LONDON, UK & VALENCIA, Spain. Monday 29 November 2021 – Formula E and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) tonight shared a first look at the third-generation all-electric racing car that will race in Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The Gen3 was described by FIA President Jean Todt as: “a machine created at the intersection of high performance, efficiency and sustainability.”
The Gen3 was presented under top-security conditions to an exclusive group of Formula E manufacturers, teams, drivers and partners in Valencia, Spain, where pre-season testing is underway for Season 8 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, which begins in January.
While Formula E manufacturers are set to take delivery of Gen3 cars in spring 2022 following further intensive development testing on and off the track, the briefing in Valencia disclosed a series of design, performance and sustainability innovations in the Gen3 car:
- The world’s most efficient racing car – at least 40% of the energy used within a race will be produced by regenerative braking during the race.
- The first formula car with both front and rear powertrains: a new front powertrain adds 250kW to the 350kW at the rear, more than doubling the regenerative capability of the current Gen2 to a total of 600kW.
- The first formula car that will not feature rear hydraulic brakes due to the addition of the front powertrain and its regenerative capability.
- An electric motor delivering up to 350kw of power (470BHP), capable of a top speed of 200mph (320 km/h), with a power-to-weight ratio that is twice as efficient as an equivalent 470BHP internal combustion engine (ICE).
- Lighter and smaller than the Gen2 to enable faster, more agile wheel-to-wheel racing.
- The Gen3 will be net-zero carbon, maintaining the Championship’s status as the first sport to be certified as net-zero carbon since inception.
- All carbon fibre broken parts will be recycled by an innovative process from the aviation and aerospace industry into new fibres reusable for other applications.
- A pioneering process will deliver 26% sustainable materials into the composition of tyres.
- The Gen3 is powered by electric motors that are substantially more efficient than ICEs as they can convert over 90% of the electrical energy into mechanical energy (motion) compared to approx. 40% in high efficiency ICEs.
- All suppliers are held to strict sustainability KPIs, notably achieving FIA 3* Environmental Accreditation certification by Season 9.