Electric race series Extreme-E; Jag goes all-EV
With the first season starting in April, here’s your essential guide to a wild new all-electric motorsport. BnydJake Groves
The brainchild of Formula E founder Alejandro Agag, Extreme E is a very different type of race series, complete with big-name team bosses, a mission to highlight climate change and driver line-ups of one man and one woman per team. Despite widespread cynicism about its environmental ambitions, it’s about to get under way in Saudi Arabia.
WHAT ARE THEY RACING?
The Odyssey 21: a standardised, all-electric 4x4 built by Spark Racing Technology (which developed Formula E’s cars) with battery nous from Williams Advanced Engineering. The 542bhp SUV, with a 4.5sec 0-62mph time, can be tweaked by each team in terms of set-up and, in some cases, design.
‘One of the biggest challenges for us all has been understanding electric motorsport – it works in a very different way,’ says Ian Davies, manager of the Veloce Racing team. ‘But when you get into the physical mapping of the car, we can control the torque split. Once you get to work, it’s not quite as different as maybe you think it is.’
Veloce driver Jamie Chadwick says: ‘From the tests I’ve done in Formula E, that’s all about energy management, whereas Extreme E is all flat-out, and the way that power is delivered is very different. I think that’s part of the challenge, and all of the teams are in the same boat.’ Among the other teams are the VW Group’s Cupra, working with German tuner Abt, while US motorsport big-hitters Chip Ganassi Racing will use a car designed to look like GM’s new all-electric Hummer.
WHO IS INVOLVED?
Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, keen to highlight environmental concerns, is a founder of the X44 team, with nine-time World Rally champ Sébastien Loeb driving for him. Jenson Button is a team owner and a driver, too.
Behind the scenes, those bringing their experience to the series include F1 design legend Adrian Newey at Veloce.
WHERE ARE THEY GOING?
Five locations are plotted for 2021, all named after different types of environment, starting with ‘Desert’ in Saudi Arabia on 3 April. The sport wants to draw attention to locations particularly affected by climate change, but insists it’s not superficial – ‘legacy projects’ should leave a positive impact on the environment.
‘Extreme E isn’t trying to retrofit environmental credentials into it,’ says Veloce Racing boss Daniel Bailey. ‘We’re already planting one million mangroves in Senegal.’
HOW ARE THEY DOING IT?
The vehicles (if not their drivers) will mostly be transported by ship. RMS St Helena, a refurbished cargo ship, will travel from event to event to serve as a kind of floating paddock containing team garages and event management; the organisers say they’re working on reducing the ship’s emissions. The cars are charged by hydrogen generators. And Hamilton-backed plant-based Neat Burger is the food partner.
‘Extreme E isn’t just writing a new chapter in motorsport,’ says Davies, ‘it’s a new book.’
Watch Extreme E on BBC iPlayer from 3 April