The Race for Reason
DIRECTED BY Malvern
BY Frew
Jamie
WRITTEN Murdoch PROJECT Kandemwa Reigle,
CEO, Formula E 2 Issue 106 · Business Enquirer Magazine
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship ac tively promotes electric mobility and renewable energy solutions to contribute to air pollution re duction and the fight against worldwide climate change. In September 2020, the championship became the first global sport to be certified with a net-zero carbon footprint from inception.
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The year 2021 may have been challeng ing for the car industry in light of the global chip shortage, however, the global electric vehicle market suggests otherwise. With world governments offering in centives such as subsidies, toll exemptions, and grants, as well as car manufacturers constant ly developing better technologies, the appetite for electric vehicles is becoming near insatia ble. Fortunately, in a time where sustainability is a leading concern, this is an appetite that the world can afford to encourage.
The Race for Reason
Formula E acts as a vehicle for positive change for the next generation.
Formula E
What began as a few scribbles on a napkin be tween FIA President Jean Todt and Formula E Chairman Alejandro Agag has become a world wide entertainment brand with motorsport and sustainability at its very heart. Julia Pallé, Sus tainability Director at Formula E, elaborated on the championship’s purpose-driven mission to accelerate change towards an electric futureone race, and one city at a time. “It’s been central to the success of Formula E to have our leadership very committed to sustainabil ity; taking it as a strategic central DNA dimension of the championship. Formula E is like the Ying and the Yang - it’s the racing and reason. You need the sport to inspire people, to touch their heart, their minds, and their souls. The sport is the vehicle to convey the sustainability message. “It gives me personal pride to be able to wake up every day and work for a business that is trying to change the world. I need that meaningful element, that direction, that feeling that we do something for the greater good. The reality is that when I start ed my career, motorsport was not an environment that was ready for sustainability. It probably felt a little contradictory if not paradoxical in the begin ning, but I’m very proud to see where Formula E has gone,” asserted Julia.
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Formula E
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From the track to the street In addition to inspiring fans to lead more sus tainable lifestyles, Formula E is delivering on its mission to promote electrification on the streets through continued technological developments. What makes these innovations even more excit ing is the impact on the global electric vehicle market and what it means for the end-user.
Gen3 is going to be the pinnacle of technology,performance,andsustainability. “
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Formula E
“Jaguar has been with us almost since the very be ginning of the championship. In just a few seasons, they managed to develop technologies that were transferred into their I-Pace electric SUV. That’s something that testifies that the technology trans fer is strong and active within Formula E,” ex plained Julia. Season eight of Formula E is underway and an ticipation has been building regarding the un veiling of the championship’s third-generation electric vehicle. Gen3 is tipped to be the world’s most efficient racing car with a top speed of 200 miles per hour and maximum power of 350kw. Julia described how Gen3 would act as an inter section of the championship’s main values: “Gen3 is going to be the pinnacle of performance, technology, and sustainability. Clear thought was given to the end of life and the impact throughout the life of the car when designing the first tire, the first battery, the first chassis, and so on. This will be a step up; one the wider motorsport industry can look at and be inspired to deliver in the future...”
“Over the fourth season, we managed to double the battery capacity of our cars, which had a positive ef fect on the rest of the global battery industry. These innovations are transferred straight into the battery electric vehicles that we drive globally. We have an important lineup of car manufacturers who ultimate ly develop and customize their own technologies.
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It’s attractive and exciting with the cars and racing, but you also get to get to enjoy vegetarian recipes and entertainment for the children around renewable energy. “ “
Innovation Feature
“When you come to our events, you get a day in the life of what a sustainable future looks like. It’s attractive and exciting with the cars and racing, but you also get to enjoy vegetarian recipes and entertainment for the children around renewable energy. There are also discussions around diver sity, equity, and inclusion, with our Girls on Track program where we invite young girls from diverse social backgrounds to join us and be inspired about a potential career in motorsport,” shared Julia.
Sustainability as DNA Formula E’s vision of advancing electrification has compounded to include more aspects of the global sustainability campaign. During the Covid-19 crisis, it became apparent that chil dren were deeply impacted by the pandemic. This inspired collaboration between Formu la E and UNICEF, one that was so successful it evolved into a long-term partnership in sup port of UNICEF’s Safe and Healthy Environment Fund, which aims to create a sustainable and clean environment for children. The pandemic also provided a surprising oppor tunity to reassess some of the championship’s processes concerning their events. Due to Covid restrictions, buffets were no longer a viable ca tering option. Formula E took a different ap proach by serving portion-controlled meals in recyclable boxes which led to a drastic reduc tion in food waste, which is now close to zero. In terms of plastic, automotive insurer Allianz has assisted Formula E to phase out single-use plastics from events by implementing hydra tion stations and reusable vessels. In just a sea son and a half, the organization has saved the equivalent of 300 000 plastic bottles.
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Formula E’s leadership, as demonstrated by Ju lia’s passion, will continue to drive the future of the motorsport: “We’re here to accelerate sustainable human prog ress and give concrete solutions for sustainable life styles that are not going to feel like less. They’re go ing to be perceived as the coolest thing because we know that the next generation, Gen Z, is inherently demanding purpose, especially when consuming entertainment and sport. “I’m amazed to see how the rest of the motorsport industry has taken up the challenge of sustainabil ity and it’s at the forefront of the rest of the sports industry. It’s not a nice to have anymore, but a must-have.” www.fiaformulae.com10
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What is next in the race for reason?
The Formula E championship acts as a labora tory to test and solve issues around wider elec trification. Charging infrastructure has been a constraint from a consumer perspective in terms of the number of charging points avail able and charging speed. In the case of the for mer, the world is catching up and the number of stations is increasing. Concerning the latter is sue, Formula E is currently working on new ul tra-fast charging solutions that will make this a worry of the past.
Issue 106 · Business Enquirer Magazine
Formula E I’m amazed to see how the rest of the motorsport industry has taken up the challenge of sustainability and it’s at the forefront of the rest of the sports industry. “ “ Issue 106 · Business Enquirer Magazine 11
Formula E www.fiaformulae.com
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