Formula E Gen3

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Formula E Gen3
2023-04-21 Motorsport, ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Berlin E-Prix 2023 1DX 0632 by Stepro.jpg
Daniel Abt driving the Gen3 at a 2023 Berlin ePrix demo
Category Formula E
Constructor Spark Racing Technology
Designer Alessandra Ciliberti (Technical Director) [1]
Predecessor Spark SRT05e
Successor Formula E Gen4
Technical specifications
Chassis Carbon fibre and aluminium monocoque
Length5,016.2 mm (197.5 in)
Width1,700 mm (66.9 in)
Height1,023.4 mm (40.3 in)
Wheelbase 2,970.5 mm (116.9 in)
Electric motor Various mid-mounted
Transmission Various unknown
Battery47 kW·h (169 MJ) 12.77 C by WAE Technologies
PowerGENBETA: 400 kW (536 hp; 544 PS) [2]
Max: 350 kW (469 hp; 476 PS)
Race: 300 kW (402 hp; 408 PS)
Weight
  • 760 kg (1,675.5 lb)
  • 840 kg (1,851.9 lb) (with driver)
Tyres Hankook
Competition history
Notable entrants Flag of the United States.svg DS Penske
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Nio 333 Racing
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg ERT Formula E Team
Flag of the United States.svg Cupra Kiro
Flag of Germany.svg ABT CUPRA Formula E Team
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Lola Yamaha Abt Formula E Team
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg NEOM McLaren Formula E Team
Flag of Monaco.svg Maserati MSG Racing
Flag of India.svg Mahindra Racing
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jaguar TCS Racing
Flag of Germany.svg Porsche Formula E Team
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Envision Racing
Flag of Japan.svg Nissan Formula E Team
Flag of the United States.svg Andretti Formula E
Flag of Monaco.svg Citroën Racing

The Formula E Gen3, also known as Spark Gen3 or simply Gen3, is an electric formula race car designed for use in the FIA Formula E Championship. The car is the successor to the SRT05e, and is constructed by Spark Racing Technology. It is used as the base car for all manufacturers and teams from the 2022–23 Formula E World Championship onwards. The upgraded Gen3 Evo has been used from 2024–25 season onwards. It is the first ever Formula E car with all-wheel drive to race internationally. [3]

Contents

Development

In July 2020 it was announced that Spark Racing Technology would build the chassis and supply the front axles, Williams Advanced Engineering would supply the batteries, and Hankook would supply all-weather tires that incorporate bio-material and sustainable rubber. [4]

Specifications

The wheelbase is 2,970 mm (117 in) and the weight is 760 kg (1,676 lb) without the 80 kg (176 lb) driver allocation for a total of 840 kg (1,851.9 lb). It has a manufacturer-developed rear axle electric motor which is limited to a maximum of 350 kW (469 hp; 476 PS) in qualifying and attack mode, and 300 kW (402 hp; 408 PS) in race mode. The front axle is equipped with a standardized Front Powertrain Kit (FPK), which is a 350 kW (469 hp; 476 PS) drive unit supplied by Lucid Motors solely used for regenerative braking. The package, which also includes the single-speed gear reduction, differential, and inverter, weighs 32 kg (71 lb) and fits within the dimensions of 259 mm × 343 mm × 266 mm (10.2 in × 13.5 in × 10.5 in). The motor has a maximum speed of 19,500 RPM and has a power density of 15.6 hp/kg. The FPK is limited to 250 kW of regeneration, which along with 350 kW from the rear axle allows for 600 kW of regenerative braking in total. [5] The battery is a 47 kWh liquid cooled unit weighing 284 kg (626 lb) and limited to 38.5 kWh usable capacity in races. The battery is also designed to handle "flash-charging" at rates of up to 600 kW, [6] allowing pitstop recharging into the championship for the first time; [7] however, the introduction of fast charging was postponed due to battery issues persistent throughout testing. [8] The theoretical top speed is 322 km/h (200 mph). [9] [10] The power-to-weight ratio is roughly equivalent to an Audi RS5 Turbo DTM.

Gen 3 Evo

The Gen3 Evo car was introduced for the 2024–2025 season. The front wing was changed to reintroduce an upper element and a more covered front wheel seen on previous generations for their lower drag, better durability and altered aesthetics. The Hankook tires were modified to provide 5-10% more grip after driver feedback. While peak power remains at 350kW, the extra 50kW over the standard race mode is now provided by the FPK, enabling all-wheel drive for use during qualifying, race starts, and Attack Mode. The changes are expected to decrease laptimes by 11.5 seconds and improve the utility of Attack Mode's additional power, which was previously limited by insufficient traction. The addition of customizable headlights and noise generators were considered to help differentiate manufacturers, but were ultimately not implemented. [11]

GENBETA

The GENBETA is a modified version of the Gen3 racecar. It has enhanced battery output, all-wheel drive, softer iON Race tyre compound, and 3D printed front wing endplates, wheel fins and a wind deflector. It has been used to break two different world records.

World indoor speed record

During the 2023 London ePrix weekend, then-McLaren driver Jake Hughes set a new Guinness World Record for indoor speed by hitting 218.71 km/h (135.9 mph) inside London's ExCeL Centre. The previous record for fastest speed achieved by a vehicle indoors was 165.20 km/h (102.65 mph) set by American driver Leh Keen in a Porsche Taycan Turbo S at the New Orleans Convention Centre in 2021. [12]

Single-seater acceleration record

In January 2024, Reem Al Aboud set a new record for FIA single-seater acceleration. She drove the GENBETA from 0-100km/h (0-60mph) in 2.49 seconds, beating the previous benchmark of 2.6 seconds, which was set in a Formula One car. [13]

References

  1. "GEN3 EXPLAINED: Alessandra Ciliberti, FIA Formula E Technical Manager + Gen3 Project Lead". www.fiaformulae.com. Formula E. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  2. "Formula E's cutting edge electric race car, GEN3, explained". www.fiaformulae.com. Formula E. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  3. "Formula E and FIA unveil GEN3 Evo race car capable of 0-60mph in 1.82s". www.fiaformulae.com. FIA Formula E. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  4. "The FIA and Formula E Build Ever More Relevant Future". www.fia.com. FIA. 1 July 2020. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  5. "New Gen3 Formula E car unveiled". The Race. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  6. "FORMULA E AND FIA REVEAL ALL-ELECTRIC GEN3 RACE CAR IN MONACO". fiaformulae.com/. FormulaE. 29 April 2022. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  7. "Formula E's Gen3 Regeneration Concept Agreed". the-race.com. the-race. 18 June 2020. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  8. "Formula E fast-charging pitstops definitely shelved for 2023". the-race.com. the-race. 26 April 2023. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  9. "Formula E and FIA reveal all-electric Gen3 race car in Monaco". FIA Formula E. 28 April 2022. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  10. "Formula E Gen 3 Race Car Breaks Indoor Land Speed World Record". gadgets360. 28 July 2023. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  11. Smith, Sam (25 April 2024). "Everything you need to know about Formula E's new Gen3 Evo car". The Race. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  12. "Formula E driver sets indoor world speed record". ESPN.com. 28 July 2023. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  13. "Formula E sets new acceleration benchmark in motorsport". The Official Home of Formula E. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.