Formula E is the world’s first and only mainstream electric single-seat race championship. It’s been around since 2014, with the first ever race taking place in the fall on September 13th, 2014, when 10 teams featuring 20 drivers took to the streets of Beijing to show the world just how compelling electric cars could be.
Since then, many races have been taking place in temporary street circuits hosted by major cities all around the world. The idea behind Formula E is simple: to show people what electric vehicles can do, to provide an alternative to fuel-thirsty race cars that have excited and delighted fans for many generations, but at an increasingly high environmental cost. In other words, to show that there is a future for racing even in an era where green considerations take so much priority.
But are fans ready for a fully green world of autosports? Can the E-Prix take the place of our favorite sporting events? In this article, we take a look at the potential future of green racing.
Environmental Impact
The biggest and best case for Formula E racing is simply that it has a much lower environmental impact than F1 and other auto sports. Numbers from 2022 indicate that Formula 1 racing releases more than 223,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere compared to just 24,800 tons in Formula E. Formula E, by the way, achieved a net zero impact through offsets in 2020, which is admittedly a bit of an unsatisfying approach to carbon neutrality, but still one that can benefit the planet.
That said, it is worth mentioning that the E-Prix races themselves produce zero direct emissions. It is the setup, manufacturing, transportation, etc., that keep Formula E from achieving carbon neutrality without the assistance of offsets. To that end, both race circuits may be aided in their carbon neutrality objectives by an age in which supporting infrastructure (manufacturing, transportation, distribution, etc.) is more environmentally focused.
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We live in an age where cutting carbon is discussed the way cutting carbs was in the early 2000s, as a health imperative not for our waistlines but for our oceans, our forests, and ourselves.
Formula E racing makes a pretty simple proposition: you can enjoy the same sport you’ve always loved, but in a greener, more sustainable package.
That said, F1 is trying to get in on the sustainability side of racing as well. They’ve developed a strategy of achieving net zero by 2030, again, primarily through carbon offsetting.
Is Formula E the Real Deal or a Sideshow?
We now live in a world full of alternative sports leagues. There are examples across different areas of interest, but maybe the most impressive test case is the example of LIV Golf, a controversial but highly successful alternative to the PGA Tour.
We could do 3 or 4 articles explaining the nitty gritty, but basically, they became a legitimate threat to the Professional Golf Association almost overnight by offering players enormous sums of money that many simply couldn’t walk away from.
Over the course of one season, many of the best players in the game became LIV Golf members.
Formula E isn’t quite the motorsport equivalent. Many of the biggest names did participate in F1 – Stoffel Vandoorne, Andre Lotterer, Robin Frijns, etc. – but most had fairly limited success in traditional motorsports before finding their stride in the world of Formula E.
Does that mean that Formula E racing is operating on the spinach business model? Take this not because it’s good, but because it’s good for you?
Not quite. Despite a roster of drivers who have experienced limited success in traditional motorsport avenues, the races themselves are genuinely compelling and have attracted international fan interest.
Final Thoughts
Fans and betters alike need not worry that Formula 1 is going anywhere. Formula E is not quite a sideshow, but also not at this point positioned to be the future of the sport. What’s more likely? A 30 to 50-year timeline in which traditional F1 racing reaches carbon neutrality through other means.
To that end, they’ve already made a stated commitment toward green innovation. “It is no longer enough for us to simply deliver great action and wheel-to-wheel racing on the track; we need to ensure that we are doing so in a sustainable way so our sport can thrive long into the future,” said CEO Domenicali.
The brand is simply too big to be overtaken by Formula E at this current stage.
Nevertheless, the world is trending in an increasingly green direction. All businesses that are relying on offsets only as a way of achieving carbon neutrality are in a bit of a pickle. Why? Green energy means that everyone has better options now. F1 will eventually need an answer to that. For now, it’s not going anywhere.
If you are a fan or a sports better looking for the best Colorado sportsbook promos, both circuits provide exciting potential. Why say either or when you can enjoy some of each?
