Aoife Raftery, contested the opening round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2025 at the ADAC Actronics Rallye Sulingen in Germany back in April, making Irish rally history and becoming the first Irish competitor, male or female, to drive an electric rally car in competition. Supported by Opel Ireland, Aoife is now set to compete for a second time at the fourth round of the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2025 competition, at the ADAC Saarland-Palatinate Rally in Germany on August 15 and 16.

The ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup is a one-make rally series that is jointly organised by the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC) and Opel. It was the world's first electric rally brand cup, focusing on promoting sustainable motorsport, showcasing electric vehicle technology, and fostering young rally talent.

Since its 2021 maiden season, the Corsa Rally Electric model has proven to be a fast, reliable and safe electric rally car. The near-production technology of the 100 kW (136 hp) electric car, which impresses with a torque of 260 Newton metres, is ideally suited to the rigours of everyday rallying. Interest in the rally cup has grown year on year. By 2025, a total of 63 drivers from 13 nations have taken part in one of the 33 Cup races in six countries.

A frontrunner in the Junior FIA European Rally Championship the opening round in April was her first time competing in both an electric car and in a German rally. Raftery and regular co-driver Hannah McKillop adapted quickly to the Opel Corsa Rally Electric and finished an impressive eighth overall. Now with the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2025 ‘powered by GSE’ at the halfway point in its fifth season, Aoife is competing to further garner valuable experience.

Pictured: Aoife Raftery in an Opel Corsa Rally Electric. The ADAC Actronics Rallye Sulingen in Germany gave Aoife Raftery her first experience in an electric rally, in April. The near-production technology of the Corsa Rally Electric 100 kW (136 hp), with a torque of 260 Newton metres, is ideally suited to the rigours of everyday rallying.

“It was not only our first rally in the Cup, but also our first rally in Germany. There was a lot to learn,” admitted Raftery. “I was really satisfied by the good performance of the Corsa Rally Electric, especially the high grip level that the car offers. It's important to take the speed with you and let the car run. We will benefit from that new-found experience in the next round and indeed in other rallies. We felt very comfortable in the Cup during the opening round. Everything is well organised, all crews have the same material, so everything is fair. It was a great experience. I’m really looking forward to competing for a second time in the 2025 cup.”

The ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup was the world’s first electric rally brand cup, focusing on promoting sustainable motorsport, showcasing electric vehicle technology, and fostering young rally talent.

Now with the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup 2025 ‘powered by GSE’ at the halfway point in its fifth season, Aoife is competing in the fourth round, to further garner valuable experience. The ADAC Saarland-Palatinate Rally takes place on roads made famous by ADAC Rallye Deutschland, Germany’s round of the World Rally Championship between 2002 and 2019. The event will mark Aoife’s first taste of former World Rally Championship stages on asphalt.

The ADAC Saarland-Palatinate Rally round starts on Friday (August 15) from 16:25 CEST with four special stages. The following day, the electric cars will start at 9:45 CEST and face six stages, and the finish in Sankt Wendel will be reached at 6:35 CEST. Rally fans who cannot attend in person can also follow the electric action on www.adac.de/motorsport via live timing. Viewers can expect a special premiere. For the first time, the new battery-electric Opel Mokka GSE Rally will race over the special stages. Opel racing legend Volker Strycek and co-driver Conny Nemenich will show the local fans what the first rally car developed according to FIA eRally5 regulations is capable of with its 207 kW (280 hp) and 345 Newton meters of torque.