The Monaco ePrix, a F-1 Grand Prix for Millennials

Formula E, i. e., the FIA Formula E Championship, is new F-1 race using only electric-powered cars. The series was conceived in 2012 by Jean Todt, French racing legend, former Ferrari CEO, and now president of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, that oversees Formula 1. Todt, after a legendary career in traditional auto racing, turned his attention to sustainability, seeing an electric series as a way to inspire climate-change action. So the Formula E was born.

Todt moved fast to set up the ePrix, appointing Alejandro Agag, a successful Spanish businessman, as Formula E's CEO. Within months, the series was developing racing logistics, locking in backers, and considering host cities. The battery-powered Spark Renault SRT_01E, with a top speed of around 150 mph debuted as the design car for all ten teams, with the expectation that in future seasons, teams could design their own cars.

To attract a younger, more diverse audience, city centers were chosen with the first race held in Beijing. Other racing cities included Putrajaya, Malaysia; Punta del Este, Uruguay; and Buenos Aires, Argentina. This year’s races include Hong, Kong, Marrakesh, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Berlin, New York and Montreal.

The Formula E currently consists of ten teams with two drivers each on a circuit that is approximately 2 to 3.4 km (1.2 to 2.1 mi) long.

For the first season, all teams were supplied an electric racing car built by Spark Racing Technology. The chassis was designed by Dallara, with an electric motor developed by McLaren, a battery system created by Williams Advanced Engineering and tires design by Michelin.

Eight manufacturers were selected to create powertrain technology for the 2015–16 season, with existing teams Andretti, Abt Sportsline, Venturi Automobiles, and Virgin Racing Engineering building their own powertrain. In addition, Motomatica, NEXTEV TCR and Renault Sport provided customer teams.

Unlike Formula 1, the ePrix Series is designed as an open competition, meaning that manufacturers can push the boundaries with new technologies, inventing technology for future street-legal electric cars.

Despite a less impressive sound than fuel-powered, this race car is very real: Di Grassi, one of the driers commented "You can feel it's something completely different from everything else," adding that "the torque ... is much more precise, so you have to be very very precise on applying throttle."

Race day format

All events begin with two practice sessions in the morning, an opening 45-minute session followed by a further 30-minute session. Drivers each have two cars at their disposal with 200 KW available for the entire race.

The qualifying session normally takes place at noon and lasts one hour. The drivers are divided into four groups of five, with each group having six minutes to set their best lap. Full power of 200 kW is available throughout with drivers only able to use one car.

The race itself lasts for approximately 50 minutes with drivers making one mandatory pit stop to change cars. Tire changes, unless caused by a puncture or damage, are not permitted during this pit stop. In race mode, the maximum power is restricted to 170 kW. Points are awarded using the standard FIA system.

Fanboost

Another unique feature of the ePrix is the fanboost, where fans can vote for their favorite driver via various social media channels to give them an extra power boost. Voting starts about two weeks prior to an event and is also open during the opening six minutes of the race. The three winning Fanboost drivers each receive an extra 100 KJ of energy.

Point scoring

Points are awarded to the top ten drivers using the standard FIA system. Three points are also awarded to the driver securing the pole position, while the driver setting the fastest lap receives an additional point. The championship consists of both a drivers’ and teams’ championship, with individual and team totals calculated throughout the season.

An average Formula E car has at least 250 horsepower (190 kW), accelerating from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 3 seconds, with a maximum speed of 225 km/h (140 mph). The generators used to re-charge the batteries are powered by glycerine from Aquafuel, a biodiesel by-product.

Battery Power

However, battery life is still the primary concern: the 440-pound packs used by Formula E cars last around 20 minutes, and racers have to change cars when power is low. Colajanni, the Formula E spokesman, says car-swapping is a necessary temporary solution. “By season five, the goal is to have stronger batteries that allow for an entire race with a single car. One of the reasons we created Formula E is so that the competition can increase the speed of the technical development."

The Formula E is committed to remaining as green as possible. The cars, for example, are transported on cargo ships, to save on emissions, and the calendar is scheduled to minimize travel. According to Forbes, 10.5 million new electric cars will be sold by 2025, due in part to the impact of the Formula E. So help climate change—go to see an ePrix—next one is in Berlin on June 10-11.

As I watched the racecars blurring by, I felt a sense of pride at being a part of the new generation of car drivers, the non-polluting ones. This year 17,000 tickets had been sold, as it was the first year they charged a 20€ entrance fee. The Monaco ePrix still had a ways to go to have the prestige of the Formula-1 Monaco Grand Prix; however, compared to the 230€ entrance fee for the F-1 Grand Prix, it was a great way to enjoy a Grand Prix Race and promote clean energy!