LONDON: The first all-electric FIA Formula E championship will end with a double-header in Battersea Park, London, on June 27 and 28.
Formula E is part of the RE100 campaign, an initiative of The Climate Group in partnership with CDP which promotes companies committed to going 100% renewable energy.
Emily Farnworth, Campaign Director of RE100, commented: “The Formula E championship is a great opportunity to show that, even in sports such as car racing, renewable energy has a role to play. We are witnessing a constant rise in creative initiatives that showcase the role of renewable power in the field of transportation, such as the journey of the Solar Impulse Two. We welcome every effort to spread awareness about how this sector can contribute to a low-carbon economy.”
Formula E joined the RE100 campaign during Climate Week NYC in 2014 as a demonstration of its commitment to go 100% renewable. One of its first steps toward reaching the final goal is to become a carbon neutral racing championship.
Julia Palle, sustainability manager at Formula E, commented: “Our key commitment is to race electric vehicles thanks to renewable energy - glycerine - a fuel free of emissions. Also we are very careful to reduce our footprint as much as possible, thanks to the expertise of our partners such DHL who helped us create a racing calendar with sufficient time in between the races to use boat or road transportation instead of plane. And we want to offset the emissions we cannot not avoid.”
The Formula E series, the first electric car racing season, started last September in Beijing, and its races will be hosted by major cities all over the world, including Miami, Berlin and Moscow. The final race – a double-header – will take place in London in June.
The single-seat electric cars may speed up to 150 mph, but the Formula E championship goes beyond merely a spectacular show with its Legacy Programme, which it hosts in every city.
Through the program the racing series aims to showcase the power of electric vehicles and spread awareness about sustainability. In Miami this means there will be free access to the race and meetings with school and university students.
Cars are charged using innovative new technologies such as the Aquafuel power generator, which relies on glycerine as the engine fuel, being an energy efficient, carbon-neutral and renewable fuel. The team is keen to continue to find new ways to ensure cars are charged from renewable sources. Any additional power is secured from green energy supplied via the grid.
Image credits: FIA Formula E
By Denise Puca