Actually, one might think before the start of the season that everything is going according to plan for Formula E. Four top-class brands from Germany took part in the last season E-Prixes measured: Mercedes, bmw, Porsche and Audi. There were also large manufacturers from abroad, such as Jaguar and Nissan. A selection of factory teams that could compete with the established Formula 1, at least in this category.
Officially a “World Cup” since 2021
Since last season, Formula E has also been included in the classification by the International Automobile Association (FIA) on an equal footing with the much older Formula 1. Both competitions are called “World Championship“. The spectators were also interested. To the German E-Prix-Weekend at Tempelhofer Feld in Berlin, over 20,000 fans came in pre-pandemic times. Record growth in viewers was recorded on television last year.
German manufacturers are running away from the series
But already in the course of the past season dark clouds were gathering. bmw and Audi announced their withdrawal from the racing series. The new season starts without the two factory teams. Audi, which has been involved as a manufacturer since the racing series was founded, preferred to use the technology from the Formula E cars at the start of the Dakar Rally.
After the season that is now starting, another manufacturer is withdrawing: Mercedes. This is particularly bitter for Formula E, because last season caught on Nyck de Vries the World Drivers’ Championship in a car with a three-pointed star. Mercedes became teamchampion. A dominance like in Formula 1, where Mercedes will continue to be represented.
Sustainable image under threat
The decisive advantage of the electric racing series over Formula 1 is actually obvious: because the cars do not use fossil fuels, the series could actually draw attention to itself as a more environmentally friendly alternative.
But this one image has two problems. Because local power grids can be overloaded depending on the venue, according to various media reports, diesel generators were sometimes used to generate electricity. The fact check portal “Mimikama” was able to find out in one specific case that the generators were not used for the vehicles themselves, but rather for sponsor vehicles. However, the problem of the origin of the electricity used remains. Emissions from the transport of the racing circuit are also a problem for a sustainable public image of Formula E.
Secondly, other racing series have also discovered sustainability for themselves and are threatening the unique selling proposition of Formula E. The Dakar Rally and Formula 1, for example, want to become climate-neutral by 2030. The new hybrid drives for the Formula 1 cars from 2026 should generate more power from electric motors and only be fueled with climate-neutral fuels.