Formula E’s new Gen3 Evo car breaks cover

The new specification of car was unveiled on Thursday evening ahead of this weekend’s Monaco E-Prix, where it will also demonstrated in public for the first time on Saturday by ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard.

The all-electric championship’s latest challenger is an upgrade on the current Gen3 car which has been used for the last two seasons, with primary changes to the bodywork and tyres, as well as a more efficient use of power.

The acceleration of the car has been substantially improved with a 0-60mph time of 1.82s which now exceeds that of the current F1 cars, while general performance has been improved by around two seconds in relation to a lap of Monte Carlo.

Most significantly, the car will now make use of the front powertrain which has been a part of the Gen3 machine since its launch but has yet to be used, making it all-wheel-drive (AWD) for the first time.

Formula E Gen 3 EVO

Photo by: FIA Formula E

A maximum power output of 50kW will be applied to the front axle from the 350kW limit, with the remaining power placed to the rear wheels, but this will only be allowed in the qualifying duels, at the start of the race and during both Attack Mode activations each driver needs to take.

A sturdier front wing and new sidepods mean the car should also suffer from less aerodynamic drag than its predecessor, while a new version of Hankook tyre will offer 5-10% more grip than before.

“We all know that speed sells in our business and if you’re a motorsport fan you love things that go fast and therefore to have a message of 1.82s to 60mph, I think is an amazing headline for us,” Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds told Autosport.

“It’s easy to make a really fast Racing car, it’s easy to make a really good-looking Racing car and it’s easy to make a Racing car that’s got lots of technology that’s relevant, but it’s not easy to do all three of those things together.”

Formula E Gen 3 EVO

Photo by: FIA Formula E

Work on the new car has been undertaken by Formula E and the FIA for more than a year, with official safety car driver and former racer Bruno Correia having performed the role of development driver on the project.

The car unofficially broke cover at the previous round in Misano, where Formula E conducted media activities with the Gen3 Evo out on track ahead of its first public outing in Monaco.

Teams will be able to upgrade existing chassis with the modifications, helping to save on cost and reduce disused parts, with the introduction of the new car falling at the halfway point of the Gen3 cycle before Gen4 is introduced in 2026.

“From a cost-perspective and sustainability perspective, we don’t want to be tearing everything up and throwing it away,” said McLaren team principal, Ian James.

Formula E Gen 3 EVO

Photo by: FIA Formula E

“That’s where we get the wholesale generational changes, so within that four-year period we have the opportunity after the first two years to make this change.

“That fits with the homologation cycle which goes hand-in-hand with the manufacturers, because the manufacturers have the opportunity to hit the reset button to homologate any new powertrain going forward.”