'It's cool, it's sexy, it's fast': Car makers are using Formula E to change the perception of zero-emission vehicles that can now reach 140mph on batteries powered by fuel so clean you can DRINK it (but would you want to?)

  • The four-year-old circuit is being used by automakers to remove the stigma of electric cars, which are generally seen as slow and impractical 
  • Car batteries are powered by generators using glycerin, a virtually emission-free fuel obtained from animal fats that is so clean, humans can actually drink it
  • The cars can hit 140 mph and go from zero to 60 mph in only three seconds
  • Battery limitations necessitated the use of two cars per driver, but the next-generation Formula E car is so advanced that it can handle an entire race
  • To entice younger fans, the circuit included several unique features, including a 'Fanboost' that allows fans to vote on social media to give drivers more power 
  • Automakers like Audi and BMW are using the technology being developed by their respective Formula E teams and applying it to concept and consumer cars
  • Celebrity fans include Uma Thurman, Liv Tyler and Patrick Dempsey, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio who co-founded the Venturi Grand Prix team

The electric car has a problem that has nothing to do with battery life, convenient access to charging stations, or Elon Musk's Twitter account: it simply lacks sex appeal.

That's not to say every other car on the road is a swimsuit model on wheels, but for all of the technological advancements in electromobility, the perception remains that the cars are slow, impractical, and only suitable for the hopelessly uncool.

'That's the biggest issue we have with electric cars,' said Mark Schneider, a spokesman for the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler Formula E Team. 'As long as you don't have sexy electric cars, people won't buy it. You won't buy an electric car just to save the environment, to be honest. You want to buy a car because it's sexy, fast or cool.'

In case the 'E' didn't give it away, Schneider's team competes in electric open-wheel racing – a motorsport that looks an awful lot like Formula 1, but sounds drastically different because the battery-powered cars produce a little more than half the decibels as their gas-powered cousins. 

According to Schneider, the sport's purpose is 'to showcase that electromobility is cool, it's sexy, it's fast - it can be dangerous.'   

There are, however, occasional reminders of the shortcomings of emission-free automobiles.

For instance, current battery limitations necessitate the use of two cars per driver. So instead of refueling during a pit stop, competitors can be seen jumping from one depleted racer into a fully-charged backup.

But those little wrinkles are quickly being ironed out by the sport's rapidly advancing technology - namely a next-generation car that will be introduced next season which boasts nearly twice as much power and double the range of the current model. 

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Formula E cars look a lot like Formula 1 models, but they're battery powered and much quieter

Formula E cars look a lot like Formula 1 models, but they're battery powered and much quieter

What the Formula E cars lack in volume, they make up for with speed, traveling as fast as 140 mph and going from zero to 60 mph in only three seconds - twice as fast as four years ago
The 2017-18 season ended with a pair of races at a shipping yard in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn

What the Formula E cars lack in volume, they make up for with speed, traveling as fast as 140 mph and going from zero to 60 mph in three seconds - nearly twice as fast as four years ago 

Formula E drivers have been required to take one mandatory pit stop per race, during which they jump from one car to a fully-charged backup. Next season a new car will allow drivers to complete an entire 45-minute race on a single charge, negating the need for a pit stop

Formula E drivers have been required to take one mandatory pit stop per race, during which they jump from one car to a fully-charged backup. Next season a new car will allow drivers to complete an entire 45-minute race on a single charge, negating the need for a pit stop

'Next year, we have the "Gen 2" car, and it's a big step because we do the entire race with only one car,' said SMP Racing's Stephane Sarrazin. 'The battery is a really big step.' 

What Formula E cars lack in volume, they make up for with speed, traveling as fast as 140 mph and going from zero to 60 mph in only three seconds.

That's not quite on par with Formula 1, where cars can easily exceed 200 mph, but it is almost twice as fast as first-generation Formula E cars four years earlier. 

What's more, Formula E's 'Gen 2' racer should reach upwards of 180mph, further disproving the sluggish stereotype of electric cars.  

Actress Liv Tyler took a tour of the paddock during July's Formula E races in Brooklyn 

Actress Liv Tyler took a tour of the paddock during July's Formula E races in Brooklyn 

'Formula E helps a lot,' said Schneider. 

The circuit was launched in 2011 after a dinner between International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Jean Todt, Italian politician Antonio Tajani and Alejandro Agag, a Spanish businessman and former politician who still serves as the motorsport's CEO.

Given the reduced speed and volume of Formula E, the circuit can take place on smaller street tracks around the world in the kind of intimate, urban settings that cannot accommodate F1. Race sites include cities like Rome, Paris, Marrakesh and Zurich, where Formula E held Switzerland's first grand prix in over 60 years on June 9.

Cars are powered by generators using glycerin, a virtually emission-free fuel obtained from animal fats and oils that is so clean, humans can actually drink it.  

The generators are powered by glycerin, a virtually emission-free fuel obtained from animal fats and oils that is so clean
Yes, you can actually drink the generator fuel.

Formula E cars are powered by generators using glycerin, a virtually emission-free fuel obtained from animal fats and oils that is so clean, humans can actually drink it

Car makers like Jaguar, Audi, and BMW rely on Formula E to change the perception of electronic cars and to help enhance the technology they put into their consumer models 

Car makers like Jaguar, Audi, and BMW rely on Formula E to change the perception of electronic cars and to help enhance the technology they put into their consumer models 

Formula 1 cars like Lewis Hamilton's (pictured) can easily exceed 200mph. For now, Formula E tops out around 140mph, but in 2018-19, with the next-generation car, it could hit 178mph

Formula 1 cars like Lewis Hamilton's (pictured) can easily exceed 200mph. For now, Formula E tops out around 140mph, but in 2018-19, with the next-generation car, it could hit 178mph

Formula E cars aren't quite as fast as F1, so the races can be held on tighter street courses. A recent event was held at a Brooklyn shipping yard, where Manhattan served as a backdrop

Formula E cars aren't quite as fast as F1, so the races can be held on tighter street courses. A recent event was held at a Brooklyn shipping yard, where Manhattan served as a backdrop

Putting races in cities like Paris and New York helps the circuit reach fans who are unfamiliar with open-wheel racing. Most importantly, it introduces customers to electronic cars

Putting races in cities like Paris and New York helps the circuit reach fans who are unfamiliar with open-wheel racing. Most importantly, it introduces customers to electronic cars

To prevent unfair advantages, cars are monitored by race officials and capped 200 kilowatts during qualifying and 180 kW during races – roughly the equivalent of charging an iPhone for four years. Penalties are enforced for exceeding the power limits and can result in time or drive-through penalties, which force drivers to leave the track and go through pit lane at a reduced speed before re-joining the race. 

Formula E recently completed its fourth season with a pair of races in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood that were televised on Fox and Fox Sports 1.

'Game of Thrones' star Natalie Dormer was one of several celebrities who checked out the pits in Brooklyn during July's races

'Game of Thrones' star Natalie Dormer was one of several celebrities who checked out the pits in Brooklyn during July's races

While the circuit doesn't attract the 200,000-or-so spectators that typically attend F1 events, the long-term goal is to improve the technology for consumers.

That's why it's the manufacturers – Audi, Jaguar, and Renault with BMW, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz on the way – that call the shots. (Interestingly, Tesla is not involved in the circuit, although one of Musk's dealerships was adjacent to July's Formula E races in Brooklyn)

Automakers take the technology being developed by their respective teams on the race track and apply it to concept cars that will eventually find their way onto the assembly lines.

Obviously that's not exactly a new thing for racing: as Schneider pointed out, Audi initially developed its four-wheel drive system in its Quattro rally car.

But unlike other motorsports, there is more of a direct correlation between the electric cars found on the streets and the race cars being driven on the Formula E circuit.

'We're more relevant in today's society,' said Jerome d'Ambrosio, a former Formula 1 Driver who now races for the Dragon Formula E team. 'I think that's where we're strong compared to other series.'

The next-generation Formula E car boasts nearly twice as much power and double the range

The next-generation Formula E car boasts nearly twice as much power and double the range

All Formula E drivers will be driving the next-Gen car during the 2018-19 season, which means they will no longer need to make a mid-race pit stop to change cars 

All Formula E drivers will be driving the next-Gen car during the 2018-19 season, which means they will no longer need to make a mid-race pit stop to change cars 

Automakers like Jaguar use the circuit to show off their newest electric and hybrid vehicles.

Automakers like Jaguar use the circuit to show off their newest electric and hybrid vehicles.

BMW showed off a pair of cars in Brooklyn, both of which rely on battery power 

BMW showed off a pair of cars in Brooklyn, both of which rely on battery power 

Like electric car owners, Formula E drivers' primary concern is conserving power, since 'refuelling' isn't permitted (or even possible) during the race.

BATTERIES INCLUDED 

The Formula E battery continues to improve and next year drivers will no longer need to make a pit stop to get a new car and battery

The Formula E battery continues to improve and next year drivers will no longer need to make a pit stop to get a new car and battery

The Formula E battery is made by Williams Advance Engineering, which is well known team within Formula 1 circles for capturing nine constructors’ championships and seven drivers’ titles.

For competition’s sake, Formula E officials limit battery output to 200 kilowatts during qualifying and 180 kW during races. But even with the self-imposed restrictions, that’s enough to charge an iPhone for four years and marks a 30 kW increase since the circuit’s inaugural season four years ago.

The batteries are charged using generators that run on glycerin -  a sweet syrup obtained from animal fats or by fermenting glucose - so the Formula E cars are virtually emission fee. 

The challenge for drivers is managing the battery life. So rather than building an insurmountable lead, front-runners tend to hold back for fear that a caution flag could force the field to cluster back together, effectively squandering the battery power used to gain the advantage.

Limited battery life necessitated drivers change cars during the race for the circuit’s first four seasons, but in 2018-19, with the next-generation Formula E cars, drivers won’t be forced to make the mandatory pits stop.

Instead, they will be going upwards of 178mph while enduring an entire 45-minute race on a single charge.

On hot race days, Formula E batteries get cooled down with dry ice 

On hot race days, Formula E batteries get cooled down with dry ice 

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Whereas Formula 1 and NASCAR teams rely on overpowering the competition, Formula E rewards clever drivers who are more economical with their allotment of power. That's why race leaders typically stay closer to the pack in Formula E rather than building a large lead that can evaporate whenever the caution flag comes out and competitors cluster back together.

'You learn a lot from [Formula E cars] because electric racing is all about energy management, efficiency, and that's exactly what you need in road cars,' Schneider said.

Mahindra Racing driver Felix Rosenqvist didn't feel particularly strong about electric cars before joining Formula E, but now that he's seen the progress being made on the race track, he's beginning to see the potential of electromobility in the streets.

'The technology is moving forward and as soon as we can reach more than like four-, five-hundred kilometres, then it's good enough to replace the petrol car,' he said. 'If the everyday ease of driving a car is there, then I really don't care if it's petrol or electric.'

But it's not enough to create an open-wheeled racing circuit and hope that it leads to marketable, practical emission-free automobiles.

In order to keep teams focused on making powertrains more efficient, Formula E standardized everything that's unrelated to street cars.

'All the chassis are the same [from team to team],' said Schneider. 'All the aerodynamics, it's all the same for all the teams. Why? Because it's not road relevant to develop its own aerodynamics.'

Plus, this policy keeps the cost of Formula E well below Formula 1, because a day in the wind tunnel can cost around 30,000 euros, according to Schneider.

'If you let every manufacturer develop their own chassis, they could spend millions, but it's not relevant to road cars,' he said. 'What is relevant for road cars is the powertrain: the motor, the gearbox, the inverter, the software, and stuff like that.'

The technology has already started to trickle down from Formula E to concept cars, which are the precursor to what drivers can eventually find at their local dealership.

Audi, for instance, already introduced its new all-electric concept vehicle the e-tron Sportback last year, and recently debuted its e-Tron vision Gran Turismo Concept Car, which originated as a virtual design for a video game.

Schaeffler went so far as to build an Audi RS3 sedan using four Formula E motors that combine to generate 880kW. (For comparison's sake, a Formula 1 engine produces around 559 kW).

The races have turned into a sort of showcase for the newest in electromobility, like the e-tron, which shuttled a few lucky fans around during April's tour stop in Rome. And in Brooklyn, spectators crowded around other new electric cars, such as Jaguar's I-PACE as well as BMW's i3 and its i8, a luxurious sports car with a starting price of $147,000.

Formula E pays all of its drivers, rather than allowing sponsors to buy seats for someone who hasn't earned his or her way onto the circuit. That's why Formula E can boast drivers such as Lucas di Grassi, who previously raced in Formula 1 

Formula E pays all of its drivers, rather than allowing sponsors to buy seats for someone who hasn't earned his or her way onto the circuit. That's why Formula E can boast drivers such as Lucas di Grassi, who previously raced in Formula 1 

That's not to say all of the nuances of Formula E are aimed at selling electric cars to the public.

Many of the new ideas being used on the circuit are simply aimed at attracting younger fans – people without preconceived notions about electric cars.

Take the Fanboost, which uses a fan vote on social media to award a power boost to drivers during the race. A tally is taken before the single mandatory pit stop, and when the three top vote recipients hop into their second car, they find an additional 100 kilojoules of power to deploy in a single, five-second burst.

Not only do drivers need to capture the fans' support with their driving, but it also helps to engage them on twitter in order to sway their votes.

'It makes us work on social media to try and get the Fanboost,' said team Venturi driver Tom Dillmann. 'It's good to interact with the fans. It's not like you will win the race because of the fan boost. It's a good advantage, but not too much of an advantage.'

Teams like Audi Sport ABT Schaffler want to win because it will help establish their credentials within the electronic car industry. They also apply the technology they develop to concept cars that will ultimately find their way to the assembly line. Audi won the 2017-18 team title 

Teams like Audi Sport ABT Schaffler want to win because it will help establish their credentials within the electronic car industry. They also apply the technology they develop to concept cars that will ultimately find their way to the assembly line. Audi won the 2017-18 team title 

Fans are also encouraged to try the E-race simulator at each tour stop so they can test themselves against the drivers' best times in an arcade setting.

Drivers at the front of the pack have to be careful not to overuse their battery because a caution flag could wipe out any lead 

Drivers at the front of the pack have to be careful not to overuse their battery because a caution flag could wipe out any lead 

And speaking of video games, the 2018-19 season will mark the debut of the 'Hyperboost': drivers will be able to increase their battery output from 200 to 225 kW over a specific part of each track – a development some have compared to the Nintendo classic 'Mario Kart,' which allowed competitors to do something similar, albeit in a more cartoonish way.

Formula E also takes younger fans' viewing habits into consideration, which is why all races will be exactly 45 minutes long next season. So instead of counting laps, as most traditional race circuits do, Formula E will calculate the distance driven over the allotted time.

Not only is this helpful for broadcasters, who can sell their advertisements around a more structured format, but also because it suits anyone whose attention span is too short for several hours of Formula 1 racing.

It doesn't hurt that Formula E has some of the same trappings as F1, such as frequent celebrity sightings. In Brooklyn, for instance, actors Mark Strong, Uma Thurman, Liv Tyler and Patrick Dempsey were in attendance, and Leonardo DiCaprio was a co-founder of the Venturi Grand Prix team.

Fans - particularly young fans - are encouraged to try the E-race simulator at each tour stop so they can test themselves against the drivers' best times in an arcade setting

Fans - particularly young fans - are encouraged to try the E-race simulator at each tour stop so they can test themselves against the drivers' best times in an arcade setting

And races are typically more physical than in Formula 1 thanks to the narrower tracks and drivers' willingness to trade some paint.

'Quite a bit [of collisions],' Rosenqvist said. 'Rarely do you finish a race with your car completely clean.'

It's also more competitive than F1.

Whereas the world's top racing circuit has had just three season champions over the last eight years, Formula E has had a different winner each season, with Techeeta's Jean-Éric Vergne sealing the points title in the first of Brooklyn's two races.

And because Formula E pays all of its drivers, rather than allowing sponsors to buy seats for someone who hasn't earned his or her way onto the circuit, the sport boasts considerable talent behind the wheel. Many of the drivers have F1 experience, while others are vying for a spot on the world's top open-wheel racing circuit.

Formula E has focused on attracting young fans, many of whom do not have preconceived notions about electric cars 

Formula E has focused on attracting young fans, many of whom do not have preconceived notions about electric cars 

The economics surrounding the sport remain a secret, but even if Formula E is currently unprofitable, the circuit's main objectives can continue to be accomplished.

'We have more manufacturers in Formula E than they have in Indy Car and F-1 combined,' said Lucas di Grassi, who won a points title for Audi Sport ABT Schaffler in 2017 and finished the 2018 campaign by winning two of the final seven races and finishing second in the other five.

'We are not on top of the league yet,' he said. 'Of course Formula 1 is still the No. 1 motorsport in the world. Of course in the U.S. you have Indy Car and NASCAR, which are very strong. But that shows a clear direction for the manufacturers that are looking for the electric, that Formula E has gone from people laughing at it, from a promise, and now to delivery. Formula E's delivery is the reality. It will establish itself stronger and stronger for the next two years.

'If it's going to compete against Formula 1 and Indy Car, that's a different story,' he continued. 'But Formula E is here to stay and we are a part of it.'

Jean-Eric Vergne reacts to winning the Formula E 2018 New York E-Prix in Brooklyn on July 15. A day earlier he finished fifth, which was enough for the Frenchman to secure the points title

Jean-Eric Vergne reacts to winning the Formula E 2018 New York E-Prix in Brooklyn on July 15. A day earlier he finished fifth, which was enough for the Frenchman to secure the points title

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