Formula E: Under the bonnet of the electric series’ new car
Formula E is the all-electric and unrelated sibling to Formula 1, a racing series which is growing annually.
One of its founders, Alejandro Agag, also runs Extreme E and a new E1 powerboating series but Formula E is the most advanced of his ideas.
This season, the newest generation of car – the Spark Gen3 – will take to the tracks of the world with the aim of showing the developments that have been made in electric racing across the last decade.
Here are the key changes.
The Formula E Gen3 car
With an estimated top speed of 200pmh, the Gen3 will be the fastest base car the racing teams have been able to work with.
It has 300kw of race power and can reach 100km/h in less than three seconds.
The Formula E car also has the tag of being the world’s first net-zero carbon race car.
The car is set to be the lightest and fastest in the sport’s history with over 40 per cent of the energy used within the race harnessed from braking systems.
Compared to the Gen1 car, the Gen3 car is 75 per cent more powerful with six times the power regeneration than Formula E’s first competitor.
The season
The Formula E season begins today in Mexico City before the travelling party head to Saudi Arabia for a double-header at the end of the month.
Thereafter, Formula E will compete in India, South Africa, Brazil, Berlin, Monaco, Indonesia, the United States and Rome.
The season will conclude with two races over two days in east London.
It is hoped that the new car will contribute to a season which will be closer than ever – even if the defending champions Mercedes have left the sport.