Ellis Spiezia

Ellis Spiezia is an American racing driver who competes primarily in electric motorsport categories. He has raced in series including the Elektro-Kart Meisterschaft, Rotax Project E20 Euro Trophy, ERA Championship, Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup, NXT Gen Cup, Nitrocross and the FIA RX2e European Championship, achieving podium results and a vice-champion finish in Rotax Project E20. He has been recognised for his sustainability-focused approach to motorsport, including a nomination for the BBC Green Sport Awards Young Athlete of the Year in 2022 and winning the EVIE Awards EV Under 30 Star category in 2024.

Early life and education While living in New Jersey, Spiezia trained at local indoor karting facilities and participated in sim racing, which contributed to his early motorsport development. At age 16, he was described as a "talent at the service of the ERA Championship series" following his transition from karting into electric-racing formats.

In June 2020, Spiezia left mainstream schooling and adopted a self-directed learning approach, which allowed him to allocate additional time to his racing development and focus on electric-motorsport pathways.

Career Spiezia began his racing career at indoor karting facilities, first at RPM Raceway in Jersey City, New Jersey, and later at Autobahn Palisades. In 2019, he competed in an adult league at Autobahn Palisades, winning the championship and earning a place at the American E-Kart Championship (AEKC), a national indoor karting series.

Spiezia participated in several Lucas Oil Race School events, including the 2019 Scholarship Shootout. In September 2019, he attended the Play & Drive inaugural electric karting event in Aragon, Spain driving prototype electric racing karts.

Spiezia returned to Europe in 2021, continuing in the DEKM and racing in the Rotax Project E20 Euro Trophy, where he finished second overall and claimed his first competitive karting victory in Mülsen, Germany. He also test-drove the ERA Championship car, promoted as the world’s first electric junior formula car Later in 2021, he competed in the Yacademy F4 Winter Series in the United States, finishing fifth overall. He also participated in the Yacademy F4 Winter Series in the US in December 2021, where he finished fifth overall.

In 2023, Spiezia joined the inaugural NXT Gen Cup as the series’s first international driver, competing in the all-electric LRT NXT1 touring car. He scored multiple race wins, including at the Falkenberg world premiere, and finished third in the drivers’ championship.

In March 2024, Spiezia made his rallycross debut in the Nitrocross NEXT class at the season finale. Later that year, Spiezia was the first driver confirmed for the fourth season of the FIA RX2e Championship, making his rallycross debut with ZEROID Motorsport at Essay, France, in June. He raced for ZEROID Motorsport, part of QEV Technologies.

In 2024, Spiezia was announced as Team Principal of Ellysium Racing in the eSkootr Championship, leading the Electric Renegades squad. The role marked his first move into team management alongside his driving career, with eSC highlighting his background in electric karting, development driving and Nitrocross as preparation for the position.

Career summary Season Series Team Position 2019 American E-Kart Championship Autobahn Palisades 12th 2019 Play & Drive Electric Karting Event (Aragon) Play & Drive 5th 2020 Deutsche Elektro-Kart Meisterschaft (DEKM) - 10th 2021 Deutsche Elektro-Kart Meisterschaft (DEKM) - 5th 2021 Rotax Project E20 Euro Trophy Rotax 2nd 2021 Rotax E20 - Mülsen (single event) Rotax 1st 2021 Yacademy F4 Winter Series - 5th 2022 ERA Championship - 4th (best race finish) 2022 Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Belgium - 3rd (overall) 2023 NXT Gen Cup - 3rd (overall) 2024 Nitrocross - NEXT class (single event) - 4th (race result) 2024 FIA RX2e European Championship ZEROID Motorsport -

Awards and recognition 2022 - BBC Green Sports Awards Young Athlete of the Year (Nominee) 2024 - Racing Driver Directory Driver of the Month (September) 2024 - Global Sustainability & ESG Awards - Future Leader (Shortlisted) 2025 - EVIE Awards, EV Under 30 Star (Winner)

Advocacy, climate work and public speaking

Outside racing, Spiezia is involved in climate-related advocacy. He has been named an EcoAthletes Champion and is a member of High Impact Athletes, using his motorsport profile to promote climate action and electric mobility. He has appeared at sustainability-focused events such as Sustainability LIVE and has discussed topics including net-zero, electric vehicles and “passive activism” in interviews and panel sessions.