If you had told a motorsport enthusiast twelve years ago that an all-electric racing series could coexist alongside the crown jewel of racing—Formula 1—they certainly would’ve had a good laugh. Fast forward a decade later, Formula E is the future of motorsport. It is a tangible proof of concept showing how the landscape of the sport can completely shift—no matter how ambitious it may seem.
After three phases—each reconceptualising the previous car models—Formula E is one final step away from its biggest project yet: the GEN4. A significant advancement in electric racing and the world of speed, but, most importantly, in sustainability. GEN4 aims to promote the ideology of sustainable racing with 100% recyclable energy regeneration, setting the benchmark for electric vehicles.
While it is a massive leap, it would not have been possible without the previous three eras. So, let’s understand how the series has evolved over the past decade.
GEN1: The beginning
The GEN1, or Spark-Renault SRT 01E, was specifically designed for Formula E when it launched in 2014. Spark Racing Technology manufactured the car, featuring Dallara chassis and a battery supplied by Williams Advanced Engineering. The GEN1 weighed 900 kg with 200kW of power, at the time, this meant that it was unable to last an entire race distance. This is where things get interesting; to finish an entire race, the series introduced ‘car swaps’.
Due to the batteries’ limited power, drivers would come into the pits during a timed pit stop and switch cars entirely, jumping into a newer, fully charged car to complete the race—perhaps that is what caught many viewers’ attention in the first place. Back then, jumping into a newer car in the middle of the race was unheard of, but this is what gave Formula E the differentiation it was looking for. GEN1 lasted for four seasons, from 2014 to 2018, before leaping to GEN2—a major technical foray that made car swaps completely redundant, along with exceptional development in EV tech.
Lucas di Grassi, who has been involved since the series’ inception and played a major role in its development, reflected:
“The GEN1 car had to use technology that would be capable, as nobody had produced an electric racing car like it before. So, it was relatively simple – pretty basic in fact – but with scope for teams to make improvements and develop things.”
The second generation represented a clear leap towards more efficient and competitive electric racing. This model introduced major advancements, most notably a larger battery capable of lasting the full race distance, eliminating the need for mid-race car swaps. As a result, energy capacity effectively doubled, alongside a power increase to 250 kW. Despite these upgrades, the GEN2 car maintained a weight of 900 kg and adopted a bold, distinctive design that set it apart from conventional single-seater racing categories.
Visually, the car featured a sharp, futuristic aesthetic, including covered front wheels, a redesigned front wing, and a large rear diffuser that generated most of the downforce from beneath the car, reducing aerodynamic drag. The introduction of the FIA-mandated halo further enhanced driver safety, aligning Formula E to the top-level, single-seater standards. These developments signalled a clearer technical direction for the championship, demonstrating a better understanding of how to maximise performance within the limitations of electric powertrains.
The GEN2 marked a substantial upgrade in performance as well. It built the foundation for the next three seasons, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in approximately 2.5 seconds. They also introduced a special feature called Attack Mode—an innovative tactic that temporarily increased power output by 10 kW, further enhancing overtaking opportunities.
The GEN3 era marked a defining step for electric racing. Introduced for the 2022–23 season, the GEN3 was lighter, smaller, more energy efficient, and powerful than its predecessors, with a design focused on maximising regenerative braking. It featured dual powertrains at the front and rear to improve efficiency, a high-output battery, along with all-weather Hankook tyres. With acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in roughly two seconds, the GEN3 became one of the most energy-efficient and competitive electric race cars ever produced.
The GEN3 Evo era started in Season 11 (2024 – 25) and built upon this foundation with major performance upgrades. While retaining the core GEN3 architecture, the Evo introduced a more aggressive and aerodynamically refined kit. It improved structural robustness, and all-wheel drive deployment during qualifying, race starts, and Attack Mode.
Most notably, the GEN3 Evo set a new benchmark as the fastest-accelerating FIA single-seater, sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 1.82 seconds—around 30% quicker than contemporary Formula 1 cars and roughly 36% faster than the original GEN3.
By Season 11 (the 2024–25 campaign), Formula E had achieved record viewership globally, drawing a cumulative television audience of approximately 561 million, representing a 14% increase over Season 10. Average per-race audiences rose to around 33 million, alongside significant growth in social media reach and an expanded global fanbase of roughly 422 million. This linear rise in viewership highlights the growing mainstream acceptance towards the series, especially garnering attention from Formula 1 fans who turn to it during the F1 off-season.
As Formula E looks ahead to its next massive era, these numbers represent a strong, much-needed foundation for continued growth and wider global relevance to help it represent the future of racing. GEN4 is expected to elevate Formula E’s credibility; the 14% rise in viewership last season is a clear indication of its ongoing momentum in firmly establishing itself as a cutting-edge motorsport rather than merely an alternative to traditional racing.
GEN4: Like nothing you’ve ever seen
The GEN4 era is set to redefine Formula E by pushing electric racing into a higher performance bracket. Debuting in Season 13, GEN4 will deliver significantly greater power, with increased output and permanent all-wheel drive, giving drivers stronger acceleration, improved traction, and extra aggressive racing across an entire lap. Weighing 840 kg, the GEN4 car will produce 350 kW of power. Enhanced regenerative braking will enable the cars to recover a substantial portion of energy under braking, making energy management strategic rather than restrictive.
The introduction of separate aerodynamic configurations for qualifying and racing marks another major shift, multiplying straight-line speed while still encouraging overtaking and close competition. Combined with improved tyre grip, lighter materials, and advanced battery technology, GEN4 waits to deliver quicker lap times—with razor thin qualifying margins.
After a period of trial and error, Formula E has finally found its footing. While it remains a niche presence within the motorsport landscape, its rapid growth suggests the series will continue to push boundaries as Season 11 progresses. The GEN4 concept has taken more than a decade to materialise, and although Formula E has yet to reach the commercial or cultural stature of Formula 1, its contributions to the development of EV technology—especially in densely populated urban environments—have resulted in a meaningful impact toward the use of electric vehicles.
As the championship enters its most advanced era to date, Formula E stands as tangible evidence that the future of racing is not only electric, but also faster, smarter, and more relevant than ever before.
