Eco-Friendly Racing? Extreme-E sets the trend for the future.
Logistics and Transportation Costs
Over the last decade, motorsports have become the subject of debate in terms of sustainability and impact to the environment. It is no secret that racing teams spend millions of dollars in logistics and transportation costs to move hundreds of people and a many ton of cargo across thousands of miles each year. According to DHL, the average Formula One team spends around 8 million dollars in logistics and cargo freight costs. Each team moves around 660 tons of air freight and 500 tons of sea freight over a season.
The carbon print of the whole “circus”, according to F1, was 256,551 tons of CO2 in 2019. 45% of that is air, sea, and road logistics.
Extreme E
In case you are not familiar with the FIA, they are the governing body of motorsport in 146 countries around the world. They are responsible for licensing and sanctioning competitions such as Formula One, World Rally Championship, World Endurance Championship, World Rallycross Championship, Formula E, and many other categories of motorsport. Extreme-E is the new kid on the block.
Extreme-E is an off-road racing series that uses electric SUVs to race in remote parts of the world. They go to places such as the Arabian Desert, the Amazon rainforest, and the Arctic. These locations were chosen to raise awareness for climate change, and through their “Legacy Program” they provide social and environmental support in such areas.
Sustainable Trends
30 percent of the planet’s CO2 emissions come from transport. All 9 teams in Extreme-E travel in the RMS St Helena, a passenger-cargo ship that serves as a floating paddock. This reduces the carbon emissions compared to air freight. The ship has been fitted with propulsion units and generators that use ultra-low-sulfur diesel; this greatly reduces CO2 emissions. Their aim by the end of the first season is to have a net-zero carbon footprint.
The vehicles used (Odyssey 21) are electrical SUVs with a steel and niobium alloy chassis made in Brazil. Niobium, or columbium, is a lightweight transition metal with a hardness rating like pure titanium. These SUVs have a total of 536bhp given by a 400kW battery and can go from 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds, even at 130% gradients or 53 degrees. These batteries were designed to work under extreme environmental conditions such as -30°C/-22°F, and up to a scorching 40°C/104°F with 100% humidity.
Race Format
Each race weekend is split in two days, Saturday, and Sunday. On Saturday two time-trial sessions will take place. Each session consists of two laps being made by both drivers; their times will be averaged. They will earn points on each session based on their final position in the table.
Saturday Qualifying points:
1st: 12 points
2nd: 11 points
3rd: 10 point
4th: 9 points
5th: 8 points
6th: 7 points
7th: 6 points
8th: 5 points
9th: 4 points
Sunday Race
There are 4 races on Sunday: The Shoot Out, the Crazy Race, the Semi Final, and the Final.
Based on the points earned on Saturday, the top 3 will qualify directly to the Semi-Final, the 4th, 5th, and 6th place will go to the Crazy race, and the 7th, 8th and 9th place will be placed in the Shoot-Out
Three teams are placed in each race, and each driver will do one lap (2 laps total).
The teams feature one male and one female driver, both required to do mandatory lap times on Qualifying and the Races on Sunday. Each team will decide the order of who runs first; this makes it a bit more interesting in terms of strategy.
Fascinating Locations and Features
Extreme E will race on 5 different locations with different environments:
Desert: Saudi Arabia.
Ocean/Coast: Lac Rose, Senegal.
Artic: Russell Glacier, Greenland.
Amazon: Santarém, Brazil.
Glacier: Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
Each of these unique environments will feature insane slopes, banks, big puddles, and all different kinds of challenges for the drivers and the cars, making it a unique characteristic of Extreme E. This is a testament of how far electric powered vehicles have come.
Beyond Just Racing, Big Names on the List
It is good to see that Extreme E not only focuses on racing, but also has programs that raises climate awareness and seeks environmental sustainability. Aboard the floating paddock are scientists from The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge who are working on experiments on their on-board laboratory and giving conferences on each location where the races take place.
Extreme E has some big names on the list, so it is evident that the initiative will go beyond just good intentions or getting aboard the hype train (or ship, get it?). Seven-time Formula One world Champion, Sir Lewis Hamilton is the owner of one of the teams (X44) featuring multi-time Rally world champion Sébastien Loeb. Nico Rosberg, another F1 Champion and Hamilton’s former teammate also has a team. America is not left behind; they have the Andretti and Ganassi names present with the Andretti United Extreme E team, and Segi TV Chip Ganassi Racing. Another noteworthy team is JBXE, featuring F1 world champion Jenson Button being both owner and racer.
What are your thoughts on some of the trends set by Extreme E? The floating paddock certainly is the most interesting feature to me. Having all cargo freight, including cars being moved by one ship is truly an incredible feat. They also have renowned scientists working on their on-board laboratories and creating programs that seek sustainability in the areas the races will take place. Let me know in the comments below what impressed you most of Extreme E.
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