When people think of the word ‘rally’, they imagine raucous modified cars tearing through dirt tracks, tackling big jumps, and drifting through tight, dangerous corners. But that’s not all rallying is about.
Many rallies ditch the unpaved dirt paths and big jumps for a variety of difficult terrain to challenge the crews. One such is the Rallye du Chablais, one of Europe's most prestigious regional rallies. It is a demanding technical challenge through Swiss mountain roads that counts towards the FIA European Rally Trophy and the Swiss Rally Championship.
In recent years, it has become a pioneer in sustainable motorsport by establishing a dedicated E-Rally regularity class.
Stéphanie and Guillaume are passionate Mustang Mach-E owners. They’ve been Ford advocates for a long time. They’ve also always wanted to participate in a rally. They did just that at the 2026 Rallye du Chablais in a Puma Gen-E.1
From the Road had the opportunity to sit down with the two rally enthusiasts and ask all about their experience.
Q: Let’s start off with the obvious question, how did this opportunity to take a Puma Gen-E to Rallye du Chablais come about?
Guillaume: Participating in a rally has always been a dream for us. You watch legends like Colin McRae and Sébastien Loeb, and you think, "I want to do that!" But standard rallying is incredibly expensive, so it always felt like it would stay a dream. That was until two years ago when we learned about the FIA Eco Rally Cup, which allows you to enter in everyday electric cars.
We loved the concept, but our Mustang Mach-Es are beautifully modified and tuned for car shows rather than rallying. Then last year, at a Ford Europe meeting in Spain, we met a Ford representative and asked him if we could get a car on loan for a rally. He agreed right away.
With the help of Ford Switzerland’s communications manager, everything fell into place. We took a co-driver certification course to get our official racing licenses.
“Right away, the car felt so precise... Even as a first time racer, I felt instantly at ease and confident.”Stéphanie Métrailler Maris, Ford enthusiast and rally competitor
We were aiming to race in the E-Rally in August. Then we learnt that Rallye du Chablais organisers had cancelled the standalone Eco-Rally class and integrated the electric cars directly into the fast-paced, closed-road rally. That meant competing under entirely different conditions and rules.
We wrote to Ford saying: "We need a car right now!" They approved the request, and we received a brand-new Puma Gen-E just one week before the rally.
Q: You both use Mustang Mach-Es as your daily drive cars. What was your impression of the Puma Gen-E when you drove it for the first time?
Stéphanie: Guillaume had driven one on a Spanish highway for 45 minutes last summer. The first time I drove it was on the Reconnaissance runs — the 'Reco' stages — where we were scouting the terrain. It was a completely different experience.
Right away, the car felt so precise. It handles beautifully and the efficiency is fantastic. It’s compact, nimble, and just a real pleasure to drive on those narrow Swiss roads. Even as a first time racer, I felt instantly at ease and confident.
Q: The participation of electric cars in rallies is a hotly debated topic. What was the reaction like from fans and other rally crews in Chablais?
Guillaume: It was amazing because there was absolutely no hostility at all. The Rallye du Chablais is an international European rally, meaning our paddock was right alongside the winners of the European Rally Championship and historic rally cars. We were the pioneers participating in a brand-new category.
At first, some of the other crews looked at us and said, "You are in a Puma Gen-E? Okay... but why do you look so happy?!" and we laughed and said, "Because we are living our dream!" They quickly realised how competitive the car actually was.
Stéphanie: Also, the car is so quiet that the spectators wouldn’t realise we were driving up until they heard the wheels gripping the tarmac. I was incredibly focused on the road for the mountain stages, but out of the corner of my eye, I kept seeing people smiling and waving, so I'd wave back. The fans were incredibly open-minded compared to five or ten years ago.
Q: Tell us all about your rally experience. What was it like taking on the Swiss mountains in the Puma Gen-E?
Guillaume: It was pure, intense joy. It was 35 degrees Celsius inside the car, we were wearing full racing suits and helmets, and the pressure was on. We covered hundreds of kilometres of demanding mountain stages. As the co-driver, sitting next to Stéphanie, holding the roadbook and hearing the starter countdown, "3... 2... 1... Go!" — it was spectacular.
Stéphanie: The instant torque of the electric motor is unbelievable. In the Puma Gen-E, the power delivery is direct, instant, and incredibly responsive. You just push the pedal and whoosh, you are gone. We finished day one with massive smiles plastered across our faces.
Q: Time for the big question. How did you guys perform in such a competitive rally?
Guillaume: Well, we won in the New Energies Regularity category, so it went extremely well. We even got the second-best time across all categories on one of the special stages. We were competing in a field of highly experienced teams, but Stéphanie drove with such incredible precision, keeping us perfectly on our average target speed.
Standing on the podium at the end of the weekend, we knew we had proven what we set out to: that an electric car can seamlessly compete with the best of them.
Q: Rallies involve a lot of moving around, and, as you mentioned, gear. How did the car's practical side hold up — like the cabin comfort and, of course, the GigaBox boot?
Guillaume: We had so much equipment — racing suits, helmets, gloves, and overnight bags — and the car handled it all like a champ. The cabin comfort was superb, especially the supportive seats and the excellent visibility which is crucial when navigating mountain passes at speed.
The suspension response was just perfect for the varying stage surfaces. Plus, the extra space in the trunk thanks to the GigaBox made packing our bulky gear incredibly easy. It’s a very clever package.
Q: How did you plan your charging around the rally schedule, and how did the Puma Gen-E perform on each charge?
Guillaume: This was actually the ultimate test. In our category, the rules are very strict: unlike petrol cars that can refuel anytime, electric vehicles could only be charged overnight at the end of the first day of racing. This meant the battery had to last across all the high-speed mountain stages, up-and-down climbs, and transfer sections on a single charge.
The Puma Gen-E blew us away. After conquering 284 kilometres of brutal Alpine rally driving, we rolled into the overnight halt with 20% battery remaining in reserve. That is the ultimate proof of the car's real-world efficiency and range.
For everyday road trips, with the fast-charging infrastructure available across Europe and helpful planning apps, range anxiety simply isn't an issue with this car.
Q: Clearly the Puma Gen-E made an impact on you. What does the future look like for you two with the car, both personally and in the rally sphere?
Guillaume: Yes, we are expecting our Puma Gen-E delivery this September. It will be the third electric Ford in our garage alongside our two Mustang Mach-Es. For our family, it’s the perfect daily complement — it's agile, compact, and spacious enough that our daughter fits comfortably in the back.
We also aren’t stopping our rally journey. We are already planning our next event in October: The Rallye du Valais, which takes place right on our doorstep just 20 kilometres from our house.
We are looking for sponsors, and we even want to create a dedicated Instagram account called the Ford EV Racing Team. If 2026 goes well, we plan to tackle four more rallies next year — three in Switzerland and one in France. Our goal is simple: we want to take the top spot on the podium next time too!
Wadiur Hisham is a writer for From the Road
1 Up to 376 km driving range based on full charge of Puma Gen-E. Estimated range using Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). Figures shown are for comparability purposes and should only be compared with other vehicles tested to the same technical procedures. Actual range varies due to factors such as temperature, driving behaviour, route profile, vehicle maintenance, lithium-ion battery age and condition.
