LONDON (Reuters) -Formula E revealed its fastest and most sustainable car yet on Wednesday, with the GEN4 set to debut in 2026-27 and offering quicker acceleration than anything currently competing in Formula One.
The Liberty Global-owned all-electric series said the car would pack 50% more power than the existing GEN3 Evo, taking it from 350kW to 600kW of power equal to more than 815bhp.
The GEN4 will also be equipped with permanently active all-wheel drive, be 100% recyclable and made up of at least 20% recycled content.
"It represents over a decade of progress, innovation, and ambition in electric racing," said Formula E chief executive Jeff Dodds.
"Co-developed with the (governing) FIA, it stands as the most advanced, demanding, and sustainable machine we've ever built, redefining what's possible in performance and environmental responsibility."
Dodds told reporters the city-based series was less focused on top speeds and more about creating cars that could race wheel to wheel in an urban setting.
He pointed out, however, that the existing car could already accelerate to 100kph in around 1.8 seconds -- about 30% faster than a Formula One car.
The new one, he said, would be a game-changer for a championship that started out 12 years ago with top speeds of around 140mph and drivers having to change cars mid-race because the battery life was too short.
"What I can say to you is... that (GEN4) car is clocked well in excess of 200 miles an hour (321kph) on the straights and some of the test tracks that we've been on.
"So the top speed will be significantly in excess of 200 miles an hour.
"Over the coming years, the car will have the potential to lap at an equivalent pace to a Formula One car or exceed it," he added.
The manufacturers involved in the electric series, including Porsche, Nissan, Stellantis brands and Jaguar, will now be able to fine-tune and develop the car ahead of its race debut at the end of next year.
Marek Nawarecki, the FIA's senior circuit sport director, said the higher speeds had been assessed for safety without posing any major problems.
"Probably on some tracks we would need to do some adaptation compared to the current design of the track, but there would be no major changes in the design related to the safety," he told reporters in a video call.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
