Electric formula: inside the Formula E racing car

If you’ve ever been in an electric race car, you’ll know that the almost instant torque and acceleration can be just as breath-taking as the gas-guzzling roar of a Formula One engine. But to die-hard fans, electric racing can be a hard sell. Without the thunder of the internal combustion engine and the reek of gasoline, many race goers say the sport just isn’t the same.

That’s a view that the new FIA Formula E Championship is hoping to change next year. The first all-electric auto racing series will start September 2014 and run through to June 2015. Ten teams, each with two drivers, will compete against each other over the course of an hour, racing through the streets of some of the world’s most impressive cities, including London, Berlin, Rome and Rio de Janeiro.

All teams will be required to use a common chassis being developed by Renault together with Spark Racing Technologies. Named Sark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E, it will feature technology from a range of different companies, many of whom are also involved in Formula One. Earlier this month, the Formula E racing car was unveiled at the Frankfurt motorshow providing a better look at what we might expect.