Formula E unveiled its most ambitious development yet: the Gen4 racing car. It's fast, with a stunning 0-100 km/h time of just 1.8 seconds. It's faster than Formula 1 car. Gen4, which will debut in the 2026-2027 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, represents the next evolution electric car motorsport.
Formula E, whose first season took place in 2014, was initially perceived by motorsport fans as a curiosity. The first cars were efficient, but not as fast. And the noise – or lack thereof – left many fans unimpressed. But over the past decade, the series has evolved from a quiet novelty to a high-stakes, producer-backed competition.
Now this is a testing ground for electric car technology, and with the advent of Gen4, Formula E may have just emerged from the shadow of Formula One.
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Great development of electric motorsport
The Gen4 car is significantly larger than the current Gen3 Evo car, with two different aerodynamic configurations and more aggressive body styling.
The Gen4 is the fastest and most advanced car ever entered in the Formula E championship. With 600 kW of power, equivalent to over 815 horsepower, the car features active all-wheel drive throughout the race. It also introduces advanced aerodynamics with two settings: a high-downforce mode for qualifying and a low-drag configuration for racing conditions, dubbed Attack Mode.
In attack mode, the Gen4 car provides full power for sharp overtaking, and its regenerative braking system now reaches a maximum output of 700 kW. electric car will recover energy so efficiently that 40% of a car's racing power can be obtained from braking alone. Energy capacity has also been increased to 55 kWh, opening up the possibility of more aggressive racing strategies.
The Gen4 car is built from 100% recyclable materials.
While the Formula E Gen4 race car may look similar to a Formula 1 car, there's plenty for fans to enjoy.
Productivity is only part of the equation. The Gen4 is made from 100% recyclable materials and includes at least 20% recycled materials throughout its design.
According to Jeff DoddsCEO of Formula E, the Gen4 is “much more than just a race car. It represents more than a decade of progress, innovation and ambition in electric racing.” He called it the most demanding and resilient car Formula E has ever created.
Marek NavareckiThe senior director of circuit sports at the FIA, motorsport's governing body, echoed the sentiment, saying it “raises the bar” and gives manufacturers more opportunities to showcase road technology than ever before.
Now the car is being tested with championship teams, including Porsche, NissanStellantis, Jaguar and Lola Cars. Each manufacturer will customize the platform with its own energy management strategies. The appearance of the Gen4 car will also change slightly, with each team introducing its own unique livery.
Will Formula E emerge from the shadow of Formula 1?
While the Gen4 Formula E car may not look very colorful just yet, each team will add their own livery before the race car hits the track.
This latest technological leap could be the moment that Formula E reaches the attention of a wider audience, especially those who once ignored it.
“I think the Gen4, which has been much criticized by some racing skeptics, could be the car that brings Formula E closer to the mainstream given the huge jump in speeds,” said Jack Oliver Smithdeputy editor of Motorsport Week magazine. “It is expected that the fast lap times these cars will achieve and the technology used in this will undoubtedly attract those interested in the sustainability aspect, as well as ordinary racing purists who may have dismissed Formula E in the past.”
For a sport that has long been considered the future of racing, the Gen4 could be the car that finally brings it into the present.
