The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance is a Race Car to Its Core

Porsche have been going out of their way to emphasize how the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance is a true race car to its core. In this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup I bring you more reviews and details on this exciting electric race car and why people think they are right.

I also bring you details on how two racetracks are incorporating solar panels into their operations, Hyundai’s sustainable motorsport plans, Formula E news and much more.

All this on this week’s edition of the Sustainable Motorsport News Roundup.

Sustainable Motorsport News

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance is a Race Car to Its Core

Construction Week Magazine looks in depth at how Dubai Autodrome’s solar panels eliminate 2,055 metric tons of CO2 emissions. Here are a few of the benefits the circuit has enjoyed with these solar panels:

  • The energy savings are equivalent to almost 250,031,475 fully charged smartphones and 443 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year, underlining the importance of how significant solar panels are in mitigating climate change.
  • The solar panels will have a positive impact on the environment and the venue, with the solar panels generating 4,751,470.4 Kilowatt-Hour of power per year, some of which is put back into the grid, while 2,055 metric tons of CO2 emissions will be eliminated per year.
  • The eco-friendly project, which generates power for the whole venue, is also helping reduce the track’s energy bills.

Not to be outdone, Silverstone Circuits has posted a video explaining how they are working on their “shift to zero.” I have more details on Silverstone’s sustainability goals here.


Interesting details in this post from Sportscar365 regarding Hyundai’s motorsport plans. As Bryan Herta explains in discussing his team’s motorsport future, he has had conversations about an LMDh effort with the manufacturer but he revealed that Hyundai has different priorities. “But they’ve got other priorities right now and their focus on electrification, their focus on fuel cell technology. I think those are areas where they’re probably more inclined to make motorsport investments in the short-term.”


Just ahead of COP 27, Motorsport UK announced that they have been awarded the FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation – the highest level of environmental accreditation. “An evaluation of Motorsport UK was undertaken in 2022 and the Three-Star Accreditation was awarded to the governing body as a result of the implementation of its Sustainability Strategy. Released in 2021, the strategy maps out the blueprint for the breadth of UK motorsport to take the necessary steps that can help avoid and reduce emissions – today, tomorrow and in the near future. The world governing body singled out Motorsport UK’s leadership, motivation and attention to detail as the underpinning reasons behind the accreditation.”


Sustainable Motorsport Tech

Sustainable Motorsport Roundup for November 19, 2022

Both Car and Driver and MotorTrend took a spin in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance and they were suitably impressed. As Car and Driver states: “With up to 1073 horsepower, the GT4 ePerformance feels brutally quick even from the right seat, and the screeching electric motors provide the sonic thrill missing from many EVs.” The MotorTrend review includes video and as they say, there is “Nothin’ to Worry About“. I have more information on this impressive electric race car in the following posts from past editions of the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup:


In SEMA Electrified 2022, Motorsport Mental Health looks at all the electric motorsport-related news that emerged from this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas. “The EV market is rapidly expanding. OEMS are producing more and more cars, and consumers are spending their money upgrading and customizing them. Motorsport programs are embracing EVs and there are plenty of people converting their classic cars to electric. SEMA gave them all an opportunity to show off their work with SEMA Electrified – a celebration of the EV in all it’s forms.”


Formula E News

Formula E Gen3 Car

There is plenty of Formula E news in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup as the series gets closer to season 9 in January.

Formula E is overhauling attack mode for its first Gen3 season and calling it Attack Charge as part of a number of updated sporting regulations. “A mandatory 30-second Attack Charge stop during a pre-determined period in the race will unlock two enhanced Attack Mode periods to be deployed later in the race where the power output of the Gen3 race cars will increase from 300kW to 350kW.” The plan is to trial Attack Charge at select races later in Season 9, a plan that is not going over too well with some drivers and teams.

The series also unveiled a new mobile fast charger that has been designed in a “robust, custom and ergonomic way that allows for easy global transportation and installation.”

Planned for a 2024 debut, the new Tokyo ePrix preliminary circuit layout has been unveiled. According to The Race, “Although not 100% confirmed as the final layout, it runs around the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition halls, which are set to have a backdrop of the Tokyo Gate Bridge and Wakasu Seaside Park area of the city. It features part of the circuit running close to Tokyo Bay and includes several long straights before a tight sector near the end of the lap.”

Finally, the hiring of Frederic Bertrand away from the FIA to become Team Principal of Mahindra Racing is still sending negative ripples through the Formula E paddock. “We have to say with Fred we worked well together when he was on the FIA side and we are now looking forward to having him as a competitor,” Porsche’s Florian Modlinger told The Race. “But also, to be honest, it’s surprising news for us, especially when you think about the position he was in, and how much insights and details he knows about all competitors. With such a short transition phase from FIA to becoming head of a competitor team, it’s just surprising news for us, and especially the quick transition time is surprising. I think some questions will be raised, but it is, as it is.”


The Big Picture

In The Big Picture, I look beyond motorsport to see what other sports are doing in their sustainability journey as well as the issue of sustainability generally. Hopefully this will act as a catalyst for change in the motorsport ecosystem as it demonstrates that in many ways, all sport shares some commonalities that can be tackled with achievable, measurable sustainability practices.


In his latest Oxymoron column, sustainable web development pioneer Tom Greenwood asks the thought provoking question why do we love fossil fuels?The hard reality that we face is that as much as we might detest the dubious tactics used by the fossil fuel industry and as much as we know the dire impacts of oil spills, air pollution, plastic pollution and climate change, we must also admit that we are privileged to have benefited so much from the use of fossil fuels and petrochemicals throughout our lives. They have given us things that we don’t want to give up.”


Oak View Group has formed GOAL (Green Operations and Advanced Leadership), a membership-based organization designed to help sports and entertainment venues make their operations more environmentally sustainable. Its founding circle of members was announced this morning. They include Budweiser Gardens (London, Ontario), Citi Field, Fenway Sports Group, Footprint Center, FTX Arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Levi’s Stadium, Moda Center, Mullett Arena ( Arizona State), PPG Paints Arena, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, State Farm Arena, as well as OVG-owned or developed UBS Arena, Acrisure Arena, Climate Pledge Arena, Co-Op Live and Moody Center.

The Green Sports Blog has more details on GOAL as they talk to Chris Granger and Kristen Fulmer of the Oak View Group on their Green Sports Pod.


FIFA’s claim that the Qatar World Cup will be carbon neutral has been rubbished by leading climate experts as dangerous and misleading while environment activists have filed complaints with advertising regulators in several European countries over alleged “greenwashing”.


Environmental reporting, not only in sport, commonly gazes through a negative lens, but the urgent Sports for Nature Report reinforces that “sport can be different: forward-looking, positive, hopeful”. Led by Loughborough University, the report was commissioned by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Published ahead of COP27 in Egypt and COP15 in Montreal in December, Loughborough hopes it will “spark an international action campaign to coordinate the sporting world’s response to the triple planetary crisis”. Introduced by the UN in 2020, this includes climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

Getting to the Track Sustainably

Getting to the Track Sustainably is my occasional column on developments in sustainable transportation that could have some application to motorsport. Since the majority of carbon emissions come from logistics and transportation, this topic is of utmost importance as motorsport works to make itself more sustainable. Here are some articles you may find of interest.

Sustainable Ground Transportation

PepsiCo Trucks powered by cooking oil
Image courtesy of PepsiCo / Headland Consultancy.

Sustainable Aviation

Universal Hydrogen ATR72 Plane
Photo: Universal Hydrogen

Sustainable Shipping

Averda Cargo Ship
Mark Boudreau
Author: Mark Boudreau

Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.