Formula E may need to move away from city circuits with their upcoming Gen4 car and in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup you will find out why. You will also find out how the series is reducing the carbon footprint of their freight, find out about the tech behind Extreme H and get the chance to drive a McMurtry Spéirling on track.
Sustainable Motorsport News
Formula E has announced it will save at least 25% on freight-related CO2 emissions in S11. It will reduce the volume and weight it transports via air freight, optimising sea and road freight efficiencies alongside its Official Founding and Logistics Partner, DHL.
Julia Palle, Vice President Sustainability, Formula E, said: “We’re proud to take our sustainability credentials and commitment to reducing our overall emissions to the next level. A huge amount of work has been undertaken by our partners alongside the team at DHL, so we can continue to reduce our emissions year on year. As a championship committed to sustainable racing, innovation and reducing our overall footprint on the planet, this represents not only a giant step forward in our mission, but lives up to our DNA of pursuing pioneering technology and solutions to accelerate more sustainable lifestyles and ultimately human progress.”
Matt Page, Senior Vice President, Assurance Services EMEA at BSI, said: “Formula E’s achievement in becoming the first sport globally to commit to the BSI Net Zero Pathway underscores its unwavering commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. This milestone represents a significant step forward in advancing transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in emissions management. By aligning with the rigorous standards of ISO 20121, PAS 2060, ISO 14064-1 and IWA42, Formula E not only sets the bar for other sports but also reinforces its leadership in driving the transition to a net-zero carbon future.”
Read more about the initiative here.
In my Driver Development Roundup over the last two weeks, I have been covering the announcement of the FAT Karting League, a new type of karting program that focuses on talent by radically reducing the cost of competing. An interesting aspect of the new league is the fact that they are using electric karts.
“These aren’t typical electric karts,” co-founder Rob Smedley notes. His team engineered the power delivery to mirror combustion engines, ensuring skills translate seamlessly to traditional race cars. Each machine feeds constant telemetry to FKL’s data systems, creating unprecedented insight into driver development.”
Read more in Business of Speed’s F.A.T. International Reshapes Racing’s Future.
Sustainable Motorsport Tech
The new Extreme H hydrogen-powered off-road series will top the bill as motorsport’s finest technical companies gather once again at Birmingham’s NEC for the 2025 Autosport Engineering show in January. The two-day event will showcase engineering excellence on January 9-10, as a key component of the wider four-day Autosport International show. And for the first time, major exhibitors at Autosport Engineering will be featured on the Autosport main stage to offer revealing insights into their innovations and technologies.
Pitlane News has all the details.
Sustainable Racing
Grassroots Motorsports explains how you can experience the electric-powered speed of the McMurtry Spéirling, starting at $500.
“After selecting one of several preselected airstrips or circuits across the country to drive the car–yes, our official test track, the FIRM, is listed–you’ll need to pick one of seven experiences, starting with the $499 “Bronze” package that consists of short handling and acceleration sessions, and topping out with the $49,999 “Track Day” package comprised of four 20-minute on-track sessions. (In addition to the $50K, you’ll also need to have at least $500,000 of HPDE coverage plus be able to prove that you have enough money in the bank to cover the cost of the vehicle and have “extensive” experience driving on track–both in general and at the location selected.)”
Read more here.
Series News
Extreme H, the world’s first hydrogen-powered motorsport competition, will be known as the FIA Extreme H World Cup with the signing of a non-binding agreement between its organizers and the world motorsport governing body.The series, which is set to debut next year, will replace the battery-electric Extreme E series which ran for the last four years.
Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of the FIA Extreme H World Cup, said: “It is a very proud moment for us all as Extreme H becomes the FIA Extreme H World Cup. This recognition from motorsport’s governing body is an important stamp of approval and a major step forward in showcasing hydrogen’s potential while aligning with the highest global standards in motorsport.”
The FIA Extreme H World Cup is set to reveal further details on its plans in early 2025.
One interesting aspect of the newly announced 2027 World Rally Championship regulations is the introduction of a technology equalization system.
“The Rally1 cars will continue to be based around the current space frame chassis but will be built to enable manufacturers to run a range of powertrains, including the internal combustion engine, hybrid and full electric. It is understood a torque meter will be utilised to equalise technology should manufacturers opt for different powertrains.”
You can read more about the regulations on Autosport here and at the FIA website here.
As Formula E kicked off their Season 11 and Emerson Fittipaldi praised the growth of the series, Formula E Vice President of Sporting Beth Paretta thinks that changes are inevitable when the more powerful Gen4 car debuts.
“Formula E started with wanting to be in city centers because of wanting to go to a non-traditional fan, and that’s worked. However, now that the car is faster, it’s hard to just have all city races,” she said. “Putting on city races is also very expensive, but as the car has gotten faster and the technology has advanced, we need different layouts of tracks to be able to have an interesting product and an interesting show. So you are seeing us going to some permanent circuits. It will always be a blend, though, because we do want to go to permanent circuits. We do want to go to cities, because cities still are vibrant and do attract a different fan base.”
Read more about her thoughts at Autoweek.
The 2025 NXT Gen Cup calendar has been confirmed as the world’s first 100% electric junior touring car cup continues its successful cooperation with DTM. NXT Gen Cup will feature 12 intense races in 2025 across four race weekends in Germany from April to August as the junior championship starts its ground-breaking third season, including an official two-day pre-season test at Gelleråsen Arena, Sweden, in April.
More details can be found here.
Getting to the Track Sustainably
- Daimler Truck secures €226 million funding for hydrogen truck development (Freight Carbon Zero)
- The hydrogen debate in transport: a reality check (Freight Carbon Zero)
- Wincanton shares decarbonisation progress and plan for 24 heavy eHGVs on the road by 2026 (Freight Carbon Zero)
- BMW implements specialised E-Lowliner trucks from Designwerk Technologies (Freight Carbon Zero)
- Renault to launch 600km range variant of E-Tech T in 2025 (Freight Carbon Zero)
- 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Review: Absurd Value, Absurdly Cool (The Drive)
- First Drive: The Lucid Gravity Sets a New All-Electric SUV Standard for Power, Agility, and Range (Robb Report)
- Could a 2-speed help boost efficiency in future Lucid EVs? (Green Car Reports)
- Stellantis aims to halve EV battery cost by 2030 with lithium-sulfur (Green Car Reports)
- BMW’s M Division Is Revealing New Secrets of Its First Electric Cars (Road & Track)
- China Could Have 100,000 Flying Cars and Air Taxis Over Its Cities by 2030 (Robb Report)
- AMSL Aero’s Box-Wing eVTOL Achieves First Untethered Flight (HYSKY)
- TotalEnergies, Aramco Sign SAF Development Agreement (AIN)
- New Minnesota SAF plant in the pipeline (Biofuels News)
- Whyalla Takes Off with Sustainable Aviation Hydrogen Fuel Project (HYSKY)
- Utilising sludge waste in the production of SAF (Biofuels News)
- Why airlines around the world are falling short of emissions goals (Fast Company)
- Airbus Tests Hydrogen-Fueled Glider in Blue Condor Campaign (HYSKY)
- Goodfuels successfully delivers sustainable B30 (Biofuels News)
- DP World unveils world-first carbon inset trial for UK container ports (Freight Carbon Zero)
- Repsol launches Nexa – its 100% renewable diesel brand (Biofuels News)
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.
