Formula E has unveiled its Gen4 race car, the most advanced in the championship’s history. The new model, which debuts for the 2026 season, combines higher performance with stricter sustainability standards, setting a new benchmark for electric motorsport.
What makes the Gen4 different?
The car’s peak race power jumps from 300 kW to 450 kW, while Attack Mode will unleash a remarkable 600 kW. That places Formula E’s next-generation machine among the most powerful electric single-seaters ever built.
Both the front and rear motors will now operate permanently during races, providing true all-wheel drive. In previous seasons, the front motor could only be used at race starts or in Attack Mode. This shift is expected to sharpen cornering performance and traction on tight urban circuits.
Battery capacity rises by 43 percent to 55 kWh, giving teams more energy to deploy through longer stints and “bolder race strategies,” according to the FIA. Regenerative braking has also taken a leap forward, capable of recovering up to 700 kW—enough to supply around 40 percent of a race’s total energy.
How does it support sustainability?
Sustainability has been integral to Formula E since its launch in 2014, and the Gen4 continues that ethos. The chassis is made entirely from recyclable materials, with at least 20 percent coming from recycled sources. The FIA says the car is designed to be “motorsport’s most sustainable race machine.”
Visually, the Gen4 takes a more conventional single-seater form, with larger front and rear wings to boost aerodynamic efficiency. The rear wing marks a return to an aesthetic last seen on the original Gen1 car, allowing teams to run separate aerodynamic setups for qualifying and race trim.
Why control costs and design freedom?
Formula E was built to showcase electric innovation without the vast spending seen in Formula 1. To keep competition fair, the series continues to regulate chassis and aero development. Teams can still design their own motors, inverters, and rear suspensions—areas that deliver genuine engineering progress and feed back into road EV technology.
This balance between freedom and restraint keeps budgets under control while maintaining competitive variety. The result, according to the FIA, will be significantly faster qualifying laps, expected to be up to five seconds quicker than the current Gen3 cars.
Who’s backing the next era?
Manufacturers remain deeply committed to Formula E’s mission. Nissan, one of the founding OEMs in the series, has already pledged to stay through 2030, describing it as “a vital platform for EV innovation.” Jaguar, McLaren, Maserati and DS Automobiles are also expected to compete in the Gen4 era.
The FIA World Motorsport Council has approved the full technical package, emphasising higher performance, improved drivability, and continued environmental progress.
A decade on from its debut
When Formula E first hit the streets of Beijing in 2014, drivers had to swap cars mid-race because the batteries couldn’t last the distance. Eleven years later, the Gen4’s combination of power, endurance, and sustainability underscores how far electric racing has come.
By doubling down on both speed and responsibility, Formula E is proving that the future of motorsport can be fast, efficient, and circular—without burning a drop of fuel.
