Coffs Harbour is set to host the largest electric vehicle racing event ever held in Australia next month, with more than 100 riders registered to compete in the 2026 AUS PEV Nationals at Coffs Harbour Kart Club from 21 to 23 August.
The event is run by the Electric Sports Racing Association (ESRA), a Western Australian-based non-profit founded in 2021 to promote and grow competitive electric riding across the country. PEV stands for Personal Electric Vehicle, a category that currently covers electric skateboards and electric unicycles.
ESRA chairman Tas Ventouras said this year’s Nationals is the biggest the organisation has ever held.
“What started as small groups of riders organising local race days has evolved into a genuine national community,” said Ventouras. “We’re now seeing riders travelling interstate to compete, manufacturers and industry partners getting behind the sport, and events becoming more professionally organised with structured race formats.”
The 102 registered participants include riders from every mainland state and territory on the east coast, with almost half coming from New South Wales. Three competitors are flying in from the United States. Ventouras said 60 of those registered will compete in race categories, while the rest have signed up for free-riding, a non-competitive format where riders take to the track at their own pace across multiple sessions throughout the weekend.
For anyone unfamiliar with the sport, Ventouras said e-skate racing is unlike anything else in motorsport.
“There is no other motorsport that can compare to e-skate racing,” said Ventouras. “E-skate racing is extremely dependent on rider skill, utilising the entire body to control the board, in comparison to go karting where the racer is seated and mostly dependent on feet and hands only.”
Ventouras said he came to the sport through a lifelong love of board sports and quickly wanted more than casual riding could offer.
“I’ve always been into board sports so electric skateboarding was a natural progression for me,” said Ventouras. “Once I got on one, I was hooked. I was only riding for about 3 to 6 months before I decided I wanted to build a sport and a community behind it.”
Securing a venue on the east coast was not straightforward. Ventouras was candid about the challenges that come with the current legal landscape around personal electric vehicles in Australia.
“With the current laws and skewed perception of PEVs in Australia, it’s quite difficult to obtain access to any tracks in general,” said Ventouras. “It has been quite difficult getting a yes from most tracks over east.”
Coffs Harbour Kart Club ultimately stood out from a short list of willing venues. Ventouras credited the Kart Club’s president for making it happen, and said the location itself sealed the decision.
“Coffs Harbour really stood out to us as the winner,” said Ventouras. “It was our most central option for an east coast event, and given we have people travelling from across the country as well as internationally, Coffs Harbour ticks all the boxes for that coastal town experience that you can really only get in some small pockets of Australia.”
It will be his first visit to the area, and he said he is looking forward to it.
The event is free for spectators, and Ventouras encouraged locals to come down over the weekend.
Racing will include a new Novice category for first-time competitors, along with Challenger and open categories, team relay races, and a spec race where all riders compete on identical equipment. Vendors and manufacturers will also be on site showcasing products, with some opportunities to test gear. Coffs Harbour Kart Club will have its canteen open across the weekend.
Ventouras said the community benefit extends well beyond the track.
“We are bringing over 100 people, their friends and families into town, all staying in local Coffs accommodation, eating at local restaurants, cafes and pubs,” said Ventouras. “When competitors travel from across Australia and share their experiences online, Coffs Harbour is being showcased to thousands of people as a destination capable of hosting national-level sporting events.”
Free-riding registration remains open and free of charge until the event begins. Riders and spectators can find more information at www.esra.org.au/2026nationals.
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