Blog of RENAULT NISSAN Alliance

Formula E, the international single-seat motor racing championship that guarantees fast and furious motor racing with little impact on the environment, reaches its climax in London on 27-28 June.

 

And when we say ‘in London’ that’s exactly what we mean: the final two races in the 11 round series will take place in the heart of the UK capital, alongside the River Thames in the picturesque surrounds of Battersea Park.

 

In fact, each round of the series – which has attracted leading teams and top drivers many of whom have competed in Formula 1 – has taken place in cities including Beijing, Berlin, Moscow and Buenos Aires. It can do this because the ‘E’ in Formula E stands for electric.

 

Offering a glimpse of how all motor racing might look in the future, the FIA-run series has been created around the futuristic zero-emission Spark-Renault SRT_01E. 

 

Combining expertise from some of motor racing’s leading companies – Dallara, Spark, McLaren, Williams, Michelin and, of course, Renault – the battery-powered racers produce 150kw (202.5hp) in race trim with five second power-boosts to 180kw (243hp)… more than enough to provide exciting and close (sometimes too close) motor racing action.

 

Each race – and there are two in London – lasts around an hour, with a mandatory pitstop in order to change cars midway through each race.

 

As the ten teams reach London, the Renault-backed eDams squad heads the teams’ table with ex-F1 lead driver Sébastien Buemi holding third place in the drivers’ championship, just ahead of team-mate Nicolas Prost, son of the four-time Formula 1 World Champion Alain. 

 

Underlining the environmental aspect of the championship, the Spark-Renault racer will be on display at a TEDGlobal conference taking place in London just a few days before the race weekend. The race car will be displayed outside the conference venue while inside, the TED speakers will be sharing ideas around the theme “Beyond the Edge”, tackling some of the key issues facing the world… and mankind’s impact on the environment is invariably high on the agenda.

 

The Renault-Nissan Alliance, the world’s leading producer of zero-emission electric vehicles – that’s cars, vans and, of course, single-seat racers – has supported TED events for four years.