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Everything about the design of the batteries and the car has been focussed on sustainability, recyclability and serviceability
Since its inception in the autumn of 2014 Formula E has grown rapidly. But while it has been an engineering challenge and has led to great advances in battery and motor technology, the series misses the history that established racing series have. What Formula E has done, however, is to normalise electric racing.
Now, though, is the time to build the back-story, and there are a few proposals out there to do so. One is Stephane Ratel’s idea to go back to the grass roots of racing and compete in rallies from town to town with exotic electric vehicles. The other is rather more radical; to take electric cars to remote locations and rally them off-road. This is Extreme E.
Everything about this new electric championship is, in fact, suitably extreme, from the locations such as the Arctic, in rainforests and deserts, to the teams’ base, which is a mother ship which will house the cars between events – the RMS St Helena has been selected as it offers vastly reduced carbon emissions compared to the more traditional air travel used by motorsport.
This series has two main functions; one is to raise awareness of climate change by bringing the eyes of the racing world to the remote locations, the other is to shine a spotlight on electric technology and its versatility, in that it can actually work in
