Late last month, Extreme E, the new global racing series showcasing electric off-roaders, held a virtual global launch at https://www.extreme-e.com/launch. In keeping with the series’ sustainability goals (and COVID-19 pandemic protocols), the launch was virtual and all teams joining remotely from locations around the world to unveil their car liveries using computer-generated imagery.

The radical new racing series will see electric SUVs competing in extreme locations around the world selected to highlight climate and environmental issues. The global voyage highlights the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the world’s most remote locations and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) to help preserve the environment and protect the planet.

To minimize local impact, races will not be open to spectators, with fans instead invited to follow the action through live TV broadcasts and on social media.

 

Supporting the sustainability mission

Extreme E electric SUVs will compete in five different locations, taking its teams on a journey to extreme environments/ecosystems around the world. The Arctic, Desert, Ocean, Amazon, and Glacier stages have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues, say organizers. The global voyage highlights the impact of climate change and promotes EVs and low-carbon solutions “we can all adopt, which help preserve the environment and protect the planet.”

The St. Helena, a former passenger/cargo ship, has undergone a multi-million Euro refit to minimize emissions and transform her into the series’ operations hub. The choice is estimated to lower carbon output by two thirds in comparison with air freight. The ship will be used to transport the championship’s freight, infrastructure, and vehicles to the nearest port, minimizing the series footprint as well as being used to facilitate scientific research through an onboard laboratory.

In October, Extreme E announced that the Enel Foundation is to become its Founding Scientific Partner. As a member and coordinator of the Scientific Committee, the foundation will advise on Legacy Programs and co-lead the research activities carried out with the team of world-renowned scientists across each of the ecosystems in which the series will race—as well as on board the St. Helena floating base.

The first open call for research for 2021, called “Racing for the planet,” invites scientists to join the St. Helena racing-series voyage and conduct research and outreach programs during the transits between race locations. The programs will focus on understanding climate change and/or consequences of the phenomenon and suggesting adaptation and mitigation pathways. Applications are welcome from scientists that share the same passion for electrification, environment, and equality with Enel Foundation and Extreme E. Visit https://bit.ly/2Hhyy0v.

Extreme E is also pioneering hydrogen fuel-cell technology, which will enable its race fleet to be charged using zero emission energy. The solution from AFC Energy uses water and sun to generate hydrogen power. Not only will the process emit no greenhouse emissions, its only by-product will be water, which will be used elsewhere on-site.

 

The launch

One of the main goals shared by Extreme E’s founders, partners and participants is to raise awareness among spectators of the challenges facing society as a whole. In addition to climate change, they cite humankind’s interaction with the environment and the protection of threatened animal and plant species.

Extreme E’s three key pillars—electrification, environment, and equality—were highlighted throughout the launch presentation in October, which provided details on the championship’s sustainability goals, Legacy Programmes, and commitment to raising awareness of the climate crisis.

Extreme E Founder and CEO Alejandro Agag hosted the event, alongside TV presenter Nicki Shields, and delivered the series overview, including a revised Season 1 calendar that now incorporates a finale in Argentine Patagonia.

“Our team has been working really hard behind the scenes, and despite the pandemic and the challenges it has provided, we are on track for our first race in March 2021,” said Agag. “The series has gained massive momentum with no less than two Formula One World Champions signing up with their own teams alongside other powerhouses in the motorsport world, and there is much more to come as we announce drivers in the coming months.”

The Season 1 calendar in 2021 has the following stops:

  • Desert X Prix: Al Ula, Saudi Arabia; March 20-21
  • Ocean X Prix: Lac Rose, Senegal; May 29-30
  • Arctic X Prix: Kangerlussusaq, Greenland; August 28-29
  • Amazon X Prix: Para, Brazil; October 23-24
  • Glacier X Prix: Patagonia, Argentina; December 11-12

The team reveals highlighted the significant racers and team principals from other areas of motorsport that are joining the Extreme E movement:

Each team’s entries are based on the Odyssey 21 electric SUV, which is manufactured by Spark Racing Technology Its niobium-reinforced steel alloy tubular frame from CBMM, with a battery produced by Williams Advanced Engineering, and custom tires designed by Continental.

 

The chassis and materials tech

Spark Racing Technology parlayed its involvement in the Formula E championship, the all-electric single-seater racing series dreamed up in a restaurant in the Middle East by Frédéric Vasseur, Alejandro Agag, and Jean Todt. Founded by Vasseur, Spark specializes in the development and engineering of high-performance e-mobility cars and modules. The company’s foundation coincided with the birth of Formula E. In November 2012, Formula E Holdings designated Spark to design and build all 40 Spark-Renault SRT_01E single-seaters for Season 1 of the Formula E championship in 2014.

Spark is now also the official car provider for the new Extreme E Championship, at least until 2024. The company is also providing race assistance and spare parts. It will create and construct the common package to specification, before handing over the homologated framework to each team. The competitors then test and develop their own powertrain and bodywork.

The 1650-kg (3640-lb) Odyssey 21 produces 400 kW and 920 Nm (679 lbft) for a 0-100 km/h (0-62 km/h) in 4.5 s at gradients of up to 130%. Top speed is 200 km/h (125 mph). The SUV is 4401 mm (173.3 in) long, 2300 mm (90.6 in) wide, and 1864 mm (73.4 in) tall on a 3001-mm (118.1 in) wheelbase. Ride height is 450 mm (17.7 in) and suspension travel is 385 mm (15.2 in). Its tubular frame is constructed of Niobium-reinforced steel alloy, and suspended by double wishbones with three-way, adjustable, mono dampers. Braking is by Alcon six-piston calipers, with iron discs and pads.

“Spark sees Extreme E as forward-thinking and a true engineering challenge—the ultimate proving ground for electric vehicles,” said Theophile Gouzin, Technical Director of Spark Racing Technology.

“Starting the production and build process for a car is always special and a defining moment when getting a new series off the ground,” added Agag. “I’m glad to be once again taking this journey together with Spark Racing Technology—just as we did for Formula E. Working with trusted partners and people like Theo and the team at Spark allow us to drive forward with preparations and offer race-ready cars to the teams, before giving them the freedom to develop their own components.”

The standardized parts produced by Spark consist of the tubular steel frame, suspension and dampers, braking and steering system, and crash structure and roll cage. The components open for development are focused on the motor and inverter and select areas of exterior bodywork, such as the engine cover, side skirt, lights, and front and rear bumpers.

A key partner on the chassis is CBMM, the championship’s Official Niobium Technology Supplier and Official Chassis Technology Supplier. Niobium provides lighter and more sustainable cars with better energy efficiency. The materials technology is already widely applied in different areas, including lightweighting, safety, emissions reductions, and electronics. Key applications include batteries, drivetrains, chassis, and wheels.

The material’s qualities will be key to ensuring Extreme E’s SUVs will be able to cope with the competition’s formidable environments. Increased lightness means energy savings and improved performance, and the added strength and durability afforded by niobium technology will assist the Extreme E chassis to deal with the toughest challenges.

“We believe niobium will play a key role to increase the safety and the autonomy of cutting-edge electric SUVs,” said Adalberto Parreira, CBMM’s Commercial Director.

As well as playing a key role in championship vehicles, Niobium technology will also be used on board Extreme E’s unique floating paddock, the St. Helena, which will be used to transport the cars, and for the championship’s operations and logistics around the world.

 

Putting the power down

The Extreme E SUV batteries are being designed and developed by Williams Advanced Engineering, plugging into the expertise and experience of the same people who assembled the batteries and cells for the first four seasons of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Made to withstand extreme environments, conditions, and terrain, the batteries will be compatible with Formula E-specification motors and maximum power output of 470 kW. Williams will produce identical 54-kW·h battery packs for the first two seasons of Extreme E.

“With Williams Advanced Engineering, we have a partner with a proven track record—across a number of disciplines and industries, and Formula E in particular—where they delivered high-performance, efficient, and reliable batteries,” said Agag. “Racing in remote and extreme environments is a different challenge altogether, and I’m excited to team up with Williams once again to bring Extreme E to life.”

“The team at Williams Advanced Engineering takes great pride in its achievements powering the first four seasons of Formula E, at a better than 99.5% reliability rate” added Craig Wilson, Managing Director of Williams Advanced Engineering. “We’ve taken the technology for electric vehicles from the race track to the road, and it’ll be great to drive public awareness and acceptance of them still further with the challenging conditions of Extreme E.”

Translating that electric output to the ground will be specially developed Continental tires.

“This new racing format is an opportunity for us to show that our high-performance tires keep delivering, even under extreme conditions,” said Sandra Roslan, Continental’s Extreme E project leader.

The company became an Official Partner of the Extreme E series in January 2019. In October it started testing for the off-road electric racing series at the Château de Lastours off-road proving grounds in the south of France.

How well the car and tires work together was one of the questions looked into during the test runs. However, the testers were also looking for any potential weaknesses in the electric SUV’s physical and technical design as well as its motors.

Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky had a very specific role in the initial test phase in the remote corner of southern France. The Swede comes from a family of successful racing drivers and is the only woman to have won a race in the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.

During the testing, three episodes were filmed of the Beyond the Extreme behind-the-scenes insights into the world of Extreme E. The short films were presented by test driver Åhlin-Kottulinsky and are available on Continental’s YouTube channel.

 

If you like to watch

Extreme E will enable fans to watch the action in a number of ways, with a number of regional TV and online social and media outlets. It has also engaged with Telescope as Official Audience Engagement Technology Partner to support Extreme E’s fan engagement initiative called GridPlay. Telescope has worked with Formula E to deliver Fanboost, which lets fans play an active role in influencing the outcome of the race.

The partnership will see Telescope delivering unique voting solutions across the Extreme E website, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, with plans to expand into streaming platform Twitch. The initiative invites fans to vote for their favorite team and the team with the most votes will be able to choose their spot on the grid. For those that don’t make the final race, they can “gift” their votes to their preferred opponent. The remainder of the grid is decided by points from the previous races that weekend.