The long-awaited first race of the E1 Series, the world’s first all-electric race boat championship, gets underway this weekend in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia (February 2-3). E1’s team owners and cities are set to create excitement around and amplify the championship’s mission to drive change and make a positive impact on marine mobility.

Officially dubbed the UIM E1 World Championship, the “Race to Hong Kong” is composed of seven events hosting RaceBird race boats for the first season. The Jeddah GP will be followed by GPs in Venice (May 11-12), Puerto Banús (June 1-2), Geneva (June 29-30), Monaco (July 26-27), Rotterdam (September 7-8), and Hong Kong (November 9-10), the last city hosting the finale of the first three seasons in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

“Our race locations not only will provide a stunning backdrop for our RaceBirds, but they align with our goals of improving the ecosystems in which we race and accelerating marine electrification,” said Rodi Basso, CEO and Co-founder of E1.

E1 says it is committed to protecting the world’s waters for future generations. Its Blue Action Program, spearheaded by Chief Scientist Prof. Carlos Duarte, focuses on making a positive impact by accelerating the development of clean technologies and blue restoration programs that will help repair already damaged ecosystems.

The first season will start with eight teams owned by some of the biggest names in their fields. From the sports world are Tom Brady (Team Brady, #12), Rafael Nadal (Team Rafa, #09), Virat Kohli (Team Blue Rising, #05), Didier Drogba (Team Drogba, #07), and Sergio Pérez (Team Checo, #11). From the world of music and entertainment are Steve Aoki (Aoki Racing Team, #77) and Marc Anthony (Team Miami, #16). Claure Group Founder & CEO and Shein Group Vice Chairman Marcelo Claure owns the eighth team (Team Brazil, #10).

“The list of names in the Season 1 calendar shows the immense confidence our city stakeholders have in E1 before the first race has even started and there’s still so much more to come from the championship,” said Alejandro Agag, Chairman and Co-founder of E1.

 

The race boat and format

The RaceBird, called the world’s first all-electric race boat, combines a futuristic design with electric propulsion and hydrofoiling technology similar to that pioneered in pleasure boating by innovators like Candela and Navier. The boat’s speed window is optimized for hydrofoiling and maximizing energy efficiency. With the benefit of instant torque and acceleration, the RaceBird can quickly lift onto its foils to reduce drag and decrease the wake it creates.

Developed by electric hydrofoiling boat startup Seabird Technologies founded by Sophi Horne, the vessel features an enclosed safety canopy, with the cockpit beneath featuring a steering wheel, pedals, and only enough space for one pilot. Behind the pilot sits the battery built by Deere & Company’s Kreisel Electric incorporating immersion-cooling technology and further rearward a fully electric outboard motor that is produced by marine propulsion experts at Brunswick Corp.’s Mercury Racing.

Teams will use identical RaceBirds during the first two seasons of the championship, with the regulations then opening up in future years to allow teams and manufacturers to design and develop their own electric technologies.

The boats are 7.5 m (24.6 ft) long and 3.4 m (11.2 ft) wide, with a maximum draft or depth of the foil under the water of 900 mm (35.4 in). They can reach speeds up to 50 kts (93 km/h or 58 mph) thanks to the electric motor’s peak power output of 150 kW and a maximum speed of 7000 rpm. The battery capacity of 35 kW·h is sized for two full charges per race event.

To keep fans entertained throughout the event and limit potential disruption to waterways, E1 races will be held over two days. The first day will mainly consist of shakedown and practice sessions, and on the second day teams and pilots will progress through a series of knockout heats to reach the finale where the eventual winner will be decided. Most E1 events will be staged on Friday and Saturday.

While there are currently eight teams, up to 12 teams can compete. Each team chooses two pilots to share driving duties throughout the event, with the regulations mandating a mixed-gender lineup to ensure equal opportunities in the sport. Competitors will accumulate points throughout the season to determine who will be crowned E1 champions.

 

Partner support

The E1’s Official Championship Partners are Mercury Racing (propulsion and propeller), SIMRAD (marine electronics), C-MAP (cartography), and the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Earlier this month, the PIF sovereign wealth fund unveiled Electric 360, a multi-year partnership with Formula E, Extreme E, and E1 to support the growth of electric motor ports and their role in advancing the future of electric mobility. The partnership will draw together initiatives that underscore the power of electric motorsports to drive technological innovation and revolutionize sustainable transport and future mobility—while leading the way in carbon reduction. It will support STEM initiatives globally to coincide with each championship series and community apprenticeship programs with industry partners in each championship.

“Together with these championship series, Electric 360 will redefine electric sport and supercharge its growth, delivering tangible impact aligned with our broader business strategy as PIF drives new green technological innovation that will be the cornerstone of future electric mobility,” said Mohamed AlSayyad, Head of Corporate Brand at PIF.

Official Supplier Partners of the E1 Series are Kreisel Electric (battery), Victory Marine (naval engineering and RaceBird manufacturing), Seabird Technologies (RaceBird), McLaren Applied (data viewing), QiOn (charging), Taiga Motors (personal watercraft), Smartmark (regatta buoys), Peregrine (transportation), and OFX (foreign exchange).

 

How to watch

The E1 World Championship is partnering with Aurora Media Worldwide to broadcast globally to more than 500 million cumulative global audiences. The Saudi Sports Channel Company will act as the first host venue rights holder, broadcasting throughout the MENA regions alongside Dubai Sports.

The debut season will air on CBS Sports Network in the U.S. and ITV in the UK. Digital media giant Tencent will stream the action to the Chinese audience across its platforms, PX Sports will showcase the racing to markets in Latin America, and Supersport will air the championship to over 52 markets across Sub-Saharan Africa.